Breakfast & Lunch: The Muffaletta @ Farmstead, St. Helena

Almost famous.

Only in New Orleans could a sandwich as glorious as the muffaletta take a backseat to the po-boy. In just about any other city in the United States, the muffaletta would certainly rank as a culinary claim-to-fame, earning a mention alongside the cheesesteaks of Philly or the towering deli pastramis of New York City. But even in the shadow of the more famous po-boy, the muffaletta of New Orleans boasts a loyal legion of followers (after all, one cannot exist on po-boys alone). With its roots at the Central Grocery in the French Quarter, the classic muffaletta features a round sesame roll, olive spread, a slice of provolone cheese and an assortment of Italian cured meats. It’s thought that the original muffaletta dates back about 100 years, and traditionally, these unusually large sandwiches were sold either as halves or quarter-slices.

At Farmstead, the muffaletta is scaled down to an individual portion, but in terms of flavor and execution, the St. Helena restaurant features an admirable version of the New Orleans classic. Even better, the sandwich comes with Farmstead’s roasted-then-fried new potatoes.