A celebration of our local sandwich scene.
Food & Drink
The Right Stuff
A celebration of our local sandwich scene.
Edited by Jane Marion
Photography by Justin Tsucalas
Food Styling by LISA CHERKASKY
Pictured: The Salmon BLT at Neopol.
YOU CAN EAT THEM WITH YOUR HANDS, down them while you’re driving—and cut them in half to share or save for later. Sandwiches are the next best thing to the sliced bread they’re served on, though not everyone agrees on what qualifies as a sandwich. Merriam-Webster defines one as “two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between.” By that definition, burgers, lobster rolls, and PB&J are all included. But the sandwich universe encompasses other stuffed iterations, such as souvlaki swaddled in pita, egg and avocado packed inside bao buns, and even certain desserts, a la the Charmery’s playful Ice Cream Donut Sandwich (a challah-nut doughnut filled with Malty Chip ice cream, strawberries, and hot fudge).
Legend has it that the very first sandwich was made during Passover in the 1st century BCE, when a rabbi placed charoset—a mixture of apples, spices, and sweet wine—between two pieces of matzoh. The more modern-day sandwich came into being years later, in 1762, when John Montagu, aka England’s Earl of Sandwich, fed himself—and his gambling habit. One version of the story goes that Montagu didn’t like to leave the gaming table for a meal, so he’d order his valet to bring him salt beef, tucked between two pieces of bread. Others soon began to order “the same as Sandwich!”
Whatever the origin, a century-and-a-half or so later, sandwiches came into vogue in the U.S. in the 1920s, when bakeries started selling pre-sliced bread, thanks to the invention of the automatic bread slicer. And suddenly, sandwiches were portable for everyone from schoolchildren to shift workers.
Below, we celebrate Baltimore’s sandwich scene. Get ready to dig in!
These two-handed colossal creations are proof positive that size really does matter.
However you transport it from box to mouth, your taste buds will be happy.
Neighborhood Bird
EKIBEN
Fried chicken sandwiches, like hamburgers and hot dogs, fall into that vague “but is it a sandwich?” territory. But how could we skip this beauty from the hip fusion eatery in Fells Point and Hampden? A Taiwanese curry fried chicken thigh topped with hot sambal mayo and tangy pickles is stuffed between a steamed bao bun. Some eat it with a knife and fork, but we prefer to squeeze the bun, grab the whole affair, and dive in. However you transport it from box to mouth, your taste buds will be happy. The crunch of the chicken and pickles complements the plushness of the bun. The sauce is spicy but offset by the sweetness of the cilantro. We’ll take this over a standard sub any day.
Colossal Crab Sandwich
THE LOCAL OYSTER
This sandwich, a fat soft-shell crab topped with a Maryland crab cake, bacon, butter lettuce, tomato, and Old Bay mayo stuffed between two pieces of Texas toast, is so big that if you get it to-go, it requires two boxes. We recommend sitting down at The Local Oyster stall of the Mt. Vernon marketplace and staying awhile. If you’re lucky, you might see owner Nick Schauman, whose big personality is as mighty as the sandwich. Order a pint of beer and indulge in this sandwich of champions that made an appearance on Netflix’s Fresh, Fried and Crispy. Yes, the $39 price tag is a bit hefty—but it’s well worth it (though you’ll have to wait until next spring until they’re back on the menu again). Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Large Meatball
DIPASQUALE’S
Don’t even attempt to get your entire mouth around a large meatball sub from this legendary Italian grocer that recently moved to a new space in Brewers Hill. It’s served inside a halfloaf of rustic bread, and the last one we ordered measured four inches wide at its peak. The best approach is to bite on the homemade meatballs—they stuff five in, with provolone melting into every crevice. Know going in that you will get tomato sauce on your nose. But this monster is no gimmick. Like everything from this century-old institution, it’s delicious. Finishing one by yourself is virtually impossible, though we have tried. Lest you think we’re exaggerating, heed the warning that appears under its listing on the menu: “BE PREPARED.”
Our cover model: The Salmon BLT at Neopol.
