Some winners in the local sandwich derby, by Kathleen Rivard

In today’s carb-phobic society, salads are often viewed as the morally straight choice, but sandwiches remain the underdog lunch option: humble, comforting bundles of flavor and texture. But every sandwich is a gamble. Will you pay for a meal you could have easily made at home, or will you be rewarded with a combination more creative than you could’ve mustered up, or one made with ingredients far fresher and tastier than those you keep on hand? For those sandwiching in Red Hook and Carroll Gardens, the bet usually pays off, thanks to sandwich standbys like Defonte’s, Court Street Grocers, and the newcomer Sea and Soil.

Defonte’s Sandwich Shop (379 Columbia Street) has a long legacy in the neighborhood. A wall filled with frames show off its popularity among both locals and stars (including most of the Soprano cast and Pamela Andersen), and the shop celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2022). Inside you’ll find a wall lined with humming fridges filled with everything from Yahoo and Snapple to a wide range of soda. The menu sprawls across the full length of the opposite wall, with an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus nestled alongside (as though He’s blessing each and every one of us as we order our cold cuts). Most of the sandwiches are a mix of meats (ham capicola, prosciutto, salami), cheese (provolone, mozzarella) plus classic Italian-American vegetable ingredients (fried eggplant, hot salad, red peppers, etc.), and additional garnishes for the cold sandwiches. Altogether there are 30+ sandwich options, including breakfast sandwiches and a few non-sandwich options like omelets and red-sauce pasta dishes. Each sandwich costs about $17 (cash only).

While Defonte’s screams “Italian-American” and “we ain’t changin,” Court Street Grocers (485 Court Street) screams “yuppie.” And sometimes yuppies have great taste, as Court Street Grocers has proven. Since opening in 2010, the store has expanded, with locations in Greenwich Village, Williamsburg, and a Red Hook location that’s temporarily closed. The original location’s front window is covered in 34 sheets of paper, each one describing a different sandwich ($16-17.50). The inventive gamut runs from roast beef to cauliflower, with breakfast sandwiches that are a bit more simple. They also have coffee and fantastic looking pastries, sourced from Ceci Cela Patisserie. While waiting for their orders, patrons can now sit in the seating area next door, at one of the three chunky picnic tables located in front of the store, or just stand ogling the eclectic mix of old school candies, dry goods, and other delights.

Sea and Soil (109 President Street) is tucked into a residential block of the Columbia St. Waterfront District, just a few houses away from two existing bodegas. At the time of this writing, the bakery has a perfect 5.0 stars on Google Reviews, the result of flavorful sandwiches and spirited co-owners, Noah Wolf and Gaby Gignoux-Wolfsohn. “We’re not entrepreneurs,” Noah claims, though he has been baking bread for 15 years, and previously sold it wholesale and to restaurants while living in Los Angeles. The experience showed him how difficult it was to sell bread at an affordable price and he knew that if he tried it again, he’d opt for sandwiches instead. Meanwhile, Gaby has their own ties to the food world, having grown up with a mother who ran a cake business from home and having worked at Orwasher’s. The pair met while working as educators for the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park. Then the pandemic hit, and the pair used their spare time to begin selling sandwiches at the Grand Army farmers’ market. After three years of pop-ups, they finally opened their storefront in August 2023.

The tiny shop is as endearing as one can imagine. The black-and-white checkered interior is brightened with pink and yellow paint. In the winter months, the front window steams up from the kitchen’s heat. Funky 60s-style chairs line a communal table in the front of the shop, and behind the counter, you’ll find Noah, Gaby, and Nilda (the shop’s third team member and future co-owner) bustling to fill orders. With vegan, vegetarian, and carnivorous options available, there’s something for everyone. The Iz, for example, includes curried lentils, tamarind sauce, chili crisp, red onions, vegan aeolia, sprouts, and greens on focaccia, while the Wren, with its roast chicken in a cumin and paprika marinade, is said to be one of the most popular options. “Each sandwich has their own crew,” which keeps Noah busy as he prepares chocolate chip cookie dough and up to seven types of bread for the sandwiches each day. Meanwhile, Gaby mans the blueberry muffins, madeleines (a recipe passed down from their mother), canelés, and other sweet treats. Coffee, granola, and sides are also available.

Most uniquely, all of the sandwiches are priced on a sliding scale ($9-16) premised on the fact that food is a human right and people should be able to afford sandwiches without having to compromise on ingredients. Similarly noteworthy is the shop’s co-op model. As a worker-owned business, each worker helps in the shop’s decision making. While the Sea and Soil team currently has just two owners with a third on the way, the team hopes that with time and more business, they’ll be able to expand the team.

On Sunday mornings, the shop serves donuts using a dough based on brioche and made with bread flour. After a long fermentation and time left proofing, the dough is fried up and covered in chocolate, maple, or vanilla bean glaze, sometimes with another fun flavor thrown into the rotation. According to Noah, “Multiple people have said they’re the best [donuts] they’ve ever had.” Still at the end of the day, beyond the excellent reviews and its fair work model, the co-op claims community as one of its biggest wins. The shop’s single long communal table is a place where patrons waiting for their order or already enjoying their food can meet and talk, and as Noah puts it, “That is the dream for us.”

A ham and cheese or a peanut butter and jelly takes less than five minutes to slap together. Still, at local sandwich shops you get much more, from nostalgia at Defonte’s to quirky flavors at Court Street Grocers to homemade bread and kindness at Sea and Soil. So sure, sandwiches may be a gamble, but in southern Brooklyn, it’s a gamble worth making.