This Maine Sandwich Shop Piles The Pastrami High And Every Bite Is Worth It

Ten ounces of house-cured pastrami on one sandwich. And no, you can’t swap anything out. I love that kind of confidence.

The beef is local, grass-fed, and antibiotic-free. It gets cured with shio koji and a special rub, then smoked over Maine oak. That’s a lot of care for something you’ll hold with both hands.

Spicy mustard and house-made sour pickles finish the job on sourdough. The rest of the menu reads like a passport, with stops in Nashville, Philly, Cuba, and beyond.

A fried mushroom sandwich even has its own small fan club.

This sandwich counter sits right in the heart of a busy downtown in Maine. So how does one small shop pack this much flavor into every layer?

I have so many questions, and the answers taste pretty great.

Ten Ounces Of Pastrami Is A Serious Lunch Commitment

Ten ounces. That is the amount of house-cured pastrami stacked onto The Pastrami at CERA Sandwiches & Salads.

Most sandwiches treat meat like a supporting actor. Here, it gets top billing, with spicy mustard and CERA sour pickles playing backup on sourdough bread.

The shop has one firm rule for this sandwich. Substitutions and modifications are not allowed, so you get it exactly as the kitchen planned.

Some people might grumble about that. I’m all for it, because the recipe clearly works as a team.

Spicy mustard brings a kick that cuts through rich, smoky beef. The sour pickles add a sharp, tangy bite that wakes everything up.

Sourdough is a smart pick for the job. It has enough backbone to hold a pile of meat without giving up halfway through lunch.

Practical tip time. This is not a sandwich to eat while driving or typing an email.

Give it a real table and a stack of napkins. You’ll thank yourself when the last bite is just as good as the first one.

Hungry yet? Good, because the story behind that pastrami gets even better.

The Secret Starts Long Before The Slicer

Great pastrami doesn’t happen in an afternoon. At CERA, the process begins with local, grass-fed, antibiotic-free beef.

That beef is cured with shio koji and a special rub. Shio koji is a Japanese seasoning made from fermented rice, salt, and water.

Fun fact: cooks love koji because it helps tenderize meat and deepen savory flavor. It’s an unusual choice for pastrami, and that’s what makes it exciting.

After curing, the meat gets smoked over Maine oak. So the flavor carries a little bit of the local woods into every slice.

Think about how many steps that is. Sourcing, curing, rubbing, and smoking all happen before anyone builds a sandwich.

That kind of patience shows a shop that cares about doing things the hard way. Plenty of delis buy their pastrami ready-made, so this effort stands out.

The blend of Japanese technique and classic deli tradition fits the shop perfectly. CERA describes its food as built layer by layer, with flavor from kitchens around the world.

Pastrami might be the clearest example of that idea. It’s a New York deli favorite with a Maine and Japan twist baked right in.

More Ways To Get Your Pastrami Fix

One pastrami sandwich would satisfy most shops. CERA Sandwiches & Salads gives that smoky beef a few more chances to shine.

First up is the Rubenesque. It layers house pastrami with house dressing, Morse’s sauerkraut, and local Swiss cheese on rye bread.

Morse’s is a well-known sauerkraut maker in Maine, so that tangy crunch has local roots. I can’t imagine a better partner for melty Swiss.

Prefer things simple? The Swiss & Pastrami keeps it classic with house-cured, smoked pastrami, local Swiss cheese, and deli mustard.

That one comes on Little Spruce marble rye. The swirled bread looks as good as it tastes, which never hurts.

Then there’s the Jabberwocky, a sandwich named like a monster from a poem. It earns the title honestly.

House-roasted beef and CERA pastrami team up with smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, BBQ sauce, red onion, and tomato. You can pick sourdough or multigrain bread.

The shop describes it as a substantial sandwich for meat lovers. That sounds about right for a two-meat lineup with bacon on top.

Bring a friend and split two of these. Comparing notes is half the fun.

Your Taste Buds Get A Passport Here

Nashville and Japan walk into a sandwich. That’s basically the idea behind the Nashville Samurai, built with crispy Japanese fried chicken.

The menu at CERA loves these playful mashups. Each name hints at a story, and the ingredients deliver on it.

The Bada Bing leans Italian with Genoa salami, mortadella, capicola, and sharp provolone. House-made pickles and hot peppers add zing.

Yes, the hot peppers are made in-house too. That detail tells you how hands-on this kitchen likes to be.

The Southside is a Philly cheesesteak done CERA style. It’s a fun twist on a sandwich that people take very seriously in Pennsylvania.

Spice fans should pay attention. Some menu items bring real heat, so ask questions if you prefer things mild.

The shop’s goal is sandwiches built layer by layer with flavors from kitchens around the world. You can taste that mission across the whole board.

My advice is simple. Pick something with a name that makes you smile, then trust the kitchen.

Worst case, you find a new favorite and need to come back for the pastrami another day. That’s not a bad problem to have.

