Eight Stand-Out Sandwiches to Devour in D.C. This Summer
Published in Washington City Paper, July 26, 2021
Alliance member, Buffalo & Bergen, appears on the list of stand-out sandwiches to try in the District.
South Philly at Buffalo & Bergen (¼ lb $12.50 or ½ lb $19.50)
240 Massachusetts Ave. NE and 1309 5th St. NE, (202) 525-3350, buffalobergendc.com
It’s possible not even Philadelphia has thought to forgo a hoagie roll and pile its signature sandwich on a squishy bagel instead. Enter Buffalo & Bergen owner Gina Chersevani, who has been making cheesesteak bagels for about seven years. She has some tips for acing your order. “We ask everybody to do it on a sesame bagel,” she says. She also encourages diners to add pickled hot peppers and pair the sandwich with a root beer. “I have a lot of staff that put a scrambled egg on top and eat it for breakfast. For me, it’s a little too much,” she says.
The sandwich is already rich. Buffalo & Bergen soaks the onions in dark beer before straining them and mixing them with a generous amount of butter. The onions hit the griddle with thinly sliced beef and American cheese. Cheesesteak traditionalists will reject that the restaurant finishes the sandwich with mayo and lettuce, but live and let live. You can choose between a quarter pound of beef or a half pound of beef. The latter spills out of the bagel in a big way.
In addition to its new Capitol Hill shop, the South Philly is also available at Buffalo & Bergen’s Union Market location. The shops keep identical hours: Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Fridays through Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (The bar remains open until 5 p.m.)