Salmon BLT
NEOPOL
It’s a commonly held belief that bacon makes everything better, and that’s certainly the case with the Salmon BLT at this Belvedere Square stalwart, where smoked Scottish or Norwegian salmon is partnered with Berkshire bacon, field greens, tomato, onion, and honey-Dijon aioli on sunflower flaxseed bread. It’s a symphony of flavor—smoke, salt, and sweet. Ironically, the combo came about in a necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention moment. When the smokery first opened, they didn’t sell sandwiches but needed a way to use their extra salmon. Thus a legend—and the store’s hottest-selling sammie—was born.
The Whopper
ATTMAN’S DELICATESSEN
Corned beef has been king at this famous East Baltimore deli for more than a century, but it only plays a co-starring role in the aptly named The Whopper. Paired with roast brisket, salami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing, this towering meat masterpiece packs a punch. It’s served on rye, with a third slice thrown in the middle for good, likely structural, measure. The creaminess of the dressing, crunchiness of the slaw, and tenderness of the meat deliver an overload of the senses. Attman’s has the chutzpah to call itself an “authentic New York delicatessen (only better).” They might be on to something.
ORIGIN STORY
Sandwich makers share the stories behind their creative offerings.
Illustrations by Jason Schneider
THE SCOOCH
Luigi’s Italian Deli
(Capicola and Soppressata, Roasted Red Peppers)
“Scooch is an Italian term that you use for someone who is a pain in the ass. It’s like, ‘Don’t be a scooch. Don’t be a pest.’ It was the nickname of the founder’s brother. We kept it because we like it—it’s the best-selling hot sandwich we have. We also have the Gandolfini. After Sopranos actor James Gandolfini died, we named a sandwich after him, but then we had to do the Falco. She’s still alive, but you can’t do the husband without the wife.” —Diane Chiaro, owner
CORONATION CHICKEN SANDWICH
The Corner Pantry
(Curried Chicken Salad with Raisins and Almonds)
“The coronation chicken sandwich is a staple in the United Kingdom. It’s from one of Queen Elizabeth’s coronations. Most sandwich shops in England have a coronation chicken. The recipe includes chicken mixed with curry powder, mayo, cilantro, golden raisins, toasted almonds. I don’t know if there are other versions, but I’m certain that ours is pretty close to the original.” —Emily Howell, co-owner
ALI & TINA TUNA
Attman’s
(Tuna Salad with Melted Swiss Cheese)
“We have a handful of sandwiches named after grandchildren. There’s the Jessica, who is one of the Attmans’ granddaughters, the Chelsea Club, and the Ali & Tina Tuna, which used to be Ike and Tina Tuna, then Ike was out of the picture and the Attmans’ granddaughter Ali came along.” —Dave Bush, manager
THE WATCH DOG
Chick & Ruth’s Delly
(Hot Dog with Bologna)
“The celebs—mostly politicians—who have sandwiches named after them are given a list to choose from, so they’re selecting the sandwich that they’d most like to eat themselves. For example, Comptroller Peter Franchot has the ‘Watch Dog’ hot dog named after him, as he keeps a close eye on the public’s money to make sure it’s well spent.” —Spencer Jones, owner
PARTY AT THE MOONTOWER
Vagabond Sandwich Company
(Roast Beef, Cheddar, Horseradish Aioli)
“It’s a throwback to my college days. It was 2 a.m. We were not quite right in the head. I got hungry, so I went to a Royal Farms and got a roast beef, horseradish, cheddar sandwich. I then climbed a water tower, where I ate it. References to climbing the moontower in the movie Dazed and Confused began. Hence, the sandwich name.” —Ben Meyer, owner
From massive cold-cut subs to pressed paninis, Boot Country specialties abound.
A sub that isn’t massive in size so much as flavor.
Tuna Diavolo
ISABELLA’S
It’s easy to be distracted by the pizzas at this Little Italy storefront—but you’re here for the impressive list of sandwiches, both hot and cold. One of the best is the Tuna Diavolo, a masterwork that bears no resemblance to the bland tuna fish of your childhood lunchboxes. Isabella’s iteration comes in the form of a sub that isn’t massive in size so much as flavor. The bread, from Heritage Oven in Virginia, encloses what Isabella’s calls Sicilian tuna, a spicy blend of fish, red chile relish, balsamic vinegar, slices of pepper jack cheese, tomato, and lettuce. Between the peppers in the salad and those in the cheese, there’s more than enough heat to justify the name—though to us, it tastes a bit like heaven.
