The Bite: Brennan & Carr’s Iconic Roast Beef Sandwich
THE BITE: This week, Gothamist heaped high praise on Roll N Roaster, the 1970s-style fast food joint on Emmons Avenue and East 29th Street, best known for its roast beef sandwiches (and cheez, of course). The article warned Brooklynites they might be wasting their lives if they failed to give the restaurant a visit.
But there’s another meat-lover’s mecca in Sheepshead Bay known for its roast beef: Brennan & Carr. Located in a squat brown hut on the corner of Nostrand Avenue and Avenue U, this restaurant looks like a throwback to early 20th century suburbia. And indeed, that’s what it is. The family-owned business first starting slinging sandwiches in 1938, and its roast beef has been drawing customers ever since.
Unlike the brightly-lit signs and colorful balloons found in Roll N Roaster, Brennan & Carr provides a more conservative atmosphere. The dark wooden ceiling and walls, the fireplace, and the hanging chandeliers recall the decor of an early frontier hunting lodge, except for the electricity and air conditioners, of course.
As noted, the main attraction at Brennan & Carr is the roast beef sandwich ($6.30). Customers have been returning for it regularly for decades, and it ends up on best-of list after best-of list after best-of list — all for good reason.
On a recent visit, mine came dripping with salty broth — known simply as “the juice” — which miraculously didn’t turn the bread into a soggy mess. (Though that could be because I wolfed it down like I was gulping air.) I didn’t even bother to spread mustard. But the gooey cheese, soft bun, meaty broth, and tender, juicy roast beef provided plenty of flavor. Plus, combined with a large soda, the meal cost $8.30 plus tax, a pretty good deal for one of the best sandwiches in the city.
So don’t forget that there are two champions of steaming beef sandwiches in Sheepshead Bay. And at Brennan & Carr, there are no bells and whistles, just food. Good food.
Brennan & Carr, 3432 Nostrand Avenue, 718-769-1254. Open 11am until midnight daily.
The Bite is Sheepshead Bites’ column exploring the foodstuffs of the Sheepshead Bay area. Each week we check out a different offering from one of the many restaurants, delis, food carts, bakeries, butchers, fish mongers, or grocers in our neighborhood. If it’s edible, we’ll take a bite.
