There’s something that nearly every cafe, diner, or casual eatery has on its menu: the club sandwich. This double (or sometimes triple) decker sandwich has long been a fixture of American cuisine, but where did it come from, and why do we call it a club sandwich? As with many traditional dishes, we don’t have precise answers, but we can do our best to make a pretty good guess. At Stow Cafe, you’ll have a lunch that’s more than just “pretty good.” You’ll get to enjoy a triple-decker delight!
Why is this lunch classic called a club sandwich? Let’s find out!
Who made it first?
The truth is, we don’t know for certain who made the first club sandwich. Some accounts say it was the chef at the Union Club of New York City. Support for this theory is pretty strong. The earliest known reference to the club sandwich calls it “a Union Club sandwich.” This reference was in an article from an 1889 article in The Evening World that also included a basic recipe. Other early references also name the chef at the Union Club as the inventor of the sandwich.
Another credible story is that it was first made at the Saratoga Club in Saratoga Springs, New York. The common thread is that it was made at a club, giving the sandwich its name.
A Unique Construction
Another common thread that connects all early references to the club sandwich is its unique construction. It uses three slices of bread: two for the outside and one in the middle. Usually, the bread is toasted so none of the layers get soggy. The ingredients are also similar across recipes, with a few common variations. The earliest versions included chicken as the main protein, but over time, turkey became more common. The sandwich often includes ham or bacon as well, along with lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. While these are the standard ingredients, there are as many variations on the club sandwich as there are restaurants that serve it.
Lunch Classics at Stow Cafe
At Stow Cafe, we’re proud to serve classic lunch favorites, like our triple-decker club sandwiches. We have eight varieties on our menu, so you’ll have to make multiple visits to try them all!
