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There’s Still Time for a Christmas Sandwich

Here are the six best in London this year

Sons and Daughters’ serves one London’s best Christmas sandwiches in 2019
Sons and Daughters’ Christmas sandwich
Felicity Spector

In 2019, it felt as if the Christmas sandwich discourse reached fever pitch. As ever, competition for attention has broken out among the chains, but this year, the independents have entered the race too.

It’s now a fixture of the season: a lunchtime treat for those running down the working days and winding up to the holiday proper. But most are garbage, and rely on ritualistic nostalgia more than deliciousness for sales. Here, in no particular order, are six that do lean into nostalgia, but also taste good as well. Try one or all of them over the course of the next week.

Sons and Daughters

A creative and very 2019 composition from the podcasters in King’s Cross. This year’s breakout sandwich specialist sandwiches roast Swaledale turkey thigh, smoked turkey breast, spicy cranberry xo, bread sauce mayo, marsala gravy granary bread moistmaker, pickled red cabbage, and watercress inside two thick-cut slices of white bloomer. £9.50.


Visions’ Christmas sandwich is one of London’s best in 2019
Visions’ Christmas sandwich
Adam Coghlan

Visions Canteen

Last year’s breakout sandwich specialist has gone all in on trying to recreate the leftover sandwich. With it, the Visions team stuffs roast turkey breast, parsnip puree, sprouts with bacon, orange, cinnamon and red-wine braised red cabbage, cranberry sauce, chicken skin salt, into brown-butter buttered toasted sliced white. Presented with a pickled gherkin, shoestring fries and a turkey gravy dip: Trashy, good, very satisfying. £10 with a packet of Portuguese crisps and a soft drink.


Quality Wines’ Christmas sandwich, one of the best things Eater writers ate this week
Quality Wines’ Christmas sandwich
Adam Coghlan

Quality Wines

Simultaneously tastes like Christmas dinner itself while having the same festive flavour intensification of a Boxing Day leftover effort: A layer of soothing, nutmeggy bread sauce, sprout tops, bacon, and spiced cranberry sauce join slow-cooked turkey leg and moist slices of roast breast with a trim of crisp, golden, salty skin. Its brioche-like milk bun adds richness and just about holds it all together. Available this Friday — £6 to take away, £7.20 to eat in.


Panzer’s Chrismukkah turkey bagel one of the best festive sandwiches in London in 2019
Panzer’s Chrismukkah turkey bagel
Panzer’s/Instagram

Panzer’s Deli

Three “Chrismukkah” options are available at St. John’s Wood’s eminent, 75-year-old Jewish deli: Roast turkey, Brussels sprout and apple slaw, chestnut purée, cranberry sauce, sage and onion stuffing, crispy turkey skin, and crispy shallots — on a special-edition cranberry bagel. Or roast butternut squash, and crispy sage, stilton cream cheese, onions, rocket, and cranberry sauce on a cranberry bagel. Or, finally, a smoked salmon with horseradish, dill and black pepper crème fraîche, dill pickled cucumbers, and capers on an everything bagel. All priced at £6.50.


Chick ‘n’ Sours’ 70s Christmas effort is one of this year’s most extra sandwiches in London
Chick ‘n’ Sours’ 70s Christmas effort
Chick ‘n’ Sours [Official Photo]

Chick ‘n’ Sours

London’s noisiest gonzo fried chicken restaurant apparently turned to the 1970s for inspiration this Christmas. The special sandwich crams fried chicken, shredded iceberg lettuce and Kewpie mayonnaise with a stretchy cheese fondue spiked with cubes of smoked ham and a slice of fresh pineapple. It’s then finished with two battered, pickled onion rings and a sprinkling of fermented red cabbage. The stack is held together — temporarily — with a glazed cherry skewer. £14.


Plaquemine Lock

Chef Jacob Kenedy’s Louisianan gastropub in Islington has created a festive po’boy, replacing deep-fried oysters with deep-fried turkey, cranberry, and sweet-spiced stuffing. Two sizes: 6 inch £8; 12 inch £15.


And for a run-down on the chains and supermarkets, this is a comprehensive run-down. And this guy tried a few:

Merry Christmas.

St. John

26 Saint John Street, , England EC1M 4AY 020 7251 0848 Visit Website

Sons and Daughters

The Pavilion, Lower Stable Street, Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross, London, N1C 4DQ Visit Website

The Quality Chop House

88-94 Farringdon Road, , England EC1R 3EA 020 7278 1452 Visit Website

Plaquemine Lock

139 Graham Street, , England N1 8LB 020 7688 1488 Visit Website

Quality Wines

88 Farringdon Road, , England EC1R 3EA Visit Website

Visions Canteen

31 New Inn Yard, , England EC2A 3EY Visit Website

Sons + Daughters

, , England N1C 4DQ Visit Website