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Awhile back I chanced on making a drive to a breakfast spot in north Phoenix with a unique business model. Joy Bus Diner is a non-profit restaurant created ostensibly to fund a charitable mission to deliver meals to the homes of cancer patients. And it just so happened that the food at Joy Bus’ restaurant was outstanding. Not Your Typical Deli (aka NYT Deli) is on a mission of its own. First and foremost to deliver a good meal to its customers, but also to train and employ staff with developmental disabilities. That worthwhile mission (and the glowing Yelp reviews about the food) compelled me to make the drive out to Gilbert for lunch on a Saturday. The deli is somewhat hard to find. So I’ll try to make the directions as simple as possible. On the southwest corner of Gilbert and Warner Roads is the Gilbert Town Square shopping complex. About three blocks south of Warner on the west side of Gilbert Road is Gilbert Town Square Avenue. Take that street all the way west until you reach the Christ Church campus. A few doors down from the church, you’ll find the deli. Vanessa and W.R. Luna are the founders, owners, and head chefs behind this deli which models itself as a midwestern style deli restaurant rather than a New York style cafeteria deli as I had expected. Here you grab a spot in line at the register, read the laminated menu up front or check out the chalkboards behind the counter. While waiting in line you’re likely to be intrigued by the gigantic and tantalizing looking cookie options on display and you’ll be greeted by the very friendly staff. When I’m at a deli, there’s one type of sandwich that I gravitate towards more than any other. A pastrami sandwich. NYT actually has two pastrami sandwich options. A traditional, or their signature White BBQ Pastrami. It’s probably a signature for a reason, so that’s what I’m having. I also couldn’t resist taking a crack at one of their jumbo sized cookies (a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup cookie more specifically). Pay at the register, take a number, grab a seat, and they bring it out to you. Total cost for the food, a fountain drink, and tax came to about $21. Before you immediately harp on the price, let’s talk about the portions. Shortly after sitting down, they brought my cookie. It’s even bigger than I thought. About a full inch thick and with a radius as wide as my hand. Stuffed with a whole bunch of Reese’s mini peanut butter cups and still warm from the oven. Fantastic cookie, though probably meant to be shared by two (at least). Now about that Pastrami sandwich. It’s big. Real big. A big stack of hot sliced Pastrami covered with bacon, cheddar cheese, coleslaw, and barbecue sauce. All stuffed (somehow) in a kaiser bun. You can try and pick this thing up with two hands if you want, but bring a big stack of napkins if you do. I tried (initially) and while it was a mess, it was a heavenly mess. Fantastic meats and a delicious mix of barbecue sauce and a cool, crisp, crunchy slaw. After a couple of attempts picking it up with my hands, my fingers were so doused with sauce that I just went knife and fork the rest of the way. No matter how you devour this thing, you’ll come away very happy with this sandwich. As I stated earlier, the majority of the staff have a range of developmental disabilities (mostly on the Autism spectrum). The Lunas are highlighting this largely as a result of the extremely high unemployment rate of autistic adults. They’re on a mission here to prove that those on the spectrum are not only employable, but capable of bringing something unique and special to the workplace if only given the chance. All the while serving excellent food and sourcing many of their products locally. Great cause, great food, great value. As their namesake suggests, it’s anything but typical. Instead, it’s something truly remarkable.

• Syb’s West End Deli Menu with Prices 2151 Liberty St, Allentown
• Knickerbockers Deli – Menu with Prices – 421 Wakara Way #200, Salt Lake City
• Lowrider Baking Company – Menu with Prices – 2407 E Union St Suite C, Seattle
• Marble & Rye – A Modern Deli – Menu with Prices – 723 Lincoln Ln N, Miami Beach
• Stuffed Inn Menu with Prices 1829 Euclid Ave, Berkeley
• Solomon’s Delicatessen – Menu with Prices – 730 K St, Sacramento
• Apple Spice North Atlanta Menu with Prices 2030 Powers Ferry Rd Suite 368, Atlanta
• Gilbert’s Deli Menu with Prices Kwik Food Store, 1921 N. Federal Highway @B, Boca Raton
• Lucky Greek – Menu with Prices – 123 N McKinley St, Corona
• Roman’s Deli & Catering Menu with Prices 75 Haywood St, Asheville
• Maccabee’s Kosher Deli – Menu with Prices – 1150 Polk Blvd, Des Moines
• Gib’s New York Bagels – Menu with Prices – 1112 Oakridge Dr, Fort Collins