Eggplant Panini
TRINACRIA
Walk into Trinacria, a storefront in the Bromo Arts District that’s been in the Sicilian immigrant Fava family for over a century, and you’ll quickly realize that you’ll need a bigger shopping basket. Before you start browsing, order a sandwich. We suggest their stellar eggplant panini, a hearty affair stacked with breaded and fried eggplant, melted provolone, and red sauce on crunchy panini bread. There are plenty of great carnivorous options, but this vegetarian delight is so flavorful that you won’t miss the meat. Then load up with San Marzano tomatoes, boxes of housemade pasta, and tasty chocolate-dipped biscotti before you leave.
Italian Cold Cut
LUIGI’S ITALIAN DELI
This row-house restaurant in Hampden has been through several owners since it opened in 2012, but the quality of its hot and cold creations—with names such as Fun Guy and Vesuvio—hasn’t faltered. And while an Italian cold cut is ubiquitous in this town, Luigi’s makes the sandwich its own with a splash of red-wine vinegar that adds an intriguing piquancy to the other ingredients: mortadella, salami, capicola, pepper ham, provolone, field greens, hot cherry peppers, and shards of sharp Italian cheese, all layered on a pleasantly crunchy roll. In the deli’s pandemic-era iteration, patrons still climb the steps to the front porch to order through a window. There’s a backyard patio with tables for diners, as well as front-porch stools to observe Hampden in action.
Muffalettini
PASTORE’S ITALIAN DELLY
After 43 years in business at the same Towson location, this family-owned shop continues to woo the community with myriad Italian products, prepared dishes, and hearty subs and sandwiches available for takeout. Specialties include The Gonzo, a whopping cold-cut sub on an entire loaf of Italian bread. But there’s another concoction you don’t want to miss: the muffalettini, Pastore’s nod to a New Orleans favorite. Piled high with provolone, mozzarella, Genoa salami, capicola, mortadella, and pepperoni on a round Vienna loaf, the giant sandwich gets a delicious briny boost from Pastore’s homemade olive salad. One bite, and you’ll swear you’ve been transported to the French Quarter.
Old World Italian
MASTELLONE DELI AND WINE
This Parkville market has been in the same storefront on Harford Road since 1954, when Andrea and Margaret Rose Mastellone started sharing their Italian food heritage. The store continued with their name after the couple retired in 1999, and now DiPasquale’s owns the shop, stocked with impeccable wines, house-made salads, and carryout subs. The Old World Italian captures the spirit of the place, stuffed with soppressata, capicola, prosciutto, Fontinella, tomato, and a tangy olive spread, all in a just-baked roll. The day we visited, several customers were ordering this triumph, though everything on the menu is first-rate.
Bread is the building block for every sandwich. Here are some standout creations from local bakers.
Clockwise: Spicy-fennel and za'atar bagels at Ovenbird Bakery; Seven-grain health at Stone Mill Bakery; Pain De Mie at Stone Mill Bakery; French baguette at Pâtisserie Poupon; Kalamata olive sourdough at Ovenbird Bakery; Croissants at Pâtisserie Poupon; Raisin pumpernickel at Atwater's; Sesame rye at Motzi Bread.
Start your morning with these sammies to understand why breakfast is the gateway to a good day.
Ovenbird’s honey-boiled bagels are superior on their own.
Lox & Bagel
OVENBIRD BAKERY
Ovenbird’s honey-boiled bagels are superior on their own, but they’re even more elevated when filled with the seemingly simple combination of salmon, cream cheese, and capers on a bagel. Pair that sandwich with a latte or espresso at their busy Little Italy counter, which opens at 8 a.m., and your day is made before it even begins. Ovenbird’s take is an iconic Jewish deli version, constructed with a thick mound of salty lox, tart capers, and tangy cream cheese, piled between your choice of za’atar, plain, everything, or spicy-fennel bagels, all recently baked by the night crew in Ovenbird’s massive deck ovens.
