Arts & Entertainment
D.C.’s sandwich battles
Taylor Gourmet vs. SUNdeVICH in taste test showdown
Taylor Gourmet features Philly-inspired sandwiches in a stylish setting. (Blade photo by Michael Key)
There is something about a perfect sandwich that makes me smile.
The crispy crust of the bread with a nice moist center, the freshness of quality meats, the smooth cheese that complements it, and the snap of the veggies that top off the sandwich perfection. Sandwiches seem simple but there are so many elements that can lead to their downfall. Two sandwich shops in D.C. promise to deliver high-quality sandwiches, so I set out to discover which would put a bigger smile on my face: Taylor Gourmet or SUNdeVICH.
I ventured into ultra-modern, industrial-styled Taylor Gourmet on 14th Street (1908 14th St., N.W.) a handful of times and the similarly stylish City Vista location (485 K St., N.W.) once. Longtime friends and owners Casey Patten and David Mazza brought the flavors of their native Philadelphia to D.C. by opening Taylor Gourmet when they could not find the hoagies they had grown to love anywhere in the city. Their first location opened in 2007 in the Atlas District (116 H St., N.E.).
The basis of a Taylor sandwich (unless you choose to have it on wheat) is the toasted sesame hoagie bread inspired by Sarcone’s Bakery in Philadelphia. I found the bread a good start for the sandwich, although on a couple occasions it was stale. My favorite sandwich was the Philadelphia Landfill, which has roasted turkey, roasted ham, Genoa salami, roasted red peppers and sharp provolone. Of course, this, and most sandwiches are topped with lettuce, tomato and onion. I opted for no lettuce since I despise crunchy water. You can taste the freshness of this meaty sandwich, and the toppings add a burst of texture and flavor. My husband enjoyed his 9th Avenue Italian sub, but I found the Girard Avenue pork sandwich bland and the Penn Quarter breaded chicken cutlet sandwich dry. The Callowhill spicy meatball sub was surprisingly flavorful and is an excellent option if you are craving a hot sub. I also recommend the fried risotto balls because their deep fried cheesy goodness is amazing, but be warned they do not fit into your weight loss plan.
SUNdeVICH (1314 9th St., N.W.) is a gem in the Naylor Court alley on Ninth Street between N and O streets, N.W. SUNdeVICH wants to deliver patrons non-traditional sandwiches with worldly flavors and local ingredients. The chalkboard menu is filled with sandwich names like the Capri, the Havana, the Isfahan, the Kingston and the Madrid, all of which I have now tried, and thoroughly enjoyed.
The Madrid has chorizo and chimichurri on SUNdeVICH’s crispy-crusted sub bread. The sandwich is complex with sweet, rich, and spicy flavors all dancing on your tongue in perfect harmony. I eventually stopped devouring it long enough to try the Isfahan, which is a soufflé of spinach, mushroom, walnuts and barberry with tzatziki (strained yogurt, garlic, cucumber, mint and dill). The soufflé is served sliced into thin strips and the subtle and exquisitely fresh house made tzatziki adds the perfect degree of tanginess. This option changes your expectations of a sandwich. Another favorite was the impeccable balance of spicy and sweet with the jerk chicken and pineapple salsa on the Kingston. Each sandwich at SUNdeVICH is crafted to give customers a unique flavor experience and each sandwich I tried delivered.
It is hard to compare these two sandwich shops; each one fills its own sandwich niche. In my opinion, SUNdeVICH won the head-to-head taste test with its unique and worldly offerings. Taylor Gourmet, however, delivers the best cold-cut sandwiches I have had so far in this city. Taylor Gourmet had me smiling, but SUNdeVICH altered my sandwich reality and had me grinning from ear to ear (even as I was finishing my leftovers two days later).
Sports
Jason Collins dies at 47
First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer
Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.
The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.
Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.
Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.
Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.
The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”
“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”
“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”
“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”
The Washington Blade will update this article with additional reaction when it becomes available.
Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week
Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.
The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.
Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.
“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”
Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.
Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.
Event Details:
📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026
⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP
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