Syb’s West End Deli Menu with Prices 2151 Liberty St, Allentown

When I moved back to PA after 6 years in Florida; I was dying for a Jewish Deli Pastrami sandwich. I went to Sands Casino where I discovered that the Carnegie Deli went out of business 3 months ago. I was not to be denied and pulled out the smart phone and googled best Pastrami sandwich in the Lehigh Valley. Syb’s came up and I called them. I was told their Pastrami was as good or better than Carnegie Deli, so off I went. Here is what happened. After I ordered my sandwich, I saw the the counterman pull out a whole pastrami from the cold cut case. After slicing the pastrami on a slicing machine, I saw him put it in the microwave. After cooking it I saw him put it on a plate which I saw the server pick it up and deliver it to my table. It was horrible. When the women I spoke to on the phone, who I said I was the guy that called you upon my arrival to Syb’s stated that now I have a real deli to come to! I told her I would never come back and that real deli is not microwaved. She got angry and said no one in the Lehigh Valley has a steamer table since the Carnegie Deli closed! It was then that I realized I had to drive and hour and fifteen to Harolds Deli in Edison, NJ to satisfy my deli craving. I have done so a few times since with no regrets. If anyone discovers a deli with a steamer table for Pastrami, Corned Beef, or Brisket – PLEASE let me know! REAL DELI IS NOT MICROWAVED!

Knickerbockers Deli – Menu with Prices – 421 Wakara Way #200, Salt Lake City

This used to be a good place to get a sandwitch for lunch, but today my wife and I got 2 sorry excuses for sandwiches. My sandwich was the godfatha, and it is supposed to have pastrami, but only came with ham and other deli meats (with the plasticy casing still on that I had to pick out of my teeth and sandwich) and zero pastrami. My wife ordered a pulled pork sanwich and was given some crapy vegan pesto sandwich with zero pulled pork. The location is also vey difficult to get to when you have a car to park. Save yourself the trouble and go to Caputo’s deli and get a real quality sandwich with quality ingredients. I will not be going back to knickerbockers…

