The story of Hollywood’s favorite sandwich connoisseur, Ike’s Love & Sandwiches
In the heart of San Francisco’s bustling culinary landscape, Ike’s Love & Sandwiches has transformed from humble roots to a worldwide sensation. Founded by passionate entrepreneur, Ike Shehadeh, in 2007, the business began as a bold dream to unite people over unforgettable sandwiches. Through hard work and perseverance, what started as a small café serving breakfast and lunch quickly transformed into a sandwich phenomenon, earning top rankings on Yelp and attracting tourists, locals, celebrities, and tech titans – including Billie Eilish, Marshawn Lynch, Halsey, and G Eazy. Now approaching two decades in the business, Ike’s Love & Sandwiches continues to redefine what sandwich shops can be, infusing big flavors, bigger personality, and an unwavering belief that love comes first.
Food Chain sits down for an exclusive interview with Ike Shehadeh to delve deeper into his journey to success.
“When I turned 21, I became one of the official owners of our family business. Shortly after 9/11 however, the economy plummeted,” Ike begins. “Being Palestinian, I experienced some discrimination, and that, in combination with me being a 21-year-old with not a lot of experience, meant despite my best efforts, I could not keep that business afloat.
“The business closed in 2004 when I was 25 and, at that point, I felt like the biggest loser.” Finding himself at a low point, Ike was out of work for nine months. “I decided the only way to get out of that rut was to start moving forward. I started brainstorming what kind of jobs I could do. Rejected by a clothing store near where I was staying, I ended up walking by a Victoria’s Secret store and begged them for a job; I then worked for them for minimum wage over the holiday season, ended up getting promoted, and continued working there for a couple of years. After that, I got into real estate, but ended up working three jobs across seven days a week. I guess I was a workaholic!”
Through that difficult period of hustle and self-reflection, Ike’s resilience pushed him to rebuild his confidence and reignite his inner flame. Starting again from the bottom and working hard through several jobs, he realized his passion for business and, by the time 2007 rolled around, Ike made the decision to bet on himself again.
“In 2007, I took my income and decided to get back into business for myself,” Ike continues. “I thought about the things I loved: cooking, hanging out with friends, and making memories. Months later, I opened my first café, called Ike’s Place. At first, we were only busy for breakfast. We had breakfast sandwiches and a full espresso bar and then sandwiches and salads for lunch. In March 2008, I found out that we were the number one restaurant on Yelp. Tourists would come to us from other countries – they’d see me and say “Oh, you’re the sandwich guy!”. Following that, we got rid of the coffee and the salads and became a sandwich restaurant. We now sell up to 1200 sandwiches a day.”
Organic growth
Following his arduous journey of struggle, Ike’s drive and determination had finally paid off: Ike’s Place, now Ike’s Love & Sandwiches, was shooting for the stars. Ike’s newfound fame drew customers, tourists, and a star-studded clientele from across the globe, who quickly fell in love with the business’ sandwiches and vibrant personality.
“Because we were popular, we had landlords reaching out to us with properties available, one of which was Stanford University. The Forbes family, alongside Jensen Wong of NVIDIA, was building a $100 million project in 2009 and wanted to put in a café. They invited us to put in a proposal, and we won that RFP,” Ike recounts. “We launched our second location on the Stanford University campus, which got a lot of buzz. We fed Mark Zuckerbeg, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs – basically every tech mogul that’s out there. Soon after, we opened our third location in Redwood Shores where Electronic Arts and Oracle were located. We started franchising in 2019 but stopped because of Covid. This year, we’re starting to franchise again. We now have locations in nine states and are about to announce our tenth: Illinois.”
When visiting an Ike’s Love & Sandwiches store, it’s easy to see why the company is so successful: the sandwiches are simply delicious. From meat-lovers to vegetarians to vegans, with gluten-free and Halal options, there is something for everyone. Made fresh in store using the best quality ingredients, each sandwich is served hot on Dutch bread, stuffed to the brim, and embellished with Ike’s iconic Dirty Sauce. Ike’s favorites, as reported on the business’ website, include the ‘Menage A Trois’ – a scandalous mix of Halal chicken, honey mustard, BBQ sauce, honey, pepper Jack, Swiss cheese, and Cheddar – as well as the ‘Matt Cain’ (roast beef, beef salami, Godfather sauce, and provolone cheese) and the ‘Handsome Owl’ (vegan chicken, teriyaki, Swiss cheese, and wasabi mayo). Most importantly, however, every sandwich combo (most of which Ike personally invents) is served with love first – a value that Ike extends beyond his sandwich stores.
“I’ve also got a company called Franchise Whisperers,” he shares. “I get a lot of business owners messaging me on social media who want to pick my brain, so I started Franchise Whisperers where I can chat with them and help them. I began doing in-person events once a month in Phoenix and Los Angeles and once a week online. A lot of folks have reached out, and I chat with them and help them with their businesses, whether that be supporting them in franchising their businesses or putting together their FDDs. We look forward to working with many more brands on that in the future.”
Love, respect, and appreciation
From local shop owner to social media star and Grammy gifting suite regular, Ike has gone from a local businessman to culinary legend. His journey embodies the American dream like few others and is a testament to reinvention, hustle, and the power of betting on yourself. In 2026, the business is excited to launch new ice cream products and expand into new locations – Illinois, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Ohio – taking its geographical reach to 13 states. As Ike’s Love & Sandwiches continues to grow and flourish however, its core remains rooted in the philosophy that love, respect, and appreciation come before sandwiches – now and forever.