Rubi's Coffee & Sandwiches - Great Barrington, MA

Posted By Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle on March 11, 2009 10:51 PM

It was just a grilled cheese sandwich. That's all we tried at Rubi's, a single sandwich split between the two of us. But what a sandwich! Pullman slices enclose Comté and the optional tomato (which turns out to be roasted yellow specimens, full of flavor). The sandwich is wrapped up and THEN gets placed in the grill press. Press isn't quite the right word, though, because while the sandwich is grilled on both sides simultaneously it does not get heavily compressed (unlike the grilled cheese we make at home, which gets pressed down hard in the pan as it cooks).

The sandwich spends a surprising amount of time in that grill, and just when you think that maybe they've forgotten it and the sandwich might be burning, out it comes. They give it a diagonal slice and it's yours. The result is exquisite. The bread retains its integrity; it's perfectly toasted on the outside, yet the insides of the slices remain light and airy. The quality cheese and tomato make a real difference. Yes, it's only a grilled cheese sandwich but if you, like us, adore grilled cheese, you owe it to yourself to give this one a try (or the highly regarded version with halloumi and preserved lemons).

Rubi's is around back of a bank-building-turned-cheese-shop, called Rubiner's, in downtown Great Barrington in the Berkshires. Rubi's is more than grilled cheese; they take advantage of the fancy products sold at the front of the building, so you can also enjoy things like an open-faced sandwich of pate and grainy mustard, Niman Ranch hot dogs with locally made sauerkraut, or Reuben's constructed with house-made corned beef. Don't ignore the coffee: Rubi's is also said to enjoy the services of some of the finest baristas in the Berkshires. We look forward to sampling more during future visits.

Overall Rating

Grilled Cheese and Tomato

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Posted By Patti Menow on October 3, 2011 8:17 PM

Really great sandwich shop! Fresh, really delicious food. A nice little shop with great service.

Overall Rating

grilled cheese

blt

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Posted By David Horowitz on July 21, 2009 10:05 PM

Driving back from the Berkshires, Deb and I were hungry and had such a great experience with Roadfood.com with the Dog House in Delaware, that we decided to punch up Great Barrington, MA and see what comes up. We know the area pretty well, but when Rubi's came up, it was a place we had not been to, nor heard of. So, we stopped in...

It's tucked away in the back of the middle of town, but it is very clean and the help is very nice. About six different types of sandwiches are on the menu, so I went for the Cuban sandwich and Deb got a tuna melt. First, let me warn you that the service here is NOT fast; took about 15 minutes to get everything. However, it is made with a lot of care.

First off, the bread is excellent, and they toast the sandwich to perfection. The Cuban had a nice spicy sauce, little gherkin pickles, great melted cheese, and ham (not the pork usually found on a Cuban), but after waiting that long for my sandwich I was pleasantly surprised. While Rubi's may not be worth planning a day around, they definitely make an excellent sandwich. It's worth going to if you are nearby.

Overall Rating

Cuban Sandwich

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