It’s no secret that New Hampshire is home to numerous quaint, community-driven towns. Consequently, most long-time residents have at least one small business that they would recommend to anybody. Whether it’s a mechanic, boutique, bakery, or cafe, these local operations are bastions of friendly service and quality products.

Exactly one year ago, I interviewed Marc Fiore of Angelo’s Amore, a newly-opened ice cream shop located in one of my favorite towns in the granite state, Newmarket. The town’s compact downtown is home to handsome scenery, a battery of local businesses and a vibrant energy coupled with an appealing sense of humility that’s always a pleasure to be a part of.

Prior to the interview, I wandered into Horseshoe Cafe, a humble little eatery found steps away from the main drag. It’s a humble spot; you’ll find a counter, a handful of seats and a concise menu centered around the shop’s homemade bread. There’s always crusty French pain au levain, plushier Hokkaido milk bread and a carefully curated selection of housemade baked goods.

Horseshoe is also beloved for their house-roasted coffee which garnered national attention back in 2019, only a couple years after the cafe opened.

The shop’s emphasis on quality, sourcing, attention to detail will be apparent regardless of what sandwich, toast or cofee drink you choose, but those looking for an item that will send a shockwave through their taste buds should look no further than the spicy egg sandwich.

That crisp pain au levain is the base for what is guaranteed to be the most flavorful egg sandwich you’ve ever had. The eggs, which come sourced from Wednesday Hil Farm in nearby Lee, NH, are perfectly scrambled and topped with an organic cheese blend.

While there’s nothing shameful about going the minimalist route and stopping here, the folks at Horseshoe take things a few steps further, and those steps equate to miles of flavor.

The star of the show is ‘nduja, a spicy, spreadable pork sausage native to Calabria, a region in southern Italy. Aggressively meaty, intensely spicy and uniquely supple, ‘nduja is a must-try product for anyone with an infactuation for salty meats. This particular specimen comes from Short Creek Farm, a Northwood, NH-based farm known for their charcuterie.

The Italian influence is soon met with a Japanese one in the form of kewpie mayo. This condiment’s yellow hue, distinct “eggy” flavor and lush, creamy texture stems from the use of egg yolks only (no whites) and rice vinegar, with no added salt or sugar. Its inclusion adds additional richness and moisture.

Balancing out all the fat in this rich ‘wich is a mound of house-pickled red onions. While not a typical breakfast component, their birght, acidic bite provides some needed relief from all the eggy, cheesy, porky goodness found throughout this bold sandwich.

Taken in concert, these components find a way to compliment each other is mysteriously delicous ways. The crisp bread, creamy mayo, assertive pork and bracing onions all converse with one another. The conversation will have your mouth listening intently from the first bite to the last.

Exactly one year after my first experience with this unlikely stunner, I went in for another, and it was exactly as I remembered. It reinforced my notion that this is the best egg sandwich in the state.

Horseshoe offers a variation of this creation with chorizo in place of the n’duja. There’s also simpler creations, including hummus toast, goat cheese toast with bacon and house made red pepper jelly and avocado toast with Maldon sea salt, olive oil and lemon. Enjoy in the quaint seating area or take them to-go.

Visit Horseshoe Cafe at 171 Main Street in Newmarket, NH. Visit their social medias for updates about what’s available for the day.