Image from NY Mag. Uni panini. Its the Korean mustard oil that really piqued my interested.
I guess if I’m really asking, then my answer is “not so much.” Part of the reason is a generally weak food culture. New York can have great sandwich shops because they have Sullivan Street Bakery to provide the bread. I’m not sure there’s anything comparable here. What possibilities exist seem to be ignored by area sandwich merchants in favor of mediocre commercial bread. Any prospective Cleveland sandwicherie would also have trouble sourcing affordable quality cured meats. I heard a rumor that a respected, local chicken farmer and another cattle farmer have plans to expand into raising heritage pork and making fresh, cured and smoked products from it. Hopefully, that will give the local sandwich scene a kick in the pants.
In an earlier sandwich post, I included a list of notable local sandwicheries:
Besides that and the aforementioned Hot Sauce Williams Polish boy, if I were to recommend sandwiches in Cleveland I might start with some of these:
- Presto. Everything is good. Sandwiches, soups, sides. I wish it were closer.
- Superior Pho. A very good banh mi.
- Ferrara’s. Good cold cut and sausage and peppers subs. I used to make some substitutions when I ordered to get a sandwich that I really preferred but it’s been so long that I can’t remember.
- Appetite. My experience there was mixed but I admire their dedication to fresh, from-scratch cooking. I really want them to do well. I had some good, house-made roast beef and now I understand they’re making more of their meats in house.
- La Bodega. I meant to explore the large and interesting menu but while I’ve always been satisfied I was never wowed. Still, I hope to return.
Since then, I’ve been back to Appetite. On paper it seems like the food here should be awesome but I was very disappointed. They definitely didn’t make that ham in house. Yuk. They’re off the list. I’ve been back to Presto. They’re still on the list but hanging precariously. I would add the Buckeye Beer Engine to the list. I’ve had several good sandwiches there. Also, the corned beef sandwich at the Vienna meat distributor. It’s actually just corned beef sold by the pound. But the sell decent, fresh rye and if you
And, a string of heart-breaking disappointments notwithstanding, I’ve got a few leads and high hopes that these places can help me lengthen this list. I’ve heard wonderful things about the meatball sub at Harpo’s. Cleveland Scene just praised the corned beef at Goodman’s very highly. I’ve been to Rotuno’s a couple times. I’ve never had the sandwiches but based on what I have had, I’m confident that I’ll be pleased.
However those explorations turn out, they won’t convince me that there’s enough depth or diversity to the sandwich scene in Cleveland. In addition to that mouth watering oxtail confit sandwich, here’s a little more sandwich inspiration from around the country:
Fall Breakfast: Ricotta, Fig, and Honey Tartine
The $25 and worth every penny Iberico ham sandwich at Despana
Bocata, Arraultza, or anything else put on bread from Txikito.
The separate-but-almost equal open-faced tuna melt and sturgeon sandwiches at Blue Ribbon Market.
The guanciale and egg pizza and the porchetta and fontina sandwich at Roberta’s.
Accidental Hedonist – Give me some tongue
This sandwich, a sea urchin panini to be precise, has taken on legendary-if not mythical-status
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