Breakfast Burrito
STONE MILL BAKERY
Some might say that a burrito doesn’t qualify as a sandwich, but we don’t want to waste time on semantics. All you need to know is that the burrito at this Lutherville-Timonium sandwich stalwart is a hefty two-handed affair (eat your heart out, Chipotle), crammed with layers of fresh ingredients and stratified as follows: scrambled farm eggs, black beans, shredded cheddar, basmati rice, and a kickass pico de gallo wrapped up in a hand-pressed flour tortilla. (Pro tip: Deck yours with avocado and bacon.) A side of roasted potatoes completes the deal and will leave you feeling fully fortified until dinner.
Even Better with Cheddar
CHUCK’S TRADING POST
There are many reasons to hang out at Chuck’s Trading Post on the edge of Hampden, a place that’s been open for five years now with a vintage bodega-meets-diner vibe. There are long wooden tables, jars of tea on the shelves near the busy flattop, fresh produce for sale in crates in the back, and refrigerated cases filled with grocery items. Fans flock for their morning skillets, but the breakfast sandwiches—hearty, heavily loaded inventions that assemble entire meals between two slices of toasted sourdough—are also crave-worthy. The most popular, for good reason, is the “Even Better With Cheddar,” a pile of crispy bacon, fried eggs, sliced tomato and avocado, and a thatch of arugula, all held in place by a heap of melted Grafton cheddar. If you order a mug of Zeke’s coffee and sit at the throwback bar, you can watch the cook fry up your eggs and bacon—and get even hungrier than you were when you walked in.
Poncho & Lefty
ARTIFACT
This 1972 Townes Van Zandt song (okay, it’s “Pancho and Lefty”) that tells the story of two men dealt a hand of hard luck along the Mexico border has been replicated by many an artist, but few rival the original. In that vein, this Mexican-influenced breakfast sandwich —a staple at this Hampden-Woodberry coffeehouse—is in a league of its own. A griddled house-made English muffin holds a sunny-side-up egg, thick slices of bacon, pickled onions, a black-bean spread, and fish-pepper mayo that packs a smoky punch. Like Van Zandt on the stereo, the P&L continues to be one of our favorite starters since it arrived on the menu years ago.
Scrapple, Egg, and Cheese
STEVE’S LUNCH
Barry Levinson can tell you—we used to be a diner town. Flattop griddles abounded at old-school breakfast counters, many of which have gone the way of the buffalo. Luckily, even with a facelift at the renovated Cross Street Market, there is still Steve’s Lunch. For more than 56 years, this Federal Hill stalwart has slung first-rate first meals in the greasy-spoon style for newcomers and lifers alike. It might not be on the menu, but we always order the scrapple, egg, and cheese on white toast and wrapped in tinfoil. Long live that red neon sign.
SIDE HUSTLE
Think of these side snacks as capable costars to your main meal.
Illustrations by Jason Schneider
CHIPS
Eat them between bites or put them in your sandwich. Either way, they add a salty and crisp component and are the ultimate side. (Utz for life!)
FRIES
Fries are a classic companion to sandwiches. They are also excellent for mopping barbecue sauce, ketchup, and gooey cheese.
SALAD
If you’re calorie conscious, a serving of salad is an excellent accompaniment and makes every sandwich feel like more of a meal.
ONION RINGS
These golden slices are a fun add-on when you’re feeling adventurous or indulgent. Can’t decide on a side, put a ring on it!
Get a taste of France, Vietnam, Cuba, and other far-flung destinations without ever leaving Bawlmer.
The whole affair melts in your mouth.
Tamago Sando
CAFÉ DEAR LEON
If you’re wondering why there’s a long line outside this Canton cafe, it’s because everything on the menu, the blueberry muffins, the pain au chocolat, is worth the wait. But the tamago sando—a Japanese-style egg salad sandwich—is the brightest menu gem of all, which means that if you really want one, you’d better hightail it to O’Donnell Square just before 11 a.m. when the sando rolls out (or risk disappointment). This rich and creamy egg salad served on pillowy Japanese milk bread includes the usual mashed egg (mixed with Kewpie mayo), but at the heart of the sandwich you’ll find buried treasure in the form of a jammy egg. The whole affair melts in your mouth and proves that eggs are one of Mother Nature’s greatest miracles.