Lowrider Baking Company – Menu with Prices – 2407 E Union St Suite C, Seattle

I’ve frequented the Lowrider location in the Georgetown Trailer Park Market quite a bit, so I was very excited to hear that they were going to open up a new, more fully-featured brick-and-mortar location in Central District. Naturally, I went on opening day, and was not disappointed. == Food == The Central District location has a lot of the same inventory as their Georgetown location, cookie-wise. In addition, they also have Full Tilt Ice Cream, coffee, and milk, which are not offered in their other locations (from what I can tell). I’ve yet to try their non-cookie options (but I have been to Full Tilt before, and they’re pretty good!), so I’ll mostly focus on the cookies in my review. Lowrider has about 6 or so cookies that are considered “Signature Flavors”, which means they offer them every week. Those flavors include: Brown Butter Triple Chocolate Chunk (aka, Chocolate Chip Cookie), Birthday Cake, Salted Toffee Pecan, Cookies & Cream, S’mores, and Lemon Cranberry. Of the signature flavors, I really like their Brown Butter Triple Chocolate Chunk and Cookies & Cream flavors the best (hard for me to pick one). As with the other locations, these cookies are just soft enough, with a hint of juiciness to this. I’d probably consider the Birthday Cake and Salted Toffee Pecan my second favorites (again, hard for me to choose). Overall, the variety in the signature flavors is great, and all of the cookies are decently sized (slightly bigger than the cookies at Hello Robin, but not the behemoth size of The Cookie at Metropolitan Market). On top of the signature flavors, they’ll often cycle through other flavors, which seems to change weekly/monthly (I forget which). On opening day, these included: Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip, Strawberries and Cream, Stuffed Strawberry Rhubarb, and Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Of these, the Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cheesecake was my favorite, being essentially like the Brown Butter Triple Chocolate Chunk, but with a very soft and creamy bit of cheesecake in the middle. All of those limited-time flavors were pretty good, though. The fact that these flavors are cycled through weekly/seasonally drives more incentive to come back to the place every once in a while, of course. Overall, it’s hard to go wrong with the great options had at this location of Lowrider Baking Company. Rating – 5/5 == Presentation == I said this in my review for the Georgetown location, but the cookies all look very visually appealing, with each having its own personality of sorts. This location also has all their cookies in display, with the stuffed cookies’ cross-sections shown. This was a really nice and helpful touch, presentation-wise. Rating: 5/5 == Value for Price == Circa 2019, each regular cookie was $2, while each stuffed cookie was $3. This is pretty pricey, but somewhat saved by the fact that these are probably some of the best cookies you can get in Seattle. If you buy in bulk, like in a 1/2 dozen, you can get them for $11, saving you $1. That somewhat alleviates the high price, but not by much. You can also buy a dozen cookies for $22, though as that’s just the 1/2 dozen price doubled, it’s not like you save anything extra. Overall, these cookies are somewhat pricey, but you get pretty good quality out of them, so I can tolerate the price a bit. Rating: 4/5 == Service == The folks taking our order were very kind to me when I was asking a few questions to them. As it was opening day, there were still a few kinks being worked out, with one of them being how the pricing of mixing and matching regular and stuffed cookies in a half dozen worked. The owner of Lowrider, herself, happened to be there, and she told me how it all worked (it was priced as if you got a regular dozen, but there was an additional $1 for each stuffed cookie added). It was great to see the staff so helpful, and especially seeing the owner doing her own part in the heavy lifting, so to say. Things went a

Marble & Rye – A Modern Deli – Menu with Prices – 723 Lincoln Ln N, Miami Beach

I was so disappointed. I had read that the pastrami was amazing. It was not edible. It was cut too thick and it was rubbery. There was no fat that is part of a good pastrami sandwich and it did not have that delicious pastrami spice. Worst of all, the served it on white bread and insisted it was rye. I walked back to there counter and showed them what rye bread looked like and they gave me two pieces for my sandwich.

Stuffed Inn Menu with Prices 1829 Euclid Ave, Berkeley

My friend and I decided to get sandwiches at the Stuffed Inn on a bit of a whim. The menu looked really appetizing, regarding both the sandwiches and all of the other things you could buy on the side. Everything also seemed very reasonably priced and relatively cheap, considering how expensive some food options are in the Bay Area. I ordered a Big Hot Double Pastrami and Cheese sandwich for about $6.75, and split a half pickle ($0.50) and potato salad ($1.25) with my friend. There is a lot of variety in what you can add onto your sandwich, with regular or spicy mustard, mayo, bean sprouts, jalapenos, onions, tomatoes, and banana peppers. The line was a bit busy during rush hour, and it did take a while to make my sandwich, but that’s to be expected. The staff is very nice and considerate, and the atmosphere of the shop makes it really seem like a comfy home. The sandwich and pickle were delicious, but the potato salad might have been the best potato salad I’ve had at a restaurant. We also ordered a split pea soup, but that wasn’t as good, it was just pretty ok. Overall, I’m definitely coming here again soon.

