The Lowdown: Sarnie Party

A festival dedicated to the sandwich isn’t very rock n roll...​
It’s actually quite a lot of roll, but not very rock. But there’s festivals for meat (Meatopia, 29 August-1 September), cheese (Love Cheese Live, 28-29 June), and chicken wings (Wing Fest, 26-28 July) so why not one for arguably the UK’s most beloved food item (sorry fish and chips)?

When you put it like that​
These just aren’t any old sandwiches, either. Sarnie Party promises to be a Pret-free zone with 20 of the best chefs and sandwich shops slinging a selection of ‘old-school English reworked classics, superbly stuffed sourdough and tantalising toasties’.

Now you’re talking. Who’s going to be there?​
The line-up includes dough dealers such as Dom’s Subs (pictured above), Ruben’s Reubens, Bross Bagels, The Untitled Sandwich Shop, Rogue Sarnies, The Cheese Truck, and KÊU. Exactly what they will be bringing to the party is yet to be revealed, with the promise instead of ‘never-before-seen’ special sandwiches made exclusively for the festival. Running over three days from 17-19 May at Camden Town Brewery in Kentish Town, there is a different line-up each day.

It sounds like a very savoury affair​
Those with a sweet tooth aren’t overlooked with the ice cream sandwich also making an appearance, courtesy of Happy Endings.

Sandwiches seem to be having something of a moment...​
Had a festival such as this launched five years it would likely be a very drab affair, but the premium sarnie is having a moment​​ in the sun. Part of its recent revival can be attributed to a certain Max Halley,​​ whose Max’s Sandwich Shop has helped rewrite the rule book for when a sandwich should be consumed, but a more recent influx of players selling seriously stacked subs, wood-fired rolls, and bulging bagels has picked up the sandwich baton and run with it. Further proof that the sandwich is this season’s hand-held meal du jour can be found in the relaunch of TĀTĀ Eatery founders Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng’s pioneering katsu sando concept TÓU in London’s Borough Market​​ and the imminent arrival in the capital of award-winning Bristol-based Sandwich Sandwich​​ (so good they named it twice).

I’m sold. Where do I sign up?​
Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online via the Sarnie Party website​​. Tickets are £30 per session and includes three sandwiches and a Camden Town Beer on entry.