Báhn Mì
PHO BAC
At Pho Bac in Canton, the list of bánh mì is as varied and well-executed as that of the restaurant’s signature pho. Trang Nguyen, who opened Pho Bac in 2019, has been chef/co-owner at several Vietnamese restaurants, and that expertise shows in her version of this Vietnamese sandwich. There are variations with tofu, chicken, shrimp, beef— and if you’re very lucky, pork belly—but our go-to is the traditional, a thick stack of thinly sliced Vietnamese ham, delicate slices of cucumber, pickled daikon and carrot, mortared together with mayo and pâté, then held together by a light-crumbed and crunchy baguette made with rice flour and sourced from a D.C. bakery. This was how the sandwich began, a mid-19th-century mashup of Vietnamese flavors and French colonial ingredients, with Nguyen’s bánh mì being a top-tier rendition.
Croque Monsieur
PETIT LOUIS BISTRO
There are so many Francophile favorites on the menu at this Roland Park dining darling, we can never decide what to get. So, when indecision strikes—whether it’s brunch, lunch, or dinner—we turn to this French brasserie standard, which literally translates as “crunch, sir.” Simple, yes, but also sublime. With Madrange French ham, Gruyère, and slender slices of brioche brushed with butter and griddled, the combination is rich, salty, and positively ambrosial. Pair it with pomme frites and Dijon mustard for dipping, plus a glass of Côtes du Rhône, and you’ll wonder why you’d ever order anything else.
Falafel on Pita
THE CORNER PANTRY
You might not think to order the falafel sandwich at The Corner Pantry on Falls Road just north of Mt. Washington. The front case is loaded with excellent scones and pastries, many of them an homage to chef-owner Neill Howell’s native England. But when Howell took the sandwich off the menu for a year to tweak his pita recipe, he heard about it from many of his loyal customers. The house-made pocket is so fresh that it’s split, then griddled, stuffed with well-seasoned falafel rounds with an herby tahini sauce, cucumbers, pickled onions, and local lettuces in a citrus vinaigrette. The tarts and scones may switch up, but if Howell’s customers have any say in the matter, the falafel pita is here to stay.
Sandwich Cubano
CUBA DE AYER
If just one component of a Cuban sandwich is off, says Cuba de Ayer co-owner Jessica Rodriguez, it can ruin the whole thing. That’s not an issue at this hidden gem that’s worth the drive to Burtonsville. When Rodriguez and her husband, William, opened it 17 years ago, they turned to William’s mother, Mayra Lopez, for help in the kitchen. Lopez was born in Cuba, and she lent her deep knowledge of the island’s cuisine to the restaurant, which is one of the most renowned Cuban spots in the state. The Sandwich Cubano features roasted pork, baked ham, and Swiss cheese, coated with just the right amount of mustard. The baguette is pressed just enough to mesh the ingredients. Even the plating is perfect: It’s served hot, with a toothpick sporting a tiny Cuban flag.
INCREDIBLE SPREADABLES
Lay It On Thick (Or Thin)
SPICY MAYONNAISE
This mayo, infused with black truffles, is anything but basic and elevates burgers, turkey clubs, and breakfast sammies.
CARAMELIZED ONION JAM
This tangy topper adds a sweet—and savory—note to most sandwiches. It’s especially great on grilled cheese.
CHERRY JAM
Get your fruit serving with a spread of tart cherry jam. Pairs best with poultry, pork, and cheese.
CONEY ISLAND MUSTARD
It’s not just for hot dogs anymore. This spicy mustard—flavored with onions, pickles, and tomatoes— is great on cold cuts, too.
These local inventions make us proud to call the Land of Pleasant Living our home.
It’s a mouthful that speaks to our Maryland roots.
The Baltimore Club
THE FOOD MARKET
When chef Chad Gauss left the now-closed City Café in 2012 to open his own place in Hampden, he took some of his popular recipes with him, including his towering, tripledecker, The Baltimore Club. Toasted potato bread is layered with the requisite lettuce, tomato, and bacon, then elevated to another level with the addition of a lump crab cake and whole-shrimp salad. It’s a mouthful that speaks to our Maryland roots. Gauss dresses it up with a side of crinkle-cut fries, but consider an order of Buffalo pickles—zippy rounds atop a Gorgonzola-hot sauce mix—as another accompaniment. After 10 years, Gauss’s food continues to wow the crowds.
