The direct translation of jambon-beurre, the classic French sandwich, is “ham-butter.” Traditionally, the sandwich consists of salted butter and paper-thin slices of Jambon de Paris layered on a crusty baguette. The simplicity makes quality ingredients shine. But, there are variations that include cornichons, dijon mustard, Comté, or Gruyère.
Here are some tried-and-true spots serving the humble French sandwich worth checking out:
Boston
Verveine Cafe & Bakery in Cambridge has one of the best jambons-beurres in New England. Their all-day menu features a gluten-free version with prosciutto cotto, a mild Italian cured pork, and cornichons for a punch of crunch.
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Charleston, South Carolina
In Charleston, babas, with locations on both Cannon Street and Meeting Street, offers traditional ham and butter sandwiches: “a great baguette with great ham and great butter.” Enjoy with their cheese plate featuring fromage from Goat.sheep.cow.
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Chicago
Publican Quality Bread puts a twist on the classic jambon-beurre with rosemary ham, Comté PDO, and seeded dijon mustard on a demi baguette—and of course, butter. Publican’s bread can be found at various markets around Chicago.
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Dallas
The Jambon et Fromage at Village Baking Co. is a demi baguette slathered with salted butter and filled with smoked ham and provolone. The bakery has four locations around the city.
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Los Angeles
Maison Matho’s jambon-beurre tastes just as good as it looks. The bread is a crusty and slightly chewy baguette topped with cultured butter, Jambon de Paris, sliced cornichons, and flecks of cracked black pepper.
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New York
New York is a jambon-beurre hotspot in the U.S. L’Ami Pierre is a staple, featuring the Le Pierre—a classic baguette with French butter and local organic ham. There’s also an option to add Gruyère for 50¢.
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Philadelphia
The Ham & Butter Baguette at Mighty Bread Co. features chive butter, ham, and cornichons for a unique twist. Enjoy with a cornichon-topped Bloody Mary!
San Francisco
The menu at Arsicault Bakery at Civic Center features the Parisian sandwich, known to be the best in San Francisco. It’s made with a traditional French baguette, ham, sea salt, and loads of butter, with an option to add aged Comté.
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Washington, D.C.
Bread Furst serves a jambon-beurre with classic French ham, Gruyère, softened butter, and a touch of dijon mustard. Owner Mark Furstenberg likes to keep things simple. “Just very good ham, very good butter, and a very good baguette,” he says of his outpost’s offering.
Claire Fan
Claire Fan is an editorial intern for Culture Magazine and is based in Providence, Rhode Island, where she is a senior at Brown University. Claire has dabbled in recipe testing, food styling, and writing and her work can be found on her blog saltandsesame.com. She can often be found knitting, reading fiction, or eating sandwiches.
