13 new sandwiches to take home today: How Chicago restaurants are cramming deliciousness between slices of bread to survive the pandemic economy

It’s no secret that restaurants were struggling before Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s recent announcement that indoor dining in Chicago will once again cease in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Now, with the weather cooling and patio dining dwindling, things are looking particularly dire. In other words: It’s never been more important to support local restaurants.

Might I suggest a sandwich?

Besides maybe pivoting to pizza, the one dish that more restaurants have turned to in these quarantine times is the sandwich. Even establishments that never served one before are pouring their creativity into the dish. That’s not to mention new shops that have opened during the pandemic, from high-profile ones with chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants to surprising options from complete novices.

If any sandwich shop opening deserves genuine hype this fall, it’s Big Kids (2545 N. Kedzie Blvd.), which combines the talents of chefs Ryan Pfeiffer, who was executive chef at Blackbird until it closed in June, and Mason Hereford, who owns the immensely popular sandwich shop Turkey and the Wolf in New Orleans.

The two transformed the Young American space in Logan Square into what they are describing as “a fun emporium,” with posters plastered over the windows celebrating ’90s cartoons (remember “Doug” on Nickelodeon?) and a menu that looks like it was scrawled on a crumpled notebook paper by an artistically inclined fifth grader who’d rather draw than pay attention in class. The sandwiches themselves are complex and intentionally messy, with the apparent guiding principle that more is always better.

[ Chef of now-closed Michelin-starred Blackbird pivots and opens a sandwich shop ]

Pfeiffer seems genuinely psyched about the transition from fine dining to sandwich shop. “I 100% think I can make sandwiches for the rest of my life,” Pfeiffer said, noting that he had been planning this project for some time. “I had a good run in the fine dining scene, but I wanted to reach a different audience and be more approachable.”

But it’s not just established chefs delving into the sandwich game. For years, brothers Zakriya Ayyubi and Aman Siddiqui, and their friend Abdurahman Sharif had been impressing their friends and family at parties with their creations in suburban Lombard. “From a young age, we’ve obsessed about eating good food,” Siddiqui said.

They spent a long time learning to make smash burgers and fried chicken sandwiches. While both dishes have become extremely popular at mid-scale and fast food restaurants, the trio couldn’t sample many of them.

“We are Muslim, so we have to have halal meat,” Ayyubi said. “Unfortunately, there are limited halal restaurants in the Lombard area.”

But what if they opened their own place? They eventually hit on the idea of opening a place called Chi Tea, which combined their love of bubble tea with burgers and fried chicken sandwiches. After finding the perfect space, they happened to sign the lease in early March.

“We were so happy about it,” Ayyubi said. “And then everything started to shut down.”

While the pandemic has caused them several headaches, especially during the construction process, the reception from the community has been overwhelming.

“The first week, we sold out of food every day,” Ayyubi said. “We couldn’t handle the crowds that were coming. We didn’t think the fried chicken sandwich would blow up the way it did.”

It’s easy to see why the lines at Chi Tea regularly stretch out the front door, especially on weekends. Called the Big Bird, its fried chicken sandwich looks like a cross between Chick-fil-A and Popeye’s, except it’s juicier, crunchier and far spicier.

If you’re looking for time-tested classics, Chicago magazine has ranked its all-time favorites, but below you’ll find the Big Bird and 12 other fantastic new sandwiches. Do the local dining scene a favor and dig in.

