New York is famous for many comfort foods—street hot dogs, steaming pizza, old-world cheesecake. The city’s best chefs also make some mean sandwiches, as food writers Sara Reistad-Long and Jean Tang temptingly remind us in their recently released The Big New York Sandwich Book. It packs 99 recipes between its covers, highlighting many truly scrumptious creations from restaurants throughout the boroughs. In fact, there are quite a few worth getting two hands around in one cozy Brooklyn neighborhood, so we asked the authors to pick their favorites.
Let the quest for the perfect sandwich begin in the south side of Williamsburg. . .
Order Up: Meatloaf Sandwich
Where: Rye, 247 South 1st St. | Take the L to Metropolitan Ave-Lorimer St. or J/M/Z to Marcy Ave.
Visit Rye, a discreet spot that started off as a speakeasy on the less-trammeled section of Williamsburg. According to Tang, this restaurant’s meatloaf sandwich is somewhat legendary among foodies in the know, and for good reason: it combines five meats (including bacon and short ribs), portobello mushrooms, chopped leeks, homemade BBQ sauce, frizzled buttermilk-fried onions, and pickled watermelon in a masterpiece that’s moist, balanced, and absolutely nothing like your grandma’s.
Order Up: Eggs Rothko
Where: Egg, 135 North 5th St. | Take the L to Bedford Ave.
At this cozy, Southern-style breakfast spot, try the egg sandwich, recommends Reistad-Long. “We’re huge fans of the Eggs Rothko,” she says, which features an easy-cooked egg on toasted French brioche with melted Grafton cheddar cheese. “When it comes to sandwiches, it’s all about balance, and this dish does it beautifully, with a lot of rich, buttery textures.”
Order Up: The Pambazo
Where: La Superior, 295 Berry St. | Take the L to Bedford Ave.
Who says a sandwich has to be served on two slices of bread? For a mid-afternoon bite, head to La Superior, a place some say is New York’s most authentic taco joint, comments Tang. Try the Pambazo, a Latin classic that’s beautifully replicated by Mexico City native chef Nacxi Gaxiola. It involves toasting two chiles, grinding them into a tomato-based sauce, then frying that sauce to deepen the flavors. “This sauce binds the potatoes and chorizo, with Mexico’s mellow grated white cheese, sour cream, and pickled jalapenos,” Tang explains. Perfection.
Order Up: Crispy Skate Sandwich
Where: DuMont Burger, 314 Bedford Ave.
Friendly and personable, but with a definite cool factor, DuMont flips more than burgers. Case in point: Chef Polo Dobkin’s mouthwatering Crispy Skate Sandwich. “We love the bright homemade tarragon tartar sauce,” raves Reistad-Long. “The skate itself is seasoned, then breaded with milk and a light dusting of flour, so it’s crisp and not overly crusty. You’ll find the hot, light fish pairs deliciously with the citrusy tarragon sauce,” Tang says.
Order Up: Warm Lamb Club with Lemony Aioli
Where: Buttermilk Channel, 524 Court St. | Take the F or G to Smith & 9th St.
If you were so bold as to make this into a sandwich crawl, you might be tempted to pass out in a food coma after that meatloaf sammie, but you’d be missing out. Hop a bike or head on foot to your last destination, a Carroll Gardens mainstay known for its refined comfort food. “When chef Ryan Angulo sent us the recipe for his Warm Lamb Club with Lemony Aioli, he told us that sometimes he daydreams about this sandwich,” says Reistad-Long. “Testing it out, we really loved the way the sharp olive and lemon flavors play against the sizzling meatiness of the lamb.” Seconds anyone?
The Best Sandwiches in Brooklyn
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Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram