Our Current Sandwich Obsessions
We asked Columbus chefs and food bloggers to share some of their favorites, plus food news.
We Asked Columbus Folks to Share Some of Their Favorite Sandwiches (Spoiler: People Like Wario’s)
By Erin Edwards
“Erin, did anyone ever tell you, ‘You are what you eat’? ”
I was a high school soccer player struggling to finish my wind sprints, and this was my coach asking the question.
Honestly, he had a point. At the time, I was probably 99 percent grilled chicken, bacon and cheese sandwiches—with fries. I’d order one after almost every soccer game from a sports bar called Sportsman’s Grill in my hometown. (I suppose high school sports nutrition was different in the ’90s.)
Thanks to Club 185, I’ve found a grilled chicken sandwich that’s reminiscent of my old favorite. I’m a longtime customer of the German Village bar, but only recently did I discover its chicken, bacon and havarti sandwich, CBH for short. It’s like an old friend moved in right next door.
The CBH’s grilled chicken is delightfully juicy, and I admire the choice to go with havarti over cheddar or Swiss. Roasted red peppers are a nice touch, adding color and a veg component. And bacon makes everything better. The burger bun is nicely smushable, and I love that it’s less than $10, too.
It got me wondering what other, non-burger sandwiches people are excited about right now, so we decided to ask some local chefs and food bloggers. Bethia and Andy also shared their favorites. In most cases, people had a tough time narrowing it down to just one. Here’s what they said…
Nick Dekker (@breakfastwithnick)
“Oh boy, so many to choose from! I automatically think of the Fox in the Snow egg sandwich, the Cold Cut from Wario's, the Meat + Tato at Emmett's. But I keep coming back to Joya's breakfast sandwich. It's so indicative of Avishar's work: simple and familiar, but ultimately fun, surprisingly complex and a riot of flavor. It's a homemade roll layered with cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon, Joya's special sauce, creamy herb salsa and chives.”
Alana Shock (private chef)
“For sure the blackened mahi-mahi from Colo Market & Oyster Bar [at North Market Downtown only]. It’s always perfectly seasoned and has the right ratio of bun to fish, and it’s just messy enough so that you know it’s a generous amount of fish. It’s like the Thurman Burger. Once you put it in your hand, there’s no going back. It has Cajun aioli, but it’s never over-sauced.”
Laura Lee (chef-owner of Ajumama)
“Honestly, it’s probably still the pot roast melt from DK Diner. They crust the outside with Parmesan so it’s like a cheesy crunchy shell outside, toasted bread and then the pot roast with cheese, onions and horseradish mayo. Although a banh mi from Huong Vietnamese is second. OG chicken cutlet from Wario’s is third.”
Lara Yazvac Pipia (chef-owner, Dr. Wich)
“The Wario's cheesesteak, Wario’s Way. It’s all about the whiz. But it’s also partly that I ‘covet’ that sandwich, since I live with a vegan and a $20 meatfest on a bun is something I rarely give into.”
Daniel Kamel (executive chef, Veritas)
“My first answer is Wario’s. They do it the right way. Local bread, quality ingredients. They genuinely give a shit and should be celebrated. I love the classic cheesesteak— add long hots. The chicken Caesar is also a sleeper. [Pro tip: Kamel recommends subbing the crispy chicken cutlet in for the grilled chicken.] I guess Lexi’s on Third for the corned beef on rye with mustard would be second.”
Bethia Woolf (co-founder, Columbus Food Adventures)
“My favorite sandwich is the cold cut banh mi sandwich at Mi Li Cafe, yup the one we offer guests on our Alt Eats Tour. It’s the sandwich I have eaten the most frequently (and photographed the most) since Andy first took me to Mi Li in 2009, and I never get tired of it. It has such a good ratio of bread to filling, they always crisp up the bread before they make the sandwich, and I love the balance of flavors and textures. More sandwiches should have fresh herbs!”
Jack Dale Bennett Jr. (co-owner/head chef, Cobra)
“I actually just recently got turned on to the breakfast sandwiches at Brazilian Grill & Bakery. The ham egg and cheese is my move, but there are a few different variations. The one with mortadella is great, too. All on fresh Brazilian bread.”
Jeremy Quam (@thatsandwichdude)
“Everyone talks about Wario’s crispy chicken Caesar, and they should because it’s delicious! But people are missing out on the Snackwrap over at Goood Friends. Why do I crave it? It’s wrapped in a PARM JACKET. And right now they’re doing a Buffalo chicken Caesar version.
My other recent obsession is from Buck City Sammies. They did a special a few weeks back—a Bodega Chopped Cheese. It did so well [Buck City is] adding it to the menu permanently. High quality ingredients, great bread, it was just super tasty!”
Andy Dehus (co-founder, Columbus Food Adventures)
“The last ‘non-obvious’ sandwich I had that really bowled me over was the meatloaf sandwich from Ashbrook Grill in Ashville, OH (about half an hour south of Downtown). It’s a Monday special, and its appeal is simple: They smoke whole meatloaves before slicing them into obscenely thick, perfectly sauced slabs that the relatively nondescript bread struggles to contain. Sophisticated it is not. Instead, it’s a deliciously dirty good time that seemingly turns out half of the population of the tiny burg Ashbrook feeds.”
We’d love to hear about your current sandwich obsessions. Let us know in the comments!
Notes
Around the Columbus Food and Drink Scene
Ye's Asian Kitchen (2469 Hilliard-Rome Road) has had many identities over the years—from authentic Chinese restaurant to Pan-Asian vegan. Last month, Ye’s reopened once again with a new menu, this one focused on ramen and Korean fried chicken.
In case you missed it, Johnstown’s Ghostwriter Public House has permanently closed. The restaurant, which first opened to much fan-fare in 2019, had recently undergone renovations and reopened in January.
Bada Bean Bada Booze announced that its new Quarry Trails location will open on April 5. The coffee shop-bar also announced that it’s now serving Cocky’s Bagels for breakfast at all locations. You can read our story about the coffee shop-cocktail bar trend here.
Buc-ee’s fans will have to wait longer for the over-the-top gas station chain to make its debut in Ohio. The Dispatch reported this week that Ohio’s first Buc-ee’s, set to open in Huber Heights, is delayed until 2026. You can read our first impressions of Buc-ee’s here.
Many of my favorites were mentioned in the article. Still, I also love the Pastrami, Egg, and Cheese at The Lox, the Chicharron Peruano at Si Señor, oh, and the simple little ham and cheese (and butter) baguette from Fox in the Snow is a total sleeper.
The Tampa Cubano at Pablo's at Little Grand Market is excellent. And finally, any of the focaccia sandwiches at Piazza Pelino.
A coworker turned me onto the egg sandwich at Club 185 and man, that with some fries w/vinegar and a cold beverage is so good. Simple, but tasty and exactly what I want if I'm headed to the club