Westbrae Deli (Berkeley)

[lmnopm]

Once every few months, I want a hot (juicy) roast beef sandwich. Honestly, I don't think I've ever ordered anything else there. This is the most unassuming little place, with a not-well-stocked deli counter (just what they sell regularly, and can keep fresh), and you need patience to wait for your food if there is more than 1 person in line (that person being you). But they seem to get a slow and steady stream of neighborhood people, and they are really nice. For $5.25, you get a sour roll with a heaping pile of roast beef (heated in a broth of some sort), which I get with tomatoes, onions and dijon mustard. It is tasty, and filling.

I'm sure nothing is organic or sustainable, and the tomatoes didn't just get picked from Holistic Farms a few hours ago, nor did the roast beef come from Grassfed Ranch.

If you have just run out of cat food, want a beer, or need to buy a pack of Top Ramen noodles, they sell that, too.

With tax, 2 of us ate lunch for $11 and a few cents, and are full and satisfied. I can't say that very often.

The place is located next to the Westbrae Nursery, across from Toot Sweet and the Bagel place, on Gilman.

[Glencora]

That roast beef sandwich is good. I got it with lettuce, tomato, red onion and a pickle on wholewheat. Only 4.95. It was better than a similar sandwich from Zarri's. SO liked his meatloaf sandwich. 4.35. A good deal. (The cat food, not so much.)

[lmnopm]

There's a closing sign on the windows. I don't know when.

[Glencora]

Since the place is run by an older couple I'd hoped that they were just retiring, but they told me that the landlord wanted them to upgrade the kitchen area and they decided they can't afford to do so.

[rworange]

Thanks for the tip. From this post that recommended the meatloaf sandwich, it sounds like they roast the beef in-house. Sometimes you just need a respectable, no-frills decent sandwich.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/45967

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Westbrae Deli
1270 Gilman St, Berkeley, CA 94706