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Bridgeport's Best Beef Sandwich? 'Got Beef' Contest Aims To Answer

By Ed Komenda | October 23, 2015 6:53am | Updated on November 13, 2015 5:53am
 Set for Saturday at 3219 S. Morgan St., the first-ever “Bridgeport’s Got Beef Contest” will serve as a fundraiser to support Lumpen Radio, WLPN 105.5.
Set for Saturday at 3219 S. Morgan St., the first-ever “Bridgeport’s Got Beef Contest” will serve as a fundraiser to support Lumpen Radio, WLPN 105.5.
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Ed Marszewski

BRIDGEPORT — Who’s got the best beef sandwich in the neighborhood?

The question can fuel hard-fought wars between beef enthusiasts defending their favorite sandwiches with juiced-up gusto.

“When you start talking about who has the best beef sandwich, people lose their minds,” said an amused Ed Marszewski, the neighborhood mover and shaker behind hotspots Maria’s Packaged Goods and the Co-Prosperity Sphere gallery.

He’s also the guy behind the first-ever “Bridgeport’s Got Beef Contest," set for Saturday at the Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219 S. Morgan St.

That’s where a panel of “distinguished beef eaters” — including Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11th), Deering District Police Cmdr. Daniel Godsel and Kevin Hickey of the nationally lauded Duck Inn — will sample tastes of beef sandwiches from all across Bridgeport and name the neighborhood’s best.

Among the contestants? Phil’s Pizza, Ricobene’s, Soluri & Sons Deli, Johnny O’s, Kathy De’s, Fabulous Freddies Italian Eatery and Turtle's Bar & Grill.

Running from 3-6 p.m., the contest will serve as a fundraiser for Lumpen Radio, WLPN 105.5, which will broadcast the panel’s commentary live.

Admission is $50 and includes a taste portion of all the beef sandwiches in the contest, a “Bridgeport’s Got Beef” tote bag (to hold your beef sandwiches, of course) and Filbert’s pop.

To narrow down contestants, Marszewski and his buddies embedded themselves in Bridgeport’s beef scene, bee-bopping from restaurant to restaurant looking for the best beef sandwiches.

“This was really fun,” Marszewski said, “because everyone’s got their own favorite sandwich."

Seasoned beef eaters often prefer specific toppings and styles: Dipped? Dunked? Sweet peppers? Plain? How ‘bout a slice of mozzarella with giardiniera? That’s how Marszewski likes his beef. And he ate plenty of them on his journey.

“I had three to five beefs a week,” he said. “Some days I had three beef sandwiches.”

Get your tickets to Bridgeport’s Got Beef Contest here.

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