The best sandwich in Spain consists of chicken, bacon, green pepper, and a secret spicy sauce, all served on rustic bread. This creation has been on the menu at Tasqueta Cal Miguelin in El Pla del Penedès, Barcelona for 17 years and was recently declared the winner of the first Spanish Sandwich Championship. The second prize went to El de Llonganisa from Cal Carrero in Valencia and the third prize was awarded to El Joselillo from La Mesedora in Algemesí, also in Valencia. The sandwich was born out of a customer’s request for something special, and has since become a popular item on the menu, priced at 6.40 euros.
The second-place sandwich, El de Llonganisa from Cal Carrero, is made with artisanal longaniza, caramelized onions, pesto, roasted cherry tomatoes, melted scamorza cheese, and herb mayonnaise on traditional sourdough bread. This sandwich has been a staple at the Valencia horchatería since it opened, priced at 8 euros or 10 euros with a drink, coffee, and salad. The third prize went to a sandwich from La Mesedora in Algemesí, also in Valencia, made with artisanal local longaniza, tomato base, homemade bacon marmalade, caramelized onions, and smoked mayo sauce, named El Joselillo after a former bartender who worked at the owner’s father’s bar. This typical Valencian restaurant specializes in traditional lunches, offering a menu including a sandwich, drink, coffee, and peanuts or olives for 11.95 euros.
This year marked the first edition of the sandwich competition, with 126 sandwiches entered. Over the course of five weeks, starting on April 26th, 100,000 people tried the sandwiches at participating establishments and voted on a website. From the votes and inspections, 16 finalists were selected to compete for the top prizes in front of an expert jury. In addition to the main awards, special mentions were given, including the Best Sandwich award, which went to Disparate de Chifla in Murcia for their creation made of slow-roasted morcillo and beef shank, mole poblano, Arzúa cheese, dried tomato, fermented cabbage, walnuts, plantain chips, and poblano mayo sauce, priced at 10.90 euros.
Abel Moreno, second-generation owner of Tasqueta Cal Miguelin, dedicated the award to his family, team, and customers, expressing pride in starting from the bottom in the restaurant industry. The winning sandwich, named Cal Miguelin, has become a signature item at the restaurant, delighting customers with its combination of flavors. The competition showcased a variety of creative and delicious sandwiches from different regions of Spain, highlighting the diversity and innovation in the culinary scene. With the success of the first championship, the future looks bright for the Spanish sandwich industry, attracting attention and recognition for local eateries and their unique creations.
