Dana F.
Yelp
I could be jet-lagged to the point where I will collapse, but the first thing I do upon arriving to my father's flat is sleepwalk to Bedford St. and get a Chequers sandwich. I'm not even kidding. I've been going here for years now and it's great to see the same familiar faces working there. I'm only in the UK three times a year, a few weeks at a time, but the sandwich guys remember me and my order (smoked salmon and spinach on brown bread, lightly buttered with pepper) every single time. These are the best sandwiches I have ever eaten - I never, ever eat sandwiches stateside because I know that my expectations will be too high (due to Chequers). I wish I could take the shop back to New York with me, that's how much I love it!
Chequers is a small place -- I actually stumbled upon it by accident. I had to go up the street to Tesco to buy provisions for the refrigerator, and I was hungry (I can't bring myself to eat airplane "food"). There are a few sandwich shops along Bedford Street, but I selected the smallest of the bunch (there's no seating inside and when there's a queue for sandwiches, it can be hard to get in and out).
During lunch hour, you'll see a long queue, sometimes it reaches all the way down to the Strand. As for the other sandwich shops, Pret, Eat, your other various pre-fabricated lunch places - they're completely deserted in comparison. The sandwich guys at Chequers are efficient, so you won't be waiting for long at all. The Lunch Box special is one the best deals in the area - you can get soup, a sandwich, and a soda for under £7. As I always make it a point of trying a new sandwich each time I'm in town and have never been disappointed. Everything down to the bread is amazing. The downsides: they do close fairly early in the day (it's mainly a lunchtime operation) and unfortunately, they are not open on the weekend.