Mushrooms Get The Star Treatment Too

Vegetarians, this one’s for you. The Mushroom of Course features fried local oyster mushrooms, and it ranks among the most talked-about items on the menu.

Oyster mushrooms have a meaty, tender bite. Frying them adds a crunchy outside that makes the sandwich feel hearty and satisfying.

The name alone makes me grin. It sounds like the kitchen shrugged and said, well, obviously.

Local mushrooms also fit the bigger picture at CERA Sandwiches & Salads. The shop puts real effort into sourcing ingredients from nearby farms and producers.

CERA offers vegetarian and vegan choices beyond this sandwich. That makes it easier to bring a mixed group without anyone feeling left out.

Picture a lunch order where one friend gets ten ounces of pastrami. Another gets fried mushrooms, and both walk away happy.

That kind of balance is harder to find than it should be. Lots of sandwich shops toss a sad veggie wrap on the menu and call it a day.

Here, the meat-free option gets as much creativity as the deli meats. If you’ve never thought of mushrooms as a main event, this sandwich might change your mind.

Paninis, Wraps, And Salads Refuse To Play Second Fiddle

Sandwiches get the headline, but the rest of the menu deserves a spotlight. Paninis, wraps, and salads all get creative names and bold flavors.

On the panini side, there’s the Dia De Jalapeno and The Cubano Sanguich. Both come pressed, which gives the bread a toasty crunch.

Wrap fans can try Hass to Be Turkey, a name that clearly involves avocado. The Spartan is another wrap option on the lineup.

Salads include the Mercados and the Kaldera. These aren’t afterthought bowls of plain lettuce.

That variety makes CERA a handy pick on days when bread isn’t calling your name. You can still eat well without skipping the fun.

Here’s a smart strategy for a group order. Mix one panini, one wrap, and one salad, then share bites around the table.

The names alone make reading the menu entertaining. Some sound like movie titles, and others sound like inside jokes.

Behind the wordplay, the kitchen stays focused on fresh ingredients and world flavors. So even the lighter options feel like a real meal, not a consolation prize next to the pastrami.

Homemade Pickles Say A Lot About A Kitchen

Small details tell big stories. At CERA, a lot of the little extras come straight from the shop’s own kitchen.

The sour pickles are house-made. So is the house dressing, the house-cured and smoked ham, and those hot peppers mentioned earlier.

Why does that matter? Homemade pieces let the kitchen control flavor, salt, and quality from start to finish.

CERA also leans hard into local and antibiotic-free ingredients. The shop sums up its mission as high quality food that’s good for you and good for the planet.

Sustainability gets attention on the shop’s website too. It’s clear the team thinks about more than just what lands on your plate.

Owner Steven Lacount started CERA from a lifelong love of sandwiches. He wanted unique, high-quality options that were hard to find elsewhere.

That origin story makes a lot of sense once you see the menu. Curing your own pastrami and pickling your own cucumbers is a labor of love.

Good ingredients usually cost more, and that’s worth knowing before you order. Still, scratch-made food with a clear purpose feels like money spent on something real.

Kids, Sides, And Cookies Round Out The Order

Little eaters aren’t forgotten here. The kids’ menu includes the Nashville Jr. and a grilled cheese.

The Nashville Jr. is a smaller take on the shop’s fried chicken style. Grilled cheese covers the picky crowd, because every family has at least one.

Sides add even more personality to the meal. Options include a Mediterranean 3-Bean salad and a Peruvian Slaw.

I love that idea, honestly. Even the sides carry passports, which keeps the global theme going right down to the small cups.

Then come the cookies. Various cookies sit on the side menu, ready to tempt anyone who claims they’re too full.

A smart move is grabbing a side that contrasts with your sandwich. A bright slaw next to a rich pastrami sandwich feels like good planning.

The bean salad works well for anyone wanting something lighter. It’s also easy to share across a table.

Families visiting downtown Portland will find this setup handy. Parents get creative food, kids get familiar favorites, and everyone gets a cookie if they behave.

That last rule is optional, of course, but highly effective.

Downtown Portland Makes Grabbing Lunch Easy

Location matters when hunger hits. CERA Sandwiches & Salads sits at 1 Monument Square, Suite 103, Portland, ME 04101.

Monument Square is right in the middle of downtown Portland. That puts the shop close to offices, errands, and plenty of city exploring in Maine’s largest city.

Timing is worth planning around. Hours generally start in the late morning, with later closing times Tuesday through Thursday and earlier ones on other days.

Check the current schedule before heading over. Hours can shift, and nobody wants to arrive hungry to a locked door.

Not in the mood to go out? Online ordering, pickup, and delivery are all available.

That makes CERA a solid pick for office lunches or lazy days at home. Ten ounces of pastrami travels just fine in a bag.

The shop also offers gift cards and a rewards program. A gift card for a sandwich lover is basically a guaranteed win.

So next time you’re in Portland, Maine, keep this address handy. Your stomach will appreciate the planning, and that pastrami isn’t going to eat itself.