Fried bologna sandwich at Big Kids

Big Kids’ bologna sandwich looks like a bit of a mess, but it’s actually as precisely constructed as most fine-dining entrees. This means that each slice of bologna, made by Paulina Market, is cooked until it’s lightly charred around the edges, while still buttery within. The bread isn’t just toasted; it’s slowly crisped up with fat until it’s outrageously crunchy. If that wasn’t enough, shredded lettuce and salty potato chips add even more crunch. Fortunately, a healthy slather of mayonnaise and mustard, plus a generous covering of American cheese, help balance things out. It’s easily the best bologna sandwich I’ve ever tried. $13. 2545 N. Kedzie Blvd., bigkidschicago.com

Club sandwich at Cat-Su Sando

The virtual restaurant Cat-Su Sando might be named for the popular Japanese katsu sandwich (here spelled cat-su), but my favorite menu option is the bonkers club sandwich. Just know that you’ll need to disregard any memories you have of a standard club. Sure, you’ll find three slices of bread and turkey here, but there’s also crisped-up Spam, ranch jam, sharp provolone and sport peppers. And instead of nondescript white bread, the restaurant uses fluffy Japanese milk bread, which adds a buttery and slightly sweet note to each bite. $15. 3220 W. Grand Ave., catsusando.com

Big Bird sandwich at Chi Tea

My favorite new fried chicken sandwich of 2020 can be found at a bubble tea shop in suburban Lombard. Created by a pair of brothers and their friend, who spent months testing the recipes on friends and family, the Big Bird bears some resemblance to the immensely popular fried chicken sandwich at Popeye’s. But it’s much spicier, with an aggressive kick that manages to perk you up without completely clobbering your taste buds. The chicken is also juicier, thanks to the brine the kitchen uses. $8.69. 413 E. Roosevelt Road, Lombard, facebook.com/ChiTeaLombard

Chicken tikka sandwich at Curry Theory

Here’s another tricked-out club sandwich, this time from a new virtual Indian restaurant that seriously improves the staid classic. Instead of turkey, you’ll get slices of intricately spiced chicken tikka masala stacked with crunchy fresh cucumber and onion. Heat comes from some serrano chiles and a spicy jam, which also brings a slight sweetness to each bite. Some white cheddar cheese provides the creaminess to pull it all together. $8.99. 850 W. Superior St., currytheory.com

Chicken Parmesan at Daisies

Before the pandemic, Daisies in Logan Square was best known for its freshly made pasta paired with peak local produce. But since March, it transformed into a small grocery store, stocking the backroom with all kinds of vegetables and dry goods. It also added a lunch menu full of sandwiches, including a hulking chicken Parmesan. Unlike every other version I’ve ever tried, this one trades the blanket of tomato sauce for a tomato vinaigrette. In the supporting role, you’ll find sauteed Tuscan kale, which provides a soft counterpoint to the crispy fried chicken. This makes for a much different sandwich than your traditional chicken parm, but it’s also a fascinating spin I can’t wait to try again. $14. 2523 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-661-1671, daisieschicago.com

Ćevapi at Doma

Ćevapi, the grilled ground meat skewer popular in southeastern European countries like Croatia, isn’t exactly common at most Chicago coffee shops. But at Doma in the Near North Side, it’s the first thing on the food menu. And it’s clear the owners care about the dish, freshly grilling the ground beef to order and serving it on lepinja, a thick pita-like bread. On the side, you’ll find ajvar, a dark red pepper spread, and kaymak, a faintly sweet and creamy cheese. It’s not exactly cheap, but know that it’s an enormous portion that could easily feed two. $14. 946 N. Orleans St., 312-643-0527, domachicago.com

Flippin Philly sandwich at Flippin Flavors

When it comes to thinly sliced beef sandwiches, Chicago is far more infatuated with the Italian beef than Philadelphia’s cheesesteak, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have any cheesesteak options. One of my favorites is served at Flippin Flavors, which opened earlier this year in Beverly. It serves up hulking handfuls of griddled steak in fluffy rolls, complete with slivers of onions and bell peppers, and a covering of salty provolone. While the cheesesteak gets top billing, don’t forget about the enormous turkey hoagie. $10.99. 1848 W. 95th St., 773-253-2680, flippinflavors.com

