1 of 1 Sandwich is located at 82 Fifth Avenue, between St. Marks Place and Warren Street, currently open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and on Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
In 2023, Josh Applebaum shut down Duck Season, his restaurant/catering/pop-up operation—and Smorgasburg favorite—focused on ridiculously rich duck dishes that just couldn’t survive a brick-and-mortar expansion combined with a once-in-a-century pandemic.
For much of the next year or so, Applebaum divided his time between hanging out with his kid, moving into a new home in Prospect Lefferts, and making sandwiches. “I grew up in the sandwich industry,” Applebaum told Brooklyn Magazine. “I was born in Brooklyn, but my father has a bunch of bagel stores and delis in New Jersey. So, after Duck Season, when I was home and thinking about what kind of new business to open, I kept coming back to the sandwich concept. Specifically, the type of sandwiches that I make when I smoke a joint late at night, and I’m in my refrigerator just grabbing stuff that sort of works well together. I call it my ‘sandwich stream of consciousness’ on my Notes app.”
The result of all that, uh, labor, is 1 of 1 Sandwich, Applebaum’s nifty little shop on Fifth Avenue near Atlantic (the former City Subs location), that specializes in classic and creative creations using fresh, seasonal ingredients and meats like ham, roast beef, chicken, and turkey cooked from scratch in the kitchen.
Applebaum told us that the menu here is likely to change with some frequency, depending on what seasonal ingredients are available or if he gets excited about some new late-night invention, but a 1 of 1 staple will definitely be the “No Sleep Til Gravesend,” an homage to South Brooklyn’s legendary Original John’s Deli.
The “No Sleep Til Gravesend” roast beef beast, $19 (Photo by Scott Lynch)
The beef on this beast is top round, and it’s roasted in the back. Melted provolone adds some bite, the caramelized onions are sweet but not too sweet, the excellent seeded roll, like all the bread here, is from Royal Crown Bakery in Bensonhurst, and the brown gravy seals the deal. “I think I unlocked the secret to the Original John’s gravy,” Applebaum said, but either way, this 1-of-1 sandwich is an instant classic.
The “Bocadillo,” with roasted ham, chorizo, and manchego, $17 (Photo by Scott Lynch)
Applebaum’s house-roasted ham makes one of several appearances on the zingy “Bocadillo” sandwich, sharing space with some fatty chorizo, sharp manchego, and a few guindilla peppers. For a more Italian take on things, get the “Mean Streets,” which pairs the ham with Genoa salami, sweet capocollo, provolone, and, in what Applebaum himself calls a “blasphemous” move, a slathering of house mayo.
The “Kitchen Confidential,” with fried mortadella and mayo, $15 (Photo by Scott Lynch)
That same pork and mayo combo is particularly full-fatted on the “Kitchen Confidential,” featuring thick slices of warm and funky fried mortadella. This is a very good sandwich, and it’s messy as hell. Even the ostensibly “healthy” chicken caesar has plenty of heft, and those crisp, cheesy reggiano frico chips on top are a delight.
At least ten additional Applebaum constructions are on the menu each day, but you can also build your own sandwich using the same array of housemade meats and sauces, quality cheeses, and fresh produce. Beverages include a wonderfully, shockingly sweet and tangy “purple stuff” drink (the fruit punch will get your attention as well), and there are small bags of fun chips for sale.
A couple of small tables are set up inside, with a bench out front. Applebaum also plans to use the space as an art gallery, displaying works from local artists on the walls.
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