Bunk Sandwiches Expands to Brooklyn, Its First Move Outside of Portland

Bunk Sandwiches will bring its hand-crafted sandwiches to Brooklyn this winter, and speaking to Eater by phone while simultaneously feeding his kids lunch—does this guy ever get to stop cooking?—owner Tommy Habetz said that he aims to bring a taste of authentic Portland to the East Coast.

"That's one of the things I really admire about places like Salt & Straw," said Habetz. "Whether it's an Arthur Bradford book or Tender Loving Empire, I want to bring some Portland culture to Brooklyn in addition to our sandwiches."

Speaking of sandwiches, Bunk Sandwiches will primarily stick to its signature sandwiches and salads when it opens, but it's considering expanding the menu in a few areas, beginning with grab-and-go breakfast and veggie-focused sandwiches. "We're talking about doing some breakfast tacos and other things that come naturally," he said. Bunk has placed Jake Adams, former chef de cuisine at Momofuku Milk Bar, to oversee the Bunk Brooklyn kitchen, and Habetz and Adams met through Johnny Leach, chef of Stray Dogs supper club.

When asked about New York competition, Habetz said, "We're definitely different from a New York deli," highlighting the fact that Bunk sandwiches are signature creations. Habetz also remarked that Bunk makes as much in-house as possible, referencing his snappy pickled condiments and sweet and spicy sauces. Another asset is that the Bunk crew draws inspiration from eating sandwiches all across the nation, and you can't pigeon hole its sandwiches into one regional identity.

Bunk is renovating its new Brooklyng space, which should seat between 40 and 50 people, to give it that Bunk feel, and this week, Bunk's liquor license went through. It will serve wine and beer, including Portland brews. "At the same time, Brooklyn has some great breweries that will also be on the menu," said Habetz.

Located at 740 Driggs Ave in Williamsburg, the new, foreign Bunk hopes to open in November. Habetz co-owns Bunk with restaurateur Nick Wood, and Bunk currently has five locations in Portland, as well as a food truck and a Providence Park location.