Chesapeake Chicken
ROYAL FARMS
One of the best sandwiches in the city can actually be found at dozens of locations. We used to be partial to the buckets of fried chicken at RoFo, as we affectionately call our cult-followed convenience-store chain, but then we had the Chesapeake Chicken, and the rest is history. You can order it as a grilled sammie or fried slider. Go for the latter, get it “spicy,” top it with extra “Chesapeake seasoning,” plus lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayonnaise, and then order another. Consider it a source of Maryland pride—and know that they come in an old-fashioned paper box, which makes them a great road trip snack on your way to O.C.
Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr.
CHICK & RUTH’S
The menu at this Annapolis institution, located just steps from the State House, has for years named sandwiches after local politicians and other notables. Most of them (the sandwiches, not the pols) are of the garden variety. The Larry Hogan is a cheesesteak, The Gold Meir is smoked salmon on a bagel. But The Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr., named for the former state delegate and scion of the famous Baltimore political family, is different. Think of it as a steak dinner on a bun. Between a sliced homemade kaiser roll, a flat-iron steak is capped with a helping of grilled onions and melted provolone. The best bites are in the middle, where the red meat is its juiciest and the cheese becomes its most gooey.
Pit Beef
JAKE’S GRILL
Attempting to identify Baltimore’s best pit beef sandwich is a surefire way to start an argument. But we’re foodies, not fighters, so know this: There are many terrific renditions of Baltimore’s homegrown barbecue sandwich scattered throughout our region, this one just happens to be our favorite. To find it, follow the smoke signal that emanates from this small structure on the side of Falls Road in Cockeysville. There’s a reason the pit beef is listed first. It can be ordered any way, from rare to well-done, and here, you can tell the difference. We get medium-rare and top it with horseradish, onions, and pickles. It’s delectably moist, noticeably fresh, and there’s so much meat (for $8!) that a handful inevitably falls out of the bun onto the foil. There may be other pit beef sandwiches just as good but none better.
Soft Crab Sandwich
DYLAN’S OYSTER CELLAR
Available between May and September, depending on when the local waters warm up, this seasonal special is one that we wait for all year. Marylanders are crab-crazed whatever the season, but this particular delicacy—at the stage when the crustacean sheds its hard shell—is especially sweet and mastered by the culinary artisans at this lovely Hampden hangout. (We recently saw a customer licking every single finger after devouring his sandwich in practically one bite.) Co-owner Irene Salmon’s house recipe entails dusting two crabs in cornstarch, frying them in canola oil, then using a sprinkle of mild Espelette pepper, so as not to upstage the seafood. The whole shebang is placed between slices of griddled white bread, painted with tartar, then topped with butter lettuce and a ripe local tomato. It’s basically the Chesapeake Bay on bread.
EXTRA! EXTRA!
It’s the little things in life (and on sandwiches) that count.
Illustrations by Jason Schneider
AVOCADO
This fruit (yes, fruit) lends a nutty flavor and creamy consistency to almost any sandwich it’s added to, especially BLTs. Consider it the LBD of condiments.
RED PEPPERS
With their smokiness and subtle sweetness, red peppers perk up a wide range of sandwiches, from grilled cheese to egg salad and turkey.
PICKLES
Salty, sweet, sour or spicy, pickles pair well with anything, and their acidity makes them excellent palate cleansers.
PICKLED ONIONS
Tangy, crunchy, and sweet, pickled onions pair well with everything, including roast beef and lox and bagels.
The secret to making the sandwich.
“Sandwiches are a sum of all their parts,” says Robert Voss.
