Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Behold The Spaghetti Sandwich, Back On The Menu At M. Wells
By
Nell Casey
Published Jan 28, 2015
Modified Jan 29, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Nell Casey
Published Jan 28, 2015
Modified Jan 29, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
These days, it's common to put Nutella in our lasagna and macaroni in our tacos, but back in 2011, the innovative minds at M. Wells Dinette were putting spaghetti on their sandwiches—and now they're back to their old tricks! Montreal-style M. Wells empire makers Hugue Dufour and Sarah Obraitis are bringing back their popular Spaghetti Sandwich to the MoMA PS1 outpost, so we spoke with head Chef Aidan O'Neal about the sandwich's origin, the current reincarnation and the future of sandwiches at the restaurant.
The restaurant offers what is, essentially, a patty made from spaghetti served on two pieces of garlic bread. "It came from Hugue. It was his idea and vision but I'm the one who has made the newest version," O'Neal says. The new version includes a handful of Caesar salad on top, which O'Neal says he added "because it's delicious." "People have been eating spaghetti and Caesar salad for centuries, I mean I imagine so. It's a natural, easy garnish," he explains. "Of course, we serve it with the most aromatic, delicious garlic bread, so it's like having a dinner at your mom's place but you don't need any utensils."
The sauce that binds together the strands of spaghetti was Dufour's own from his time in Montreal. There's nothing fancy about it, just olive oil, roasted garlic, canned tomatoes and salt. "We don't add anything else," according to O'Neal. "Those really are the things you want to taste the most when you make a sauce."
The spaghetti sandwich may only be the beginning. Eater caught wind of a menu revamp at the Dinette, which O'Neal confirmed to us. "We definitely wanted to add a few sandwiches to the menu just because people love sandwiches and also to serve people who are just wanting to pop in and pop out," O'Neal revealed. "We wanted to be able to serve more food to more people."
The chef also notes the Dinette's constant transformation, though one thing will definitely not change even if the menu does: "It's still M. Wells and I'm still the head chef here and I'm generally very, very excited about the spaghetti sandwich and the other sandwiches we have in the works that I can't tell you about yet."
Find the Spaghetti Sandwich ($13) Thursday through Monday, noon to 6 p.m., at M. Wells Dinette, located inside MoMA PS1 at 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, (718) 786-1800; website
Tagged
Aidan O'Neal
m wells dinette
ps1
spaghetti sandwich
original
Nell Casey
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Sep 12, 2026
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
Food
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?
By
Caroline Shin
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .