Deli Counter · Open-Faced Classic

Chlebíčky (Czech Open-Faced Sandwiches)

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Prague delis have judged chlebíčky by looks as much as taste since the 1800s — they're built like edible still-life paintings.

Chlebíčky are open-faced sandwiches built on a small round of bread 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: Since 19th-century Prague delicatessens started competing over window displays, chlebíčky have been judged as much on looks as taste — home cooks still enter chlebíčky-arranging contests today.