The 7th annual Northside Sandwich Week kickoffs Thursday, May 17 with the “Sandwich Sampler Event.”

By: NSC Staff

For the Northside Christmas comes twice a year. On Thursday, May 17 Northside Sandwich Week will take center stage for the seventh installment of the food festival.

“It’s a quintessential Northside event, equally celebrating classic neighborhood mainstays with our growing roster of great new dining options,” Northside Leadership Conference main street manager, Cody Walters said in a statement.

This year’s theme “French Bread Connection” will hold to tradition and kickoff with the “Sandwich Sampler Event” held at the Grand Hall in The Priory. Attendees can sample each of the 11 participating restaurant’s sandwich submissions and have a chance to vote for the “People’s Choice.”

A panel of judges will have the honor of crowing this year’s Sandwich King (or Queen) and bestowing the winner of the 2018 Northside Sandwich Cup. This year’s panel includes Pittsburgh Post-Gazette restaurant critic Melissa McCart, national political reporter and author of the “Great Revolt” Salena Zito, podcaster Day Bracey and Wreck Loose bandmates Max Somerville and Nathan Zoob.

Last year’s Sandwich Cup winner Chateau Cafe and Cakery will look to defend the title. New challengers include Badamo’s Pizza, Brugge on North, Fig & Ash, Flavors Famous Street Food, Kaffeehaus and Threadbare Cider and Mead.

Thursday’s Sandwich Sampler will feature a beer garden with refreshments from Penn Brewery and Threadbare Cider and Mead along with live entertainment from the Olga Watkins Band. Tickets for the event are $35 and doors open at 6 p.m. For more information, visit the event’s website.

Northside Sandwich week will run from May 17 through May 27.

Northside Sandwich Week is sponsored by the Northside Leadership Conference, Highmark, Beano’s, Isaly’s, River’s Casino, Sustainable Pittsburgh,The Priory, US Foods, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.