Secret Sandwich Shop - Notting Hill
At a glance: Not-so-secret Shokupan sandwich supremacy.
Visit for: Pillowy soft Milk Bread sandwiches, crammed full of everything you’d never think to add.
Ordered: 1 x The Secret Sandwich, 1 x The Hungry Dane (£22)
Location: 103 Talbot Road, Notting Hill. A quick shimmy down from Portobello Road.
If there’s one thing Londoners are good at, it’s certainly not keeping a secret. And thank God for that.
One of my many character flaws is a willingness to travel for a good sandwich. And a grey, rainy Tuesday pilgrimage to Secret Sandwich Shop confirms this. The entrance of the Secret Sandwich Shop hides in plain sight. Keep walking until you see the “Globe” sign hanging above an unassuming doorway. A potentially missable little vinyl sandwich in the window is the only real indication that you’ve arrived at your chosen destination. A delightful sore thumb in and amongst the Ottolenghis and Le Creuset stores of Notting Hill.
As you enter, you’re met with a retro diner of sorts. 6 booths and a tiny service window backed by an expansive kitchen / the Willy Wonka factory of sandwiches.
I wrestle my way to the service window, past the 5 delivery drivers picking up mid-day orders. The kitchen is bustling and I spy a few sandwiches being prepared with precision and grace, crafted like something out of the Sistine Chapel. My order in. The Secret Sandwich - 5 perfectly crisp and crunchy seasonal veggies, avocado, tomato, and moreish Kewpie Mayo. This is followed by The Hungry Dane - a glorious collaboration of Pastrami, Ham, and Salami with Swiss Cheese, Jalapeños, Buffalo Sauce, Lettuce Tomato, and Kewpie.
This is the perfect detour from Portobello Road, when you need a safe room - and a sandwich. An amazing one. That you didn’t have to make. The variety of ingredients, you wouldn’t even think to sling together. The shokupan bread is a thing of beauty. The dough is left to rise slowly at low temperatures, followed by a lengthy steam. This process ensures a sweet, mellow flavor and pillowy texture. 12 minutes later I was out the door with both sandwiches in hand, expertly packaged and adding significant weight to my backpack.
The Hungry Dane is the deli sandwich of dreams. Peppery salami with a sharp Swiss cheese cut by chopped Jalapenos. 10/10. The Secret Sandwich was the real wild card. Perfectly seasoned and fresh seasonal veg (peppers, cucumber, red cabbage etc). Yes, this might sound like something your almond mom may have made you in an attempt to make veggies “fun”. But this is the real deal. Creamy avocado and fresh crunchy veg. An unexpected triumph. Great for a midweek lunch or a weekend duck out from Portabello Road. IYKYK.