The best sandwiches in the Marais

Has the neo-urban sandwich dethroned the traditional ham and butter sandwich? This delicious sandwich can be enjoyed with your fingers anytime, anywhere—on a bench, at the office, or on the street. We love it for its low price and its increasingly varied veggie versions. Le Marais is full of addresses, each more inventive than the last. Some brands are famous as far away as China. The editorial team tested six addresses.

Enjoy your meal !

Imagine a good Spanish cured ham spread with stewed onion, avocado, tomato, and chives, between two slices of toasted bread. It's the signature sandwich of in Alain Miam Miam that we devour in summer and winter. More summery: the veggie version with a refreshing bitterness.

In front of this tavern, formerly a tea room, there's always a line to grab one of the twenty seats or take away a meal. People come from far and wide for these sandwiches, thanks to their reputation. Even at 15 p.m., it's a rush. Word of mouth is working in full swing. People come from China, guidebooks under their arms. Asians, suffering from jet lag, arrive as early as 10 a.m. People also flock from New Zealand, a country on the opposite side of the time zone from France.

For twenty years, Alain has been offering the same successful recipes. Especially since everyone can create their own sandwiches. Five vegetables, two Comté or Cantal cheeses, six meat toppings, pastrami from Pas-de-Calais, for example. A psychotherapist in a previous life, Alain has seamlessly transitioned from matters of the mind to the pleasures of the taste buds.

The veggie sandwich is 13 euros, add 50 euros for meat or smoked trout.

You can see it from afar, the blue ceramic facade, listed as a heritage site. For 36 years, the brand Florence Kahn, of Polish origin, introduces us to the sweet and savory aspects of Yiddish culture. On the terrace, enjoy a pastrami sandwich topped with eggplant caviar, bell pepper caviar, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickles. The homemade poppy seed bread is unforgettable. Everything is kosher, but not beth din.

Javier, the chef, tests each recipe. Are the eggplants smoky enough? Is the meat not too lemony? Vegetarians gravitate toward the version accompanied by hummus, grilled eggplant, pepper caviar, and, of course, the winning trio of tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickles. Tourists of all generations are fond of this place. In the queue, we encounter a young man with a skateboard and a grandmother with a tattooed forearm who is a Holocaust survivor.

Located across from As du falafel, it's an institution that's been raved about in the Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and Italian press. Since veggie fare is all the rage, it even comes in a Passover version, meaning it's made without yeast, but with potato starch.

What time should you arrive? It's busy from morning to night, especially since we're open Friday and Saturday. A sandwich costs €7,90.

« Pointed ", a sweet word meaning "my daughter" in Tunisian Arabic. In this Tunisian street food restaurant opened in 2024, Abir, a former production manager in the audiovisual industry, and Yacine, a former construction worker, feed passersby fabulous Makloub, this sandwich from Tunis. Abir, the unifier, the gourmand, wanted to enhance a stretch of Parisian sidewalk with the delicious smells of Tunisia, harissa being an option here.

This traditional sandwich is made with pita/pizza dough, meat, mozzarella, tomatoes, grilled peppers, and red onions. Not to mention the white sauce. The version, with chicken fillet marinated in spices straight from Tunis, is eaten in a picnic basket on the terrace. Six signature recipes are on the menu, not to mention the sandwiches of the moment, which rotate every two weeks.

The clientele? Many Tunisians who appreciate the 3-euro lemonade, which is less sweet than back home. Many tourists, too, who love spicy cuisine. The Sidi Bou, with its marinated chicken shawarma, and the Nabeul, two signature sandwiches, are snapped up from 11 a.m. The meat comes from the neighborhood; the fruits and vegetables from the market. Vegan versions are available.

The Makloub costs 8,90 euros. With the "batat," a baked potato, it costs 10,90 euros. The Bardo, a veggie dish named after the town of Bardo near Tunis, costs 8,90 euros.

Passionate about sandwich making, Élodie has been feeding the neighborhood for two and a half years, all by herself at the helm of At Elo'sFormica tables, surrounded by jars and piles of sausages, welcome you to taste local sandwiches whose bread comes from Utopie in the 11th arrondissement. Regulars, office workers, and tourists come early in the morning to order their slices to enjoy in the nearby park. It's a party.

Four sandwiches on the menu: one with fish (tuna or salmon), another veggie sandwich that changes seasonally, and yet another with chicken in Dijon sauce with Jura Tome cheese and Espelette pepper. A real treat. This isn't surprising, since Élodie only works with MOF (Meilleur Ouvrière de France) artisans and high-quality products. The cheese comes from Indre-et-Loire, and the charcuterie from the Pyrénées-Orientales. The classic sandwich with caramelized onions is a resounding success.

Addictive, the classic sandwich with semi-salted butter, ham on the bone from Maison Champlain, voted best ham of the year 2023/2024, with caramelized onions and Comté cheese aged 24 months by a Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF Rodolphe Lemeunier).

The veggie sandwich, with pan-fried eggplant with shallots, seared zucchini, fried onions, and smoked Jura cheese matured by a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, is equally delicious. Both sandwiches cost €10,50.

This red butcher's shop once made jewelry. The safes remain from that era. Laura, an Italian architect from the Florence region, brought back ancestral know-how from there. The idea of ​​a food business crossed her mind as soon as she set foot in Paris. Attached to her roots, she brought mozzarella and vegetables from Naples.

At Mmmozza..!, you have the choice between seven sandwiches, two with mozzarella and arugula, with cold cuts (Laura formula) or in veggie mode (yaya formula). The sheep cheese sandwich is a bestseller. The veggie version with ciabatta bread, arugula, mozzarella, mortadella is delicious.

For the classic, mortadella is served between slices of bread. But Laura is adamant: even with an extra, she won't add mustard, mayo, or ketchup. This isn't McDonald's. The idea is to enjoy a sandwich like in Florence, on a terrace or in the park.

Evi Evane : Cheers! In ancient Greek. This long establishment, opened in 2022, offers specialties from Crete and the Peloponnese. Particularly typical pita-based sandwiches. The classic, Gyros, features shredded French pork marinated in spices, with Greek yogurt tzatziki sauce, herbs, cucumber, and raw vegetables.

The veggie sandwich is delicious (who said vegetarianism is sad?) and resembles a Greek salad. Tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, PDO feta from the Lytras family in Larissa, Greek oregano, Cretan olive oil, and Greek yogurt tzatziki sauce. An institution for twenty years, this Greek family-run restaurant was launched by two sisters, Dina and Maria, originally from Kyrtoni, a village north of Athens.

Of the duo, Dina is the chef and writer, trained by the greatest chefs, including Ducasse and Lenôtre. The adventure continues today with Maria's daughters, Katerina and Stella. Prices are 8 euros for a sandwich, 12 euros for a set menu with a starter or dessert and a drink.