Egg salad sandwich at Kaisho

Only you, and you alone, can decide whether it’s worth paying $10 for a prepackaged egg salad sandwich. But if you’re intrigued by what a high-end restaurant like Yūgen can do with the humble sandwich for its grab-and-go concept, Kaisho, it’s more than worth a try. Much like Pret a Manger, the sandwich is cut in half and placed in a triangle box, so it’s ready for the taking when you walk in. Just know that this will likely be unlike any standard egg salad sandwich you’ve ever tried. There’s a marvelous interplay between the creamy yolks and delicate cubes of whites, all contained on bread so soft and supple, it feels like it dissolves on impact with your tongue. $10. 652 W. Randolph St., 312-265-1008, yugenchicago.com

Grandma JoJo’s ‘Meatball’ Sub at Madame ZuZu’s Teashop

There’s no way to talk about Madame ZuZu’s in Highland Park without mentioning that it’s owned by Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins and that “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” is still one of my favorite albums. But I’m also deeply skeptical of most vegan sandwiches, so I had no idea what to expect when I entered the enormous art deco-themed tea shop and performance space. Fortunately, Corgan’s partner, Chloe Mendel, has crafted a fascinating menu, including a meatball sub that’s tender, intensely flavored and happens not to contain any meat. It helps that the shop uses excellent bread that is crusty on the outside, but tender and forgiving within. $9.99. 1876 1st St., Highland Park, 847-926-7359, madamezuzus.com

Fry Life at Ørkenoy

One gets the sense that the smorrebrod, a Scandinavian open-faced sandwich, served at Ørkenoy is constructed with an artist’s eye for composition. After all, the Fry Life smorrebrod at this brewery and gathering space in Humboldt Park looks absolutely stunning, with the bed of dark red cabbage providing a stark contrast to the golden-hued fried fish, with an expertly placed pickled carrot resting on top. Fortunately, instead of overly precious, the shop makes sure all these components taste great, too. That’s especially true of the fish, which features a batter made with High Life beer. Crackly on the outside, with a soft white flesh inside, it’s expertly done. $9. 1757 N. Kimball Ave., 312-929-4024, orkenoy.com

1949 sub at Paulina Meat Market

Though Paulina Meat Market has been slicing up some of the best house-cured and smoked meat since 1949, it wasn’t until this year that the deli started dishing out freshly made sandwiches. While you can order a turkey or Italian sub, why not put some trust in Paulina and get the 1949 sub, which features pork sultz, gelbwurst or leberkase? I feel safe in saying the trio features some of the least-popular cured meats around, and none have ever graced a menu at Subway. But they are also textural marvels, with the squishy sultz playing off the silky gelbwurst and leberkase. I wish the roll were slightly crustier, but that’s the only complaint for this old-school classic. $10.50. 3501 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-248-6272, paulinamarket.com

Italian cold cuts at Pizza Friendly Pizza

I’ve blabbed on and on about the incredible pizza at Pizza Friendly Pizza, selecting it as my favorite slice in Chicago and also including it on our list of the 25 best pizzas. But chef Noah Sandoval also hid a stunning Italian sandwich on the menu. Just know that it doesn’t look anything like most Italian subs you’ll find around the city. Instead of using a roll, the matter-of-factly named Italian cold cuts sandwich collects creamy mortadella, salty capicola and feisty Genoa salami on some well-crisped sliced bread. You’ll also spot a generous slather of aioli on the bread, which gets a serious kick from chopped giardiniera. It all looks rather simple and a bit small for the price tag, but the construction means each bite has the ideal balance of crunch, creaminess and spice. $12. 1039 N. Western Ave., 773-395-2483, pizzafriendlypizza.com

Birria sandwich at QBirria Factory

I already wrote about the booming popularity of quesabirra in Chicago, the intensely beefy and deliriously cheesy taco. While QBirria Factory actually opened last year, it temporarily had to close because of the pandemic. Fortunately, it’s back open, and along with some great tacos, you can score this hulking sandwich, where the tender braised beef joins forces with the gooey melted cheese. It’s served like a French dip, with a container of the intensely seasoned birria consome on the side. The bread soaks in the broth, upping the meatiness of each bite to a delightfully unhinged degree. $10.95. 215 N. Clinton St., 773-340-2886, qbirriafactory.square.site