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Cape Town Gatsby

A footlong roll stuffed with spicy steak, golden fries, and tangy sauces — Cape Town’s legendary overstuffed street sandwich.

⏱ 25 minPrep time
🔥 35 minCook time
🍽 4Servings
🏷 LunchCategory
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The Gatsby was born in Cape Town’s Cape Flats in the 1970s, when a fish and chip shop owner packed his fried fish into a long bread roll and called it a Gatsby. Today it is a full-blown institution: a footlong roll stuffed with slap chips, spiced steak, salad, and enough sauce to require both hands and a stack of napkins. This is the sandwich that feeds a crowd and settles every argument about who gets the biggest bite.

Overstuffed, saucy, and proudly messy

Thin, masala-spiced steak strips pile over golden fries, with onion, tomato, and a tangy cheese and tomato sauce pulling everything together. The roll squashes down under the filling, then springs back with every bite, and the crisp fries stay the hero throughout. Cut it into sections and share, or guard the whole thing for yourself.

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Step by stepInstructions

  1. Toss the steak slices with the masala and salt and set aside to marinate while you prep the rest.
  2. Heat the oil in a deep pot to 350 F and fry the fries in batches until golden and crisp, about 6 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
  3. Heat a large skillet over high heat and sear the steak slices for 1 to 2 minutes per side until browned and just cooked. Set aside.
  4. In the same skillet, cook the onion until soft and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
  5. Warm the roll in a 300 F oven for 5 minutes, then split it open without cutting all the way through.
  6. Layer the fries down the length of the roll, then the steak, caramelized onion, tomato slices, and gherkins.
  7. Drizzle with tomato sauce and mayonnaise, scatter with cheese, close the roll, and press gently.
  8. Cut into four sections and serve immediately with extra napkins.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Fry the chips until extra crisp so they hold up under the sauces. Warm the roll briefly in the oven before filling so it steams and softens.

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Recipe details

Prep25 min
Cook35 min
Servings4
CategoryLunch
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →