Bread Winner

Let's talk about bread, baby. The foundation of every great sandwich. The fillings tend to get the glory, but bread choice will make or break even the most carefully curated stack of ingredients.

After a significant amount of research (eating tons of sandwiches), We’re ready to announce some definitive bread rankings. I’m sure you’ll all agree…or not. Anyhow, send any gripes (and sandwich pics) through the MSD.

10. Potato Bun

A Swiss Army knife of sandwich bases. These slightly sweet, pillowy rolls are versatile workhorses that excel at summer cookouts, and can even get classy when needed. Burgers and dogs, breakfast sandwiches, fried chicken, pulled pork, lobster rolls - is there anything you can’t do?

9. Pita

Basically the kangaroo of breads. This little pocket of possibility is built to open up as the perfect home for your falafel, shawarma, gyros, and about 10,000 other delicious combinations. Until you destroy the home by eating it. 

8. Kaiser Roll 

The kaiser brings that crusty exterior/soft interior contrast that makes it sturdy for fillings and easy on the jaw. I would bucket torta rolls in this group too. 

7. Baguette

I’m not talking the hard to bite off and chew variety. The softer, fresher baguette can deliver some killer sandwiches. From the simple but delicious jambon-beurre to the more complex flavor bomb of a bánh mì.

6. Bagel

The chewier cousin to the Kaiser, and tough to beat when fresh and hot no matter what’s on it. It’s also one of the better options for going open-faced. Which means if you can’t choose what to get you can always do one side with whitefish and cucumbers, and the other with lox, cream cheese, and capers.

5. Focaccia

We don’t see enough focaccia (in the States at least) as sandwich bread, which is a shame. Some of the best sandwich bites I’ve had in recent memory have come from house baked, well seasoned, olive oily focaccia. Each one a bit different, and proving that the bread itself can be as flavorful as whatever you put on it.

4. Challah (Brioche too!)

It turns out using eggs in your dough creates really good bread. The richness and slight sweetness of challah elevates everything you put on it.

3. Seeded Hoagie Roll

The ideal seeded hoagie roll brings a crisp exterior giving way to a white bread interior with just enough density to stand up to oil and vinegar or heavy sauces without dissolving.

2. Rye

We like it seeded. This bread envelops some of the world's greatest sandwiches. Whether you're building a towering pastrami on rye, a Russian-dressing-dripping Reuben, or something simpler - rye bread brings a distinctive flavor that can't be replicated. 

1. Milk Bread

Surprise! While this might seem like an upset victory, Japanese milk bread has been delivering amazing sandos for millenia (or maybe shorter). This is white bread elevated to art form – pillowy yet substantial, tender yet resilient, sweet yet subtle. The secret lies in the tangzhong method, which pre-gelatinizes some of the flour and adds hydration to the dough, creating a bread that stays fresh and soft for days.

Until next week, may your bread be fresh and your fillings be worthy of it.

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