Solomon’s Delicatessen – Menu with Prices – 730 K St, Sacramento

Since I am a Jewie Jew Jew Jew, I was excited for this place to finally open. Seriously, they announced this place like two years before it opened. I know they opened a sister location in Davis, but I try to avoid that nut job town as much as I can since I moved away from there. I wanted a Jewish deli in Sac to replace Sam’s (RIP Sam’s). I am a huge fan of Jewish delis. I was recently in NYC and hit up as many bagel joints and Jew delis as I could for the week I was there (check out some of my reviews!). So I take these things pretty seriously. When I go to a Jewish deli, I’m looking for a few things: deli staples (like sodas, sides, etc), quality of meat, quality of rye bread, quality of pickle, and ambiance. The ambiance here is interesting. It is very bright and lots of music. It feels a bit more like a fast casual chain than it does a deli. But it’s kinda fun and has the musical homage to Russ. They do have a very large eating area outside, so you can be one with the roaming vagrants of K St. I came in and had the pastrami sandwich with a Dr Browns cream soda and my friend ordered the corned beef. I do love that they have Doc Browns which is a staple of nyc Jew delis (I believe they even had Celery flavor !). Points for this place. The sandwich came out lightning fast. Like 2 minutes after I ordered and paid. Suspiciously too fast. The presentation of the plate was great: rye bread with meat stacked up between rye bread, bagel chips, coleslaw and a pickle. Just the one pickle. Not a variety of pickles you’d normally get at a Jewish deli. I will say, the bagel chips were fantastic, crisp but not to thick or hard; very good flavor. The coleslaw: it was fine, it served its purpose. The pickle: also fine, wasn’t amazing like many other Jewish delis. But these are the sides. Lets talk about the main event: da pastrami. When I think of pastrami sandwiches,I think of multiple thin, delicate sheets of pastrami piled high like Mille-Feuille pastry in between rye bread so good you’ll smack your bubbe. What I got was: a pastrami like substance that seemed scooped into the sandwich like chicken salad. Let me be clear: this was not slices of pastrami. It looks like they cook the pastrami and break it down so that it’s falling apart like chipped beef. It was also dripping grease. A pastrami sandwich is the pinnacle of a Jewish deli sandwich; it needs to be treated with love and reverence. That was not the case with this sandwich. The flavor was fine, but the consistency and dripping liquid fat was a failure. My friends corned beef, that had identifiable slices of very thin corned beef. He said his sandwich was fine but not worth $16. And don’t get me started on a Ruben being at a “Jewish deli”. The mixture of meat and dairy (such as beef and cheese) is forbidden according to Jewish law. Granted, Rubens are awesome, I just don’t advertise being Jewish while I eat one. This place seems disjointed just like the group that opened it: some Formoli folks, Jewish folks, and red Rabbit folks. They call this place a Jewish deli but, it’s not really, not yet. This place seems to lack one clear concept. Is it a bagel place? Is it a deli? Is it a hip hangout? It doesn’t really accomplish any of these. I’m open to coming back in a bit and trying it again, but this place really needs to take a step back and figure out what it really wants to be.

Apple Spice North Atlanta Menu with Prices 2030 Powers Ferry Rd Suite 368, Atlanta

Had a meeting near Apple Spice today that finished up right before lunch time. I was looking for someplace nearby that offered healthy options and Apple Spice popped up in my search. I called to ask if they only did catering, or if I would be able to stop by and get a sandwich. Alex answered the phone and was super nice. Even though their business is specifically catering, he said they could put a box together for me and make it happen! I had their Turkey Avocado sandwich, which comes with sprouts, Swiss cheese, and their signature sauce. As Eric T. mentioned, their bread’s amazing. I totally agree with that assessment. I also thought their signature sauce was blissful. The sandwich melted in my mouth and disappeared in mins! If you choose them for your company meeting, there is a really extensive selection of salads, soups, wraps and sandwiches to pick from to satisfy just about everyone. Vegetarian friendly options too. Prices range between $8.99-$13.99.