Robert Voss
OWNER, JOHN BROWN GENERAL & BUTCHERY, COCKEYSVILLE
Robert Voss, who has a culinary degree from The French Culinary Institute in New York, now called the International Culinary Center, approaches sandwiches the way he would a fine-dining dish. “It’s about attention to detail,” says Voss. “It’s about proportion and balance.” The store’s cheeseburger, essentially a gourmet Big Mac, is a perfect example, he says. “If you’re making a burger with our Mac sauce and mustard, is the mustard spread evenly across the bun? Is it an even distribution of condiment?” poses Voss, who also considers the type of bread. The cold cut, featuring three of the butchery’s well-curated salamis, has been on the menu since the summer of 2016. It’s served on a sub roll from Cunningham’s Bakery, but the owner is hoping to start making their bread in-house to elevate the sub. Of course, bread is crucial, but he doesn’t think there’s any one specific thing that makes a great sandwich. “Sandwiches are a sum of all their parts,” he says. “Everything has to work together like any other dish you make in a restaurant.”
NED ATWATER
Owner, Atwater’s, Belvedere Square
It’s not hyperbole to say that, for Ned Atwater, a sandwich is like a work of architecture. “We treat it like we are building a building every single time,” he says. “You have a foundation, and that’s great bread, and everything has its place.” That includes being thoughtful about every last component that goes between both slices: “With new people who are training we say, ‘If a spread is a must, it must be crust to crust.’ When you put down the mayonnaise or the tapenade, it’s there for flavor, the next item sticks to that, the next item is there for a reason, it has a different color and texture than the previous one—everything has a purpose and must be evenly distributed.” Even how the sandwich is cut and presented is important, in such a way that all ingredients are on display. “Your customer’s first impression,” he says, “should be that of a well-made sandwich.”
ROSALYN VERA
Owner, Cocina Luchadoras, Fells Point
Taquería owner Rosalyn Vera has a tasty little secret: She’s a sandwich lover as well. The tortas—a Mexican-style sandwich— at Cocina Luchadoras are inspired by those from her beloved Mexico City. Served on an Italian-style roll smeared with refried beans and avocado spread, they include meat, lettuce, tomato, and a choice of chipotle sauce or pickled jalapeños. “Everybody has their own style,” Vera says. “Some people add egg or Oaxacan cheese. We melt it on the flattop and put it on top of the meat.” The key, she says, is layering the ingredients so the sandwich doesn’t fall apart. That’s quite a challenge with the La Cubana, for example, which is loaded with chicken, chorizo, al pastor, ham, and turkey sausage. “It’s super heavy,” she says laughing. “It’s probably like two pounds.” At $14.95, it’s a bargain: The torta easily provides a minimum of two meals. It’s not just a sideshow either. The meats and toppings combine to create “a fiesta in your mouth,” she says.
DORIAN BROWN
Co-owner, Neopol Savory Smokery, Belvedere Square
In sandwich-making, eye appeal is key, says Dorian Brown, the genius behind the towering creations at this fish-and-meat smokery in Belvedere Square. “As the saying goes, the first taste is with the eyes,” he says. “When you open it up, you should see straight lines and be able to identify each element. The colors are also important—the red tomato, the green lettuce.” Structural integrity is also key, with the simple fact that the sandwich needs to stay together. “You want it to be structurally sound when someone takes a bite; you don’t want it to fall apart in their hands,” says Brown, who treats the various elements individually before putting them together as a whole. “You want to think about every seasoning, every ingredient—if there is tomato, it should have salt and pepper on it ahead of time. You want each ingredient to shine without getting lost in the whole.”
LOU ELLISON
Owner, The Essen Room, Pikesville
Lou Ellison stands by the Jewish deli’s motto when it comes to the shop’s twohands- aren’t-enough sandwiches. “Size does matter,” he says, adding that the number one secret to a good combo is how it tastes. “The key is that we home-cook all our meats: the corned beef, brisket, turkey, and rare roast beef, and we don’t pre-slice our meats.” Ellison, who has been running Essen since it opened in 2017, also makes sure that the quality is consistent, so a diner has the same experience each time they order. And although he eats a tuna fish sandwich (according to him, “It’s the best”) just about every day to be healthier, his true love is the corned beef special with Swiss and coleslaw. (“It just melts in my mouth.”) He acknowledges that the last several years have been difficult during the pandemic, but that the business has been able to continue because of his loyal customers. It’s no mystery why they keep coming back.
