Deli Counter · Open-Faced Classic

Chlebíčky (Czech Open-Faced Sandwiches)

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Prague delicatessen owner Jan Paukert is usually credited with popularising chlebíčky around the time of the First World War.

Chlebíčky are open-faced sandwiches built on a slice of white bread (veka) spread with potato salad or butter, then layered with toppings like ham, salami, hard-boiled egg, cheese, and pickled vegetables arranged in neat, decorative rows. Delis and train station kiosks display trays of them for shoppers to grab one or two at a time.

Why it's made this way: Chlebíčky took off in Prague's delicatessens in the early 20th century, and they are still judged as much on looks as taste, with each topping laid out in careful rows.