I am a savory breakfast gal, and I love a good breakfast sandwich. It needs the right ratio of bread to fillings and a runny egg yolk to spill over into the bread with each bite. Melty cheese and hot sauce are musts. Basically, I’m looking for a bodega sandwich.
Breakfast sandwiches or ‘Baps’ were sold in the 1800s in London by street vendors for a portable meal on the way to work. They were filled with eggs and fried meat (origins not always defined) with soft rolls to soak up both eggs and grease. The first actual recipe for an egg breakfast sandwich was found in an American cookbook in 1897, according to Heather Arndt Anderson in her book, Breakfast, A History.
I’m here to tell you that the perfect bodega-esque breakfast sandwich does exist in Salt Lake City. Frankie & Essl’s was created based on the breakfast sandwiches and food stands of the Pacific Northwest. The name Essl stands for “Egg Sandwich Salt Lake,” so right there, you know the eggs are going to be the star. Each breakfast sandwich starts with a generous two-fried egg situation in the filling instead of a skimpy single egg.
The owners, Macy and Clint McClellan, opted to skip the traditional English muffin or bagel and go straight for a rich brioche bun, buttered and toasted to perfection. It is big enough to hold both eggs. They have embraced the fact that American cheese is the only cheese for a breakfast sandwich for its ultimate melty-ness. American cheese has a certain umami that works best with morning eggs. You can fight me if you disagree.
The sausage on their most popular sandwich is anything but standard. Locally made just for the shop, it is a spiced honey sausage with a secret spice and herb blend, the perfect mix of sweet, rich, savory and spicy. The sausage patty is perfectly sized to fit edge to edge in the bun, so you don’t have to hunt it down as you take a bite.
The slather of house-made chipotle aioli ensures that nothing will be dry. I’m always a fan of egg on egg, and the spicy-ish eggy mayo aioli fits the bill. The final ingredient is peppery arugula for a pop of freshness and color.
I am a sucker for hot sauce. I keep some in my office, in my oversized purse, and in my car from time to time. And my fridge? Currently, I have 12 bottles of various spicy condiments in there. Hot sauce is life. Clearly, Macy and Clint agree with me. When you order online, you can request packets of Zab’s Hot Sauce to go. You’ll find bottles of locally made Chacho Hot Sauce when you stop by and sit down. “A western original,” it is made with habanero and manzano peppers, vinegary apple cider, carrots, garlic, and cumin. You can even buy a bottle. (Yes, I did.)
When you visit Frankie & Essl’s, you can customize everything. Add another sausage patty. Switch the American cheese for Gouda (if you must), pop on some avocado, or even request an over-hard egg (again, if you must). Every sandwich is made to order, so pick-up and wait times are not on par with fast food joints. But give yourself an extra few minutes for a crush-worthy sandwich.
You won’t regret it, and you’ll be feeling the love all day.
When You Go
Frankie & Essl’s
490 E. 1300 South, SLC
Open Wednesday–Monday, 7 a.m. –1 p.m.
Instagram: @frankieandessls
Need a cup of joe to pair with your breakfast sando? Check out our top picks for global coffee right here in Salt Lake City!
