The self-anointed CVille Sandwich King would rather not tell you his name. But he’s happy to tell you—not to mention listeners to his “Sandwich Minute” on WTJU and 1,000-plus Instagram followers—where to get a good sammie.—Shea Gibbs
Knife & Fork: How did you ascend to the local sandwich throne?
CVille Sandwich King: I’ve lived here for four years—I came down from northern Virginia. I’m originally from Philadelphia, a great spot if you like sandwiches. So when I moved to northern Virginia, I thought sandwiches were kind of a blindspot. I would be frustrated by people willingly eating at Subway. My affinity for Charlottesville sandwiches started in 2006 when I visited my girlfriend (now wife, known as the Queen on Instagram) and tried a different Littlejohn’s sandwich on each visit. When we moved here, I started trying other places and keeping a diary. My wife said, “You should start a food Insta.” I kind of rolled my eyes but started doing it, mostly as a joke. Then it gained momentum.
How often do you eat sandwiches, and how do you choose?
I don’t go out as much as I’d like, but recently as I’ve gained more followers, I’ve tried to keep them coming. I try to get out twice a week, once during the week and once on the weekend. If you look at my feed, there are places I go time and again for convenience—a lot of Dürty Nelly’s and The Market at Bellair. I’ve also started to get inbound recs from people.
What are your favorite local sandwiches?
One place that I think is just incredible is Chickadee. They make their own brioche and these amazing hoagie rolls. The steak frites is sort of a glammed-up cheesesteak: shaved beef, sharp provolone, caramelized onions, garlic aioli, and demi glace, then they take these thinly fried potatoes and call it a “nest.” Another one—La Michoacana. They have a bunch of tortas, and I love the classic Torta Michoacana; it’s steak, chorizo, and smoked sausage all on a huge roll. At Dürty Nelly’s, my favorite is the Blue Ridge, with roast beef, beer cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and horseradish on a kaiser roll. I guess I’m a steak and beef kind of person. Oh, here’s a tip: Mona Lisa Pasta has some really good sandwiches, and most people don’t think of it.
I see you go to Bodo’s often. What’s your order?
I love Bodo’s, but who doesn’t? I had a follower recommend what’s become my go to: a breakfast bagel with pastrami. Pastrami didn’t register with me at first for breakfast, but I guess it’s just another fatty meat. The way they do it—I think they put it on the flattop—it comes hot and charred a little. I get the pastrami with a deli egg and cheddar on everything, but I mix it up from time to time. If you like breakfast, Multiverse Kitchens has a pancake sandwich that’s sort of a gourmet McGriddle, and I love the tasso ham biscuits at JM Stock.
Know of any healthy sandwich options?
I don’t know if they’re healthy, but for healthier sandwiches, I try to eat some vegetarian options. Greenwood Grocery has a sandwich called the Beauregard with grilled sweet potatoes and kimchi on sourdough with cilantro-chili spread. It’s super delicious and not one of those vegetarian things where you’re still hungry afterward. I’ve only been to Botanical Fare once, but I had the chickpea “tuna” sandwich, and it was really good. I don’t naturally seek healthy options out. If I’m in that mood, I just pop for a salad.
You’re from Philly. Any good cheesesteaks around?
There are a few places that call sandwiches “cheesesteaks,” but they’re not what we would call a cheesesteak. The one place that does it is Lucky Blue’s Bar; they basically do what we call “Whiz with”—just beef, grilled onions, and Cheese Whiz on an Amoroso’s roll. But honestly, I don’t like to be a guardian of the cheesesteak. I can appreciate something outside the traditional.
What is it about sandwiches?
For whatever reason, sandwiches seem to sort of shape a lot of people’s perceptions of a geography. They give them a culinary connection to where they live or where they’re from. With sandwiches, there’s this appreciation and connection that people have with one another, and I don’t know why that is. But every time I post, I have people message me and say “you should try this” or “get it this way.” People just want to chat about sandwiches and connect.
