PILSEN — Matt Andorka's quest to land a satisfying sandwich in Pilsen has led the chef to take matters into his own hands.
Andorka's Sandwich Shop, at 2110 S. Halsted St., will feature fresh sandwiches on house-baked bread made with locally sourced ingredients, homemade potato chips, coffee and other lunch offerings. Andorka said that he hopes to open the Pilsen sandwich spot on Tuesday.
"Pilsen has tons of great taquerias, but there aren't enough lunchtime spots," he said. "Everybody likes a good sandwich."
Andorka, a first-time restaurateur, is opening the "no frills" sandwich shop with his fiancée Julia Kepler. A graduate of Kendall College's culinary program, the 28-year-old Andorka has worked at Logan Square eatery Reno and Browntrout in North Center.
Why sandwiches?
Andorka's love of the layered creations began with the Chicago staple — an Italian beef.
"I blame that wet, beefy tradition for my love of a good sandwich," he said.
Andorka's Sandwich Shop will offer seven sandwich varieties — turkey, ham, roast beef, sausage, goat, a cured meat stack, tempeh and hummus — served with complimenting toppings and condiments on white or whole grain bread, according to an early menu. Sandwiches cost $6-$8.
Fried-to-order potato chips and five different dips will also be featured.
The Halsted building that houses the sandwich shop was a cafe in the '90s, but has largely sat dormant since then, Andorka said.
Kickstarter campaign
Andorka's Sandwich Shop is being funded with the help of a Kickstarter campaign launched in August.
After successfully raising more than $8,000 through the crowdsourcing platform, Andorka originally planned to open the shop in September, but was met with delays.
The Kickstarter funds allowed for Andorka to fix the facade on the Halsted Street building and purchase a conveyor toaster, freezer and meat smoker.
"I had a lot of friends and family members who in some way wanted to be a part of [opening the shop] without breaking the bank," he said. "It really helped with a lot of little things."
The Pilsen sandwich shop will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Andorka plans to eventually offer delivery, too.
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