7 Incredible Sandwich Spots Near Brooklyn's Best Parks

You have a simple plan in mind for a sunny day off in Brooklyn – grab a takeout lunch and eat it in the park. The question is, where? Before you go down the Googling-and-mapping rabbit hole, check out these seven perfect sandwich and park pairings. No matter which part of Brooklyn you’re in, or what kind of sandwich you’re craving, this shortlist has you covered.
Purbird
Restaurant, Sandwich Shop, American
Chicken isn’t just on the menu at Purbird, it is the menu. This place takes its birds seriously, and the dedication shows in the unbelievably juicy flame-grilled chicken that finds its way into the sandwiches. The exceptional chicken burger makes you wonder why you’ve been so obsessed with the beef version your whole life: The hot, perfectly spiced chicken patty arrives on a buttery brioche topped with sweet grilled onions and Purbird’s signature sauce. Another must-order sandwich here is the chicken thigh wrap, which rolls up the tender, chargrilled red meat with pickled onions and sauerkraut-style cabbage. Round out your order with one of the multiple types of mac and cheese, mashed potatoes or French fries on the menu. Once you’ve got your takeout order, walk a few blocks from the corner of Sixth Avenue and Flatbush up to Grand Army Plaza, and enter Prospect Park, Brooklyn’s 526-acre wonderland of lawns, forests and trails. Find the nearest picturesque spot on the grass, and get to work on your sandwich while it’s still hot.
Banh Mi Place
Restaurant, Sandwich Shop, Vietnamese
Craving banh mi? Just remember this straightforwardly named spot and you’ll be in excellent shape. It’s hard to find a better stateside version of the Vietnamese sandwich than Bahn Mi Place’s classic, which arrives on a crisp baguette smeared with mayo and butter and layered with exactly the right amount of roasted ground pork, Vietnamese ham and pate: not overstuffed, not stingy. The cucumber, pickled carrot and cilantro make each bite of your sandwich perfectly sweet and sour, salty and meaty – everything you’d want from a banh mi. You can also find chicken and seafood versions here, and vegetarians get an impressive roster of meatless adaptations. Since the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is just a couple of blocks away, plan to take your banh mi in a bag and walk on over. Hint: The garden offers free admission on Friday mornings until noon for most of the year, and Banh Mi Place opens at 11:30am; time your visit right and you can eat in your sandwich in a beautiful al fresco setting.
Luke's Lobster Brooklyn Bridge Park
Restaurant, Sandwich Shop, American
The views of Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge Park are so hypnotic, the idea of gazing up at the skyline while indulging in a lobster roll from Luke’s is almost too much. Human life may be nasty and brutish, but not at the particular moment when you’re staring at the blue sky, the sailboats and the two bridges—Brooklyn and Manhattan—while diving into a buttery roll layered with fresh lobster chunks and lemony mayo. Luke’s, now a national chain with multiple locations around New York, has been dishing out some of the city’s best rolls ever since they opened in Manhattan’s East Village in 2009. The portions are generous (there’s a quarter pound of wild-caught shellfish in the lobster, shrimp or crab rolls), but these rolls still tend to disappear in a few quick mouthfuls. Better to eat your sandwich very slowly, breaking after every bite to stare at the cinematic vista in front of your eyes.
Sweet Chick
Restaurant, American
BitterSweet
Cafe, Sandwich Shop, Coffee Shop, Contemporary
This Fort Greene coffee shop inspires cultish loyalty among locals, who march over every morning to stand in the long line (often with their dogs in tow) and make pre-caffeinated small talk with neighbors. But it’s not just the intense, aromatic La Colombe coffee that keeps regulars coming back. BitterSweet also serves a small menu of excellent sandwiches, especially the salami with salted butter and the popular Hangover Helper (Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, fried sage and boiled egg). To get your hands on one, arrive before the place closes at 5pm, and ideally before the lunch rush, when the sandwiches often sell out. Meatless eaters can opt for the crunchy apple, brie and arugula sandwich. Once you’ve finally got your lunch and coffee in hand, your work is done – Fort Greene Park, with its rolling hills and Prison Ship Martyrs Monument (built in 1908 to commemorate the Revolutionary War), is just down the street.
Mekelburg's
Market, Sandwich Shop, American
Defonte's Sandwich Shop
Sandwich Shop, Italian
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