The "Cold Turkey" at Nora's | Jennifer Silverberg
This is a list you are going to want to read start to finish because, well, who doesn’t love a good sandwich? Sure, we can all make one at home, but there is an art to the best sandwich-making that results in a creation greater than the sum of its parts. A balance of texture and flavor, right-sizing of toppings, careful layering and attention to flavors made for pairing – these are the elements that, executed well, make us crave sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And we could actually do that, as there are tons of great sandwich shops in St. Louis.
We’ve narrowed the list down to our 10 favorites, though we’re sure to have missed some of yours – please share your thoughts in the comments section!
1. Nora’s
1136 Tamm Avenue, Dogtown
Nora's secret to an amazing sandwich is finding flavors that perfectly complement each other. An excellent example is the “For Pete’s Sake” sandwich (named after The Brady Bunch's Peter and his love of pork chops and applesauce). It features sliced smoked pork loin, caramelized onions, bacon, melted brie and cinnamon applesauce. One of the shop’s best-selling sandwiches, the “Cold Turkey,” is a study in contrasts –creamy textures of herbed cream cheese and avocado are paired with crisp tomato and crunchy sprouts.
The "Tony Supremo" at Blues City Deli | Sara Graham
2. Blues City Deli
2438 McNair Avenue, Benton Park
Blues City Deli is a melting pot of sandwich styles, with hearty Italian subs, New Orleans po boys and muffulettas, New York pastrami, Memphis-style barbecue and even hot dogs. There is something for everyone here, we assure you. Arrive early on Mondays for the hugely popular "Tony Supremo" (pictured) with roast beef, root-beer-glazed ham, provolone, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion and Creole mayo on a warm baguette) and on Wednesdays for the "Aporkalypse Pretzelwich" with garlic roasted pork, bacon, provolone, pickles and "boom boom sauce" on a warm pretzel roll.
The "Hot Salami" at Gioia's Deli | Mindee Zervas
1934 Macklind Avenue, the Hill
In business for almost 100 years, Gioia’s Deli’s secret to success lies in keeping things simple, local and good. All produce and meats are locally sourced for quality and freshness. All sausages and roast beef are prepared in-house. And all bread is baked the same day it’s served. Most of the menu has stood the test of time, including the shop’s best seller, the “Hot Salami” (pictured). A few new creations have made the list over the years, however, as customer creations have become huge hits, such as the “Spicy Daggett” with hot salami, hot coppa and capicolla smothered in spicy giardiniera and toasted on garlic pepper cheese bread.
Prosciutto at Salume Beddu | courtesy of Salume Beddu
3467 Hampton Avenue, Lindenwood Park
Salume Beddu owner Mark Sanfilippo describes his approach to sandwich creation as you might describe writing a haiku – focusing on just a few ingredients and using that restriction to truly ponder each ingredient’s importance, while balancing flavor, acidity and richness. Of course, unlike haiku, Sanfilippo's sandwiches feature the shop’s in-house cured Italian and European meats and fresh sausages. The prosciutto cotto is the shop’s best-seller, with cooked prosciutto brined with rosemary, coriander and a few other spices and herbs and then slowly poached. The prosciutto (pictured) ends up being a very mild unsmoked ham and tastes great sliced thin and topped with gruyere, mustard and pickled onions.
Turn the page for five more amazing sandwich shops.
