Hidden on a side street or in the back of a store are little gems of eateries. The owner, who may be the only employee this time of year, will probably make your food and serve you. When a reader told me about a little store in Bend with food she loved, the search was on for where to get great sandwiches around Central Oregon.

My requirement was that each restaurant was family-owned and operated — a place where community support is a lifeline.

Each offered quality, fresh ingredients. Two shops baked their own bread. I was able to speak to the owners at each stop, as they were the only ones who were working. All of the owners told me of loyal locals who frequently come in for their favorites. Each eatery had its own signature style. Note: All of the places I visited also sold soup made fresh daily, but I only tried the sandwiches.

Midtown Market, 1709 NE Sixth St. (near Revere), BendAt first glance, Midtown Market appears to be a neighborhood

convenience store. But walk in, and you’ll see a case filled with baked goodies — from bagels and breads to rugelach (rolled cream-cheese dough with fruit or chocolate filling) and other pastries. Owner and baker Bill Kurzman opened the Market in 2017 after his first foray at Village Baker. He describes how it is exciting for customers to find the tucked-away little bakery and sandwich shop. He likened it to “finding new music you love to listen to.”

Although there is an option to choose your own ingredients on freshly-made bread, I picked two items off the specialty menu. Both came on soft, mildly sweet fresh-baked Kaiser rolls. I had the Pastrami and Swiss on a poppy seed roll. Mild white onions and brown mustard complemented the pile of spiced meat. I especially liked The Turkey Avocado sandwich. Chipotle mayo added a bite of spice to the smashed avocado, radish and greens.

It was impossible to pass up the baked goods. I tried a “stuffed bagel” — chewy, soft, everything bagel dough, wrapped around ham and bacon. The cinnamon cardamom bun was soft and sweet without being sugary.

Soup 2 Nuts, 457 SW Sixth St., RedmondUnlike the other sandwich shops, Soup 2 Nuts is easy to find on 6th Street in downtown Redmond. I arrived later in the afternoon and was able to chat with owner Nick Dacus as he made my sandwiches. His father, Brad Dacus, comes in every morning to make soup and bread from scratch. This eatery also serves pizza made with homemade dough.

I chose two toasted, hot sandwiches on pita sub bread — the Garlic Roast Beef and Bleu, and the Turkey Buffalo Bleu. Dacus uses Boar’s Head meat with bleu cheese, tomatoes and lettuce, accompanied by house-made rosemary garlic mayonnaise. The combo was savory, moist with crunchy yet soft bread. The Turkey Pesto with Spinach sandwich was the star for my friends and me. Turkey, provolone, artichoke hearts, black olives, fresh spinach, tomatoes and caramelized onions were layered with a beautiful blended homemade pesto mayonnaise and cheese melted on top.

It’s best to arrive early as the shop closes at 3:30 or when they run out of ingredients.

R Spot, 101 W. Main St. #A, SistersRumor had it that R Spot made the best sandwiches in Sisters. I was surprised to find that it was also a tiny Italian restaurant with a small bar. Though its address is on Main Street, you’ll find it around the corner on Elm. Norm Garret opened R Spot four years ago after spending more than 20 years cooking in Whole Foods’ delis. He runs the little eatery solo, making pastas and salads. Indeed his “Signature Paninis” are “the best.”

We opted for the R Meatball and Cubano sandwiches. The enormous meatballs are made with ground beef and Italian sausage. The meatballs, provolone and marinara sauce are toasted and pressed on a Franz pub roll. It was still hard to get my mouth around the whole sandwich. The spices from the sausage along with the marinara sauce made for a mouth-watering delight.

Garret explained that the pork in the Cubano was cooked for eight hours and that he’s had tourists from Florida claim it was the best. The braised, shredded pork had a moist delicate flavor. It was topped with pepper jack cheese, sliced ham, a generous portion of dill pickles, and a three-mustard spread where I could see the mustard seeds. All of the flavors stood out individually and combined together for a tasty sandwich that I can’t wait to eat again.

Cafe Libelle, 235 NW Third St., PrinevilleThis little sandwich counter is probably the hardest to find. Located in the back of the Mountain Girl Designs store that sets the tone for the cute, provincial cafe. Caterin Bell came to Prineville as a foreign exchange student from Germany and fell in love with the area. A few years later she returned, married and started a family.

She had always wanted to open a sandwich place. Her sandwiches may be basic, but they have fresh ingredients, including a soft and crunchy baguette or croissant each with a German name. I had the pute (pu-ta, German for turkey), with turkey, romaine and Muenster cheese on a buttered baguette. Bell says she has mustard, “But,” she said playfully “I don’t like mayonnaise so I don’t carry it.” The butter added enough flavor and moistness.

Cream cheese can be substituted for butter, which I did on the Shinken (ham) and cheese on a croissant. While the sandwiches were fresh and satisfying, Cafe Libelle is known for its soup and crepes.

Now you know, wherever you are in Central Oregon, you can get a tasty sandwich while also supporting a small local business.