Beef on Weck Sandwich

Name:  Charlie the Butcher

Location: Buffalo, NY

Meal: Beef on weck, macaroni salad, and a Pepsi

Type: Sandwich Shop

Beef on weck is a Buffalo speciality that can be a little intimidating by name alone. Beef on weck means a sliced roast beef sandwich served on a kimmleweck roll(caraway seeds and salt). The roll is often times dunked in some of the au jus, so it eating it quickly is a bonus.

Eat in at Charlie’s, for two reasons. One, the Williamsville location is where Charlie himself works. Charlie is a third generation butcher and a Buffalo institution, wearing his butcher’s apron and hard hat all day. I’m not entirely sure of the hard hat, might have something to do with being a butcher but who doesn’t love a unique uniform.  Two, the horseradish. On the counter and every table (I’m partial to the counter everywhere I go) there is a jar of fresh horseradish. I suggest you load up. Start slow but you really haven’t lived until you’ve taken yourself to within 5% of your limit. That rush of a feeling when the horseradish hits your sinuses is magical.

Charlie’s sandwich is a solid meal. The beef is flavorful and SO tender. If you’ve had a bad sliced roast beef sandwich you know that tough feeling of struggling to bite off a bite but trying not to tear the sandwich apart. Charlie’s sandwiches are so tender you’ll have to pace yourself so you don’t eat them too fast. A number of sides are available, I tend to be partial to macaroni salad but often times my fellow patrons order the sweet potato fries. In addition to the above, turkey, ham, burgers, and sausages are available. I hear good things about their milkshakes but I’ve always been too full to indulge.

When you’re in Buffalo, Charlie the Butcher needs to be on your short list. Yes you need to get your buffalo wings (more on that later) but you owe it to yourself to make a stop at Charlie’s. The best location is located around the corner from the airport, I always stop on my way to fly home plus that intersection also has a gas station (fill up the rental car) and a Tim Horton’s (more on that later).