Gilbert’s Deli Menu with Prices Kwik Food Store, 1921 N. Federal Highway @B, Boca Raton

Small but nice. Gilbert is actually a really nice person . Wish there were more options for dining in . Food was great . Simple and straight up. Nice. I wish that more people knew about this place because its a little hole in the wall place and can be a little hard to find. I believe with some signage and posters it will then be alot easier to find. Props to gilbert. Thank you

Lucky Greek – Menu with Prices – 123 N McKinley St, Corona

I went for the first time today after driving past it alot.The food is a little less than as to be expected in this type of burger/mexican / pastrami/ sandwich place. I ordered 3 chicken tacos, which werent great or terrible. They were over priced at 3.25 each. They had chicken, rajas, onion, and tomato with a spicy green salsa. The salsa was the best part of the soggy tacos. The chicken seemed boiled or something. I also got the pastrami sandwich meal, the pastrami sanwich was as expected, I like that is was light on the bread, but it was pretty soggy. The fries that came with it were exactly what youd expect, but there were only about 1/4 the amount of fries you get at any other similar establishment. The pastrami meal wasnt worth the 10.50 they charged for it, especially since you only get a small fries and medium drink. My order with 3 chicken tacos and a pastrami meal totaled out to 22$ and change. Probably wont be back.

Roman’s Deli & Catering Menu with Prices 75 Haywood St, Asheville

Dropped by Roman’s for lunch today for a quick sandwich with the kid and wife. If you’re a lover of all things deli – house made meats, unique sandwiches, pastrami, fresh breads, salads, soups – look further. This place is very much a flat ‘okay’ but nothing to write home about. Yes, they sell sandwiches. They are okay. Don’t expect Katz’s here. I ordered the Italian sandwich – a full sandwich on sandwich bread (che cosa?) rather than a hoagie or Italian roll. It came blasphemously spread with mayo, but I’m cool with that since I always taint my Italian subs with the sweet nectar of Holland. It was served Panini style with ham, hot capicola, hard salami, sharp provolone, tomato, red onion, pepperoni, but confusingly with lettuce in a hot panini – ok, whatever. I think there was one slice of each meat. Ok, par. Not your typical Italian sub which would have been served cold on a roll, but on the whole it was enjoyable, though small. All full sandwiches are served with a pickle (they forgot mine) and a side – I chose fruit salad. The fruit salad was a mix of strawberries, pineapple and orange slices – quite fresh and nice. I also ordered a fresh unsweetened ice tea (get behind me Diabetes!). For our little man, we got a grilled cheese and side of fruit salad – he enjoyed it. It was all very much fine but at a whopping $12 for one sandwich (rent aint cheap on Haywood St), I think I’ll pass on another round. This place is just fine, not amazing and neither worth avoiding nor seeking out. There are better options within a rocks throw of this place and as deli’s go, it was just missing some glaringly obvious menu items like pastrami or Reuben or corned beef. No soups. No bread options. I dunno, is this a deli? I may give their extensive burger a shot (spoiler alert: delis don’t actually server burgers, but whatever). They looked pretty good.

Maccabee’s Kosher Deli – Menu with Prices – 1150 Polk Blvd, Des Moines

If you enjoy a well made sandwich and want to support a local business, head to Maccabee’s. The other reviewers are spot on, the owners care about the food and the customer’s experience. I had the Roosevelt on rye and added a black and white cookie to round out my Jewish deli experience. Everything was made to order. The pastrami was lightly smoked and well seasoned around the edges. I believe that the bread on a sandwich should be more than a flavorless napkin/utensil, so I was pleased by the hearty depth of the rye bread. The pickle on the side was no slouch either, slightly sweet with a ton of dill. The pickle was crunchy, not soggy at all – I don’t think I will be able to choke down a Vlasic after this. Did I mess up by not grabbing some latkas or a knish? Probably! Hopefully I can return with a group to sample the side dishes.

Gib’s New York Bagels – Menu with Prices – 1112 Oakridge Dr, Fort Collins

We had enjoyed take-out bagels from Gibâ??s Bagels & Deli, but had not eaten there. So we stopped in for lunch. The coffee crowd and lunch crowd were gathering at noon. In addition to many kinds of New York style bagels and spreads, they offer bagel sandwiches and salads. My wife had the smoked salmon bagel sandwich which made a satisfying and hearty lunch. I had a hot pastrami & Swiss bagel sandwich â?? a full flavored and filling lunch. Gibâ??s is a friendly place to pick up bagels or to relax and enjoy a good deli sandwich.