Is this the best sandwich in Utrecht?
Every city has its hidden gems. Only locals know where to find them and prefer to keep them secret from the masses. Not so in Utrecht, where they shout their love for Broodje Mario from the rooftops.
Broodje Mario is an institution in the Domstad. The white bread roll, filled with cheese, chorizo, salami, raw vegetables and a green pepperoncini, is eagerly snapped up at the several Mario Nistro stands that now exist. Since his death, his sons have been at the helm. Around lunchtime, there is often a queue at the stand on Oudegracht.
Formula for success
The sandwiches are baked one by one in Massimo and Agostino Nistro’s bakery. And you can taste it, generation after generation. Enthusiasm for Broodje Mario is often passed from parent to child.
“Our mother always took us to the hairdresser in Utrecht, and she would get us Broodje Mario. The bread roll itself is especially delicious.”
Why should we all try it, exactly? Even though not everyone thinks that deeply about a simply ‘tasty sandwich’, there is still quite a lot to be said about Mario’s delicacy. The well-balanced combinations of ingredients alone are reason enough to become a fan. The combination of the sour vegetables with the salty meat, the garlic flavor and the creamy young cheese make the sandwich a well-thought-out combination of fresh and savory flavors. The Marios also top it with a green pepper, because yes: the more pepper, the better.
What’s more, the experience of getting a Broodje Mario is a reason in itself. The market stand and the men who run it are almost a local attraction, and the generously filled sandwich is what you walk away with.
Make it yourself
Some people are such fans of the sandwich that they try to recreate it at home…
“But I always forgot to add the green pepper, so it was never as delicious as Mario’s.”
The ingredients are well known, so you can give it a try (don’t forget the pepper). If you don’t dare make it yourself: go and get that sandwich. You can find it at Oudegracht 130-132.
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