Take a bite out of the city’s latest crop of gourmet sandwich joints
(Clockwise from above) The Such a Nice Italian Boy from The Pass; Legend Deli’s G.O.A.T.; the Bodega Classic, fried egg, bacon, and American cheese on a kaiser roll with a side of home fries & Wagyu beef bologna on foccacia at Cold Shoulder Gourmet.
Cold Shoulder Gourmet
Owner Craig Edmunds stacks his foccacia-based creations with premium ingredients, such as mortadella, coppa, and soppressata, layering each one with unique flavors, including his signature truffle spread. Breakfast options range from the B-Fast, a bacon, ham, and bottarga sandwich with truffle spread and shaved Parmesan, to a Nutella creation with raspberry and rose jam. Edmunds rotates his sandwiches based on what’s available locally—think grilled eggplant, corn shoots, micro pea frilly, and fresh figs. Keep an eye on his Instagram to see the daily slate (and when he sells out). 1684 Old Towne Rd., West Ashley; coldshouldergourmet.com
The Pass
This tiny but mighty downtown shop boasts a lineup of panini that would please any Northeastern transplant. Fresh ciabatta barely contains the mortadella, hot and sweet soppressata, burrata, and sharp provolone on Philly native Anthony Marini’s signature sandwich, the Such a Nice Italian Boy, topped with red onion, pickled Calabrian chili, and Italian vinaigrette. And there are plenty of options for lighter appetites and veggie-lovers. The Vegan on the Streets, Puttana in the Sheets layers Italian flatbread with roasted eggplant, peppers, fresh greens, and white bean puttanesca puree, while the Southern (Italian) Hospitality combines roasted chicken, “gabagool” (i.e. capicola), pepper aioli, and Parmesan on a seeded roll. His sides and specials are worth exploring, too—the farro salad’s a winner. 207-A St. Philip St., thepasschs.com
Bodega
This eatery debuted as a pop-up during the pandemic to help Uptown Social keep its restaurant running—and to scratch an itch the New Yorkers who own the place had for their favorite corner bodega sandwiches. “There was no satisfying bacon, egg, and cheese,” says chef and partner Alec Gropman, whose own iteration remains a hit in the location downtown, with a new spot planned for Mount Pleasant. Breakfast sammies range from the aforementioned Classic to the Smokey Swine, a pulled pork, egg, and pimiento cheese combo that honors the Southern locale. Gropman likes to do some gourmet options, too. Try The Gropfather, his version of a chicken parm with homemade ’nduja spread and fresh pesto served hot with melted provolone. 23 Ann St., bodegachs.com
Legend Deli
You can’t go wrong on this chef-driven menu created by Tyler Hunt. The G.O.A.T. elevates a classic turkey with whipped goat cheese, onion jam, arugula, and roasted red pepper mayo on toasted sourdough. Hoagies lovers relish The Jabroni: tavern ham, soppressata, salami, whipped ricotta, pepper relish, shredded lettuce, red onion, tomato, and vinaigrette. Hungry early? Start your day with a hearty corned beef and sauerkraut with an egg on a steamed everything bagel. And don’t forget to try and sink a shot into the dining room basketball hoop from the welcome mat for a 25-percent discount. 41-A George St. legenddeli.com
Alvin Ord’s
This locally owned sandwich shop is an offshoot of the Beaufort institution, which is an offshoot of the original in Austin, Texas. The story goes that Alvin Ord’s mother, Gertrude Wallace, created the recipe for the house-made bread that makes the sandwiches so distinctive. The white or wheat round loaves come in three sizes—small, medium, and large (enough for two). The Salvation is their classic with ham, salami, mortadella, three toasted cheeses, lettuce, tomato, onion, and mustard. Other options include combos like roast beef and cheese, meatballs and marinara, and tuna salad. You can also find a Reuben, BLT, and French Dip. Alvin Ord’s isn’t reinventing the wheel here, but they are serving up a unique sandwich—thanks to Gertrude’s amazing bread—that will have you coming back again and again. 2875 Ashley River Rd., West Ashley & 1291 Folly Rd., James Island; alvinordschs.com
