Almost half a year ago, Simon left his job at BT and decided to steer his ship into far more intense territory—subjecting himself to long hours of heat and carving, all to whip up delightfully satisfying roast-meat sandwiches. Located at 4 Bene’t Street in Cambridge, Bread & Meat has been the new hangout spot in town and a firm favourite among Tripadvisor’s self-appointed food critics: “A must-try!”, “a guilty pleasure”, “a great sandwich”.
Short, sharp and straight to the point, these comments do encapsulate the essence of Simon’s sandwiches—a guilty pleasure indeed, one that transcends your ordinary expectations of two pieces of bread with a filling in between.
And here’s why.
Their signature Ciabatta Porchetta features overnight-roasted, outdoor-reared pork from Essex, rolled in their own fresh salsa verde. What I absolutely loved about this sandwich was not only the crunchy rind that crackled with each bite, but also the richly indulgent layers of fat and meat that came together so perfectly. In other words, it wasn’t just lean meat. And there’s no better time than now to toss aside that bland “diet” sandwich and enjoy a proper cut of pork—just as Simon puts it, “pork should be served this way”.
The second sandwich was the Salt Beef—generous slabs of meat lifted by the sour notes of sauerkraut, pickles and Dijon aioli. The flavours were refreshing, and even better when paired with chunks of chips and glugs of ginger beer.
Bread & Meat isn’t a place you rush into between meetings. The ambience is unhurried, with students and families alike dropping by to enjoy what I’d call proper fast food. That’s the phrase—proper fast food. The shop isn’t large, but the friendly owner and his team make sure everyone is well looked after.
The bread is delivered fresh daily from Jamie Oliver’s Flour Station. There are also muffins, brownies and cakes, along with craft beer and wine. Open from breakfast through to the evening, Bread & Meat is sure to slow your pace and change the way you think about that meat between two slices of bread—forever.
Way to go, Simon!
With love x