Lakewood Deli Makes the Best Sandwiches in Colorado

This market also serves sandwiches, salads and soups at its deli. Mark Antonation

Audio By Carbonatix

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2",
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1",
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet|mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25,
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet|mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25,
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "leaderboardInlineContent",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "tower",
              "displayTargets": "mobile"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]

Three Colorado joints landed on Yelp's Top 100 Barbecue Spots list in May. Now, another local favorite has been named a standout, on Yelp's list of the Best Sandwiches in Every State.

To create the list, Yelp "identified businesses in the sandwiches category with a large concentration of reviews mentioning 'sandwiches,' then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including geographic location and the volume and ratings of reviews mentioning the keyword," according to the review platform.

While Westword readers picked local chain Snarf's as the Best Sandwich Shop in this year's Best of Denver, Yelp's top spot in Colorado is in a strip mall in Lakewood, next to one of our favorite pizza joints, Pizzeria Leopold.

European Market & Bistro was founded by Iskren Atanasov and Petko Georgiev, two Bulgarians who became friends at college in Washington, D.C. After graduation, the two moved to different parts of the U.S.; they reconnected when Georgiev, a native of Sofia, called Atanasov to see if he wanted to join him in a business venture in Colorado.

He did, and the two took over the small shop at 1990 Wadsworth Boulevard in early 2016. The previous owner was Bosnian, so the two kept an inventory of Bosnian goods to maintain the market’s existing customer base. But they also added a deli with hot sandwiches, a meat counter with cured sausages from Bulgaria, and a selection of cheeses difficult to find anywhere else in town.

click to enlarge

European Market makes prosciutto and pesto sandwiches on locally baked Bulgarian-style bread.

Mark Antonation

According to Yelp, "Fans say the Prosciutto Basil sandwich — loaded with fresh mozzarella, drizzled in truffle glaze, and served on homemade bread — is reminiscent of sandwiches in Rome."

The menu also includes appetizers such as hummus and falafel, salads, soup and entrees like kebabs and chicken shwarma. Among the other sandwich options are a gyro wrap and a Mediterranean veggie with tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh mozzarella, lettuce, 1000 Island dressing and provolone cheese on the signature housemade bread.

European Market & Bistro is located at 1990 Wadsworth Boulevard in Lakewood. It's open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information, visit europeanmarket-bistro.com or follow it on Instagram @european.market.bistro.