This Viral $27 Sandwich Is “The Best In The World” According To Gwyneth Paltrow, So I Tried It For You
Here’s my brutally honest review of the “best sandwich in the world.”
Gwyneth Paltrow recently revealed what she considers to be the absolute best sandwich in the entire world, so I knew I had to order it for myself. The sandwich in question is from Barney Greengrass, which is a staple in New York City.
NBC, Spencer Althouse
I hadn’t eaten at Barney Greengrass in years. My ex-boyfriend’s parents had an apartment about a block away from the Upper West deli, and every Saturday we’d visit for a bialy with cream cheese to start our mornings. It got to the point where the guy at the counter remembered my face and order, which made me feel like a true New Yorker. That was a little over a decade ago, though, so I was excited to go back.
Gwyneth’s go-to sandwich isn’t technically on their menu as-is, but you can customize it for an additional cost. Here’s her exact order: “Turkey, Swiss [cheese], Russian dressing, mustard, and coleslaw on rye bread, with pickles and extra Russian dressing on the side.” They also serve a smoked turkey and tongue (!) combo, which really caught my eye, but for now I was just here for Gwyneth’s order.
The sandwich was served open-faced, and it looked great. I put each piece together, cut it in half, and still managed to get a reallllly solid cheese pull before taking my first bite.
The rye bread was toasted, and the melted Swiss cheese paired well against the cold turkey. I also liked the combo of the mustard with the creamy, tangy Russian dressing. Overall, I thought, “Wow, maybe Gwyneth Paltrow is actually onto something here.”
After a few bites, I realized that they forgot to add the coleslaw on top, which Gwyneth swears is a must. I amended the situation and took a proper bite of the full sandwich. The coleslaw added a cool, crunchy texture, and it was genuinely a very satisfying bite. But I have to say that this sandwich was MESSY. By the time I made it halfway through, the Russian dressing had seeped through the bottom layer of the bread, which made it pretty soggy and difficult to eat. I actually can’t believe that Gwyneth orders extra dressing on the side. Like, this was so saucy as is, especially with the added mustard as well.
Spencer Althouse
The first few bites were easily the best parts. Without the coleslaw, I think it would have become a little too one-note, especially with the amount of sauce that was doused onto each slice of bread. But I will say that this had the perfect meat-to-cheese-to-bread ratio. I happily finished every single bite, though the extra side of Russian dressing went unused.
Spencer Althouse
I was handed a check for $27 and immediately did a double-take. Like, all of Gwyneth’s add-ons made this way more expensive than I thought it was going to be (for reference, their standard turkey sandwich is $21.50 before any customizations). So was the sandwich good? Absolutely! Was it worth $27? I don’t think so. I’m glad I got to try it, and if you have the money then I think you should too. However, I don’t agree with Gwyneth that this is the best sandwich in the entire world (let alone in New York City). I will say that it was super filling, and while I think most people will probably finish it in one sitting, others might be able to get two small meals out of it, so in that sense, spending $30+ (with tip) might be worth it for you.
Spencer Althouse
Gwyneth actually admitted to having a second favorite sandwich as well, but that one can only be found in Italy. It’s a tuna panini with lemon and arugula at Bar Luce in Milan, so if anyone wants to buy me a plane ticket then I’ll happily let you know how the two sandwiches compare.
