Take a walk down 57th Street during lunch hour. On the south side of the block between Kimbark and Kenwood, two lines of hungry Hyde Parkers spill out of adjacent cafés, tossing glances at each other like rivals. Team One steps through sliding glass doors awaiting a Mexicano milkshake and a “monsterpiece” of a sandwich. Team Two rubs their Ray Ban eyeglasses on their ties—how else do you enter a cafe through a metallic garage door?—eagerly awaiting a traditional cappuccino and a Pig on a Pretzel. Almost all Hyde Park old-timers will remember the Medici—a neighborhood staple since 1957—and many have known the Medici Bakery since it opened in 2002. That was when dining decisions were simple. But since 2010, when Z&H Market Café opened a location in Hyde Park, replacing the Med-owned University Market, the lunch rush got frantic. Though the patrons of both sandwich shops affect an air of disinterest, I know better. Sure, sometimes someone appears not to have made a choice; they are seen at Z&H one day, Med Bakery the next. Well I smell a rat. Knowing that this clandestine warfare will eventually bubble to the surface, I am taking it upon myself to preemptively defuse things. Though I am no expert, I do eat lunch at least once a day and have made rather extensive forays into the menus of both the Med and Z&H. I propose a definitive head-to-head, mano-a-mano, tête-à-tête matchup between the two sandwich stalwarts of the 57th Street lunch scene. First: the rules. We will judge each sandwich shop based on five (definitely not arbitrarily chosen) categories. Each category will be worth a different amount of (not arbitrary!) points, depending on how important they are to the (well, my) ideal dining experience. Points from each category are winner take all. Let’s begin.  

Quickness (10 points)

Speed is obviously a key ingredient for a tight lunch schedule wedged between a chemistry lab and a sociology discussion section. My reluctant and way-too-busy-for-this friend and I timed how long it took each of our contenders to serve up a hot sandwich—from the moment we entered the line to when our eyes glazed over as the prize was delivered. Z&H: 8 minutes, 13 seconds Medici: 6 minutes, 27 seconds Winner: Medici  

Seating (5 points)

Medici: The Med offers a few high-top tables inside. Each can seat four as long as nobody minds trading elbows with the peons still waiting in line. Most of the seating is sidewalk, which during the appropriate seasons and when not avoiding someone is delightful—though during winter and misanthropic spells I recommend delivery. Z&H: The long train-track style store features one narrow cafeteria style table where diners sit elbow to elbow with overworked graduate students and plaid-clad junior professors. There are also a few stools by the coffee bar, but beware the occasional dusting of espresso grounds covering your books. Like the Med, Z&H also has sidewalk seating, but the true cause célèbre of al fresco dining in Hyde Park is the backyard patio. A typically Chicago affair, the patio is accessible only through an alley out and around the block, but the fire escapes hovering all around do occasionally provide a bit of shade. It is the only place to truly enjoy “The Daley Dip.” Winner: Z&H  

Quality (10 points)

Medici: The Med Bakery is first and foremost a bakery, and maybe it gets to their heads when crafting the menu— sandwiches come served on anything from cranberry walnut bread or asiago baguette, to a spinach tortilla or Medici croissant. Yet it’s very rare that anyone wants the bread to be the centerpiece of a sandwich, and Medici sandwiches tend to forget that; worst-case scenario and the two slices of bread are three times as thick as whatever is in the middle, leaving you with a dry sandwich and a tinge of regret. Z&H: I don’t really know how to say this diplomatically—the sandwiches at Z&H just taste better. Maybe the exposed brick and the charming chalkboards are messing with me. More likely it’s in the little flourishes: the chutney is made in house, and the corned beef is brought in from Manny’s Deli. A deli bringing food from another deli, I know how that sounds. But it’s Manny’s! If Manny’s had a location in Hyde Park I would be too full of chopped liver and brisket—yes, both—to worry about this debate. As long as you don’t mind the stale popcorn served on the side, I have never known a Z&H sandwich to disappoint. Winner: Z&H  

Menu/variety (5 points)

Medici: With 17 preconfigured sandwiches on the menu the Med falls a bit short of Z&H in this category, but they more than make up for it elsewhere. Along with the deli menu, patrons of the Med Bakery can order to-go from the Med’s full kitchen. This includes their famous milkshakes, pizza, and burgers. The baked goods also far surpass those offered by Z&H in quantity and quality—from tarts and pies to feta-spinach croissants, the baked goods from the Med are not to be missed. And usually after around 8 p.m., all pastries are sold for just a buck. Z&H: With 25 sandwiches on the menu along with a make-your-own option, a handful of salad options, and a rotating special menu, Z&H certainly has enough variety not to disqualify it. But not much more. Winner: Medici  

That little ... je ne sais quois (5 points)

Medici: Alright, look. We all know and love the Med in our own way. If I let the Med Restaurant in the debate, it might even tip the scales. But it’s just not gonna happen. Z&H: You might think this category was created specifically for Z&H to win. You might be right. The customer database makes us all feel welcome, helps the staff greet many of the regulars by name, and rewards loyal customers with a free sandwich. The coffee menu is extensive and the emphasis placed on that aspect of the business is on par with some of the best coffee houses in the city—and we know how important coffee can be in Hyde Park. While the Medici will forever remain a neighborhood staple, as close to the hearts of UChicago students as any great book, Z&H is a bit more polished around the edges, already establishing itself as an indispensable element of the neighborhood and of a UChicago education. Look me in the eye and tell me the “Old Major” doesn't make you want to give Z&H one of our spare Nobel Prizes. I didn't think so. Winner: Z&H  

Overall winner: Z&H

Final scores— Medici: 15 Z&H: 20

Updated 07.13.2012