Blue Ribbon Bakery
With its fine, tight crumb and thin, sharp crust, Blue Ribbon’s pullman loaf gives white bread a good name. Slather it with Hellmann’s, or chop off the crust and eat your turkey sandwich with a raised pinky. Available in whole wheat, too.
33 Downing St., nr. Bedford St.; 212-337-0404
Sullivan Street Bakery
Available in “piccola” and “media” sizes that are ideal for sandwiches, the feathery-light ciabatta is full of deep, airy holes and possesses a hard, resilient crust that holds up nicely to conspicuous overstuffing. Fill one with bacon, lettuce, avocado, and turkey, and call it a BLAT.
73 Sullivan St., nr. Spring St.; 212-334-9435
La Table O & Co.
The in-house bakery and restaurant of this chain, known for its olive oils, makes a truly remarkable baguette—crisp, crusty, and tender, perhaps the best baguette in town. Try it as they serve it here, layered with turkey, coarse ground mustard, and shavings of aged provolone.
92 Prince St., at Mercer St.; 212-219-8155
Margaret Palca Bakes
Somewhere between a kaiser and a ciabatta, Palca’s rustic white or whole-wheat rolls are great for sandwiches. Sneak out to the kitchen in your pajamas at 2 a.m., and put one together with turkey and cranberry sauce by the light of the refrigerator.
191 Columbia St., nr. Sackett St., Red Hook, Brooklyn; 718-802-9771