Love me a really good Deli sandwich..

[Beach Chick]

Love love love me a shaved turkey on rye with lots of mayo, extra cheddar or swiss, with red onion, leaf lettuce and avocado..served with some kettle chips and a cup of soup and a brewed ice tea.
Usually get my sandwiches from Antonelli's, Cheese Shop, Girard Gourmet or Con Pane but I will drive almost anywhere for a good sandwich with good bread and not some pressed turkey.

What's your fave sandwich and where do you go for your deli fix?

[deepfried]

ooopss. Forgot K sandwiches for Banh Mi.

[Beach Chick]

Saturday went to Antonelli's Deli in El Cajon off Bradley and the 67..
Had the #11.. turkey cheddar on rye..damn, this is one of the best sandwiches!

www.antonellisdeli.com

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Antonelli's Deli
1354 N Magnolia Ave, El Cajon, CA 92020

[deepfried]

As another of those transplanted Jerseyites who grew up on sub sandwiches.....my favorites in San Diego are BMH in La Mesa, Poma's in OB and Antonelli's in El Cajon.

now if I could just find a decent bagel!

[Beach Chick]

Antonelli's Deli is one of the best in town..what does BMH stand for in La Mesa?
concur on the bagel too!

[Cathy]

The first initials of the three owners.

http://www.bmhitalian.com/index.php?o...

I think "B" died.

[Beach Chick]

Does anyone know if Del Mesa Liquor on Friars across from Riverwalk Golf Course still has good deli sandwiches?

[nileg]

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news but the last time I dropped by there--about two years ago--they were nothing like they used to be. You could get a better sandwich from Vons deli counter.

[LisaSD]

Like the BMH recommendation made earlier but they are hit and miss as to the servings of meat being sparse. The bread and mama's sauce are excellent. I still order sandwiches from Nicolosi's on their in-house rolls. Usually a winner. Gus' in Pt. Loma has never disappointed me (they also have a La Mesa location).

Not a deli, but have you tried the sandwiches at Tender Greens? Thinly sliced grilled flank steak with roasted red peppers or a roasted chicken sandwich on ciabatta (these both come with a side salad). Very delicious!

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Tender Greens
2400 Historic Decatur Rd, San Diego, CA 92106

[normalheightsfoodie]

I have always found the CALI pest chicken to have a good amount of product.

[normalheightsfoodie]

Cali Sandwiches on El Cajon Blvd has a great chicken pesto Bahn Mih Sandwich.

[deckape]

I just love the Italian Village Special from Grab n Go...wish we had a proper NY style pastrami or corned beef in this town.

[Fake Name]

Ah!- IVS, no peps.

Must have had close to one hundred over the years.

[Josh]

I really like the sandwiches at Bread and Cie. I don't know why they don't get more love on this board. I've eaten almost all of them, though I no longer eat any with meat since they use ordinary factory meats.

Favorites:

Smoked Salmon - it's on lemon Pugliese bread, with a garlicky herbed cream cheese and fresh mozzarella and cucumber.

Pesto - housemade pesto with gouda, arugula, and tomato on country bread. Best if it's been sitting a little while, so the bread can soak up the pesto.

Caprese - One of their skinny ficelle sandwiches. Yum.

French Tuna - sliced hard boiled egg, and a tuna salad dressed with chives, olive oil, and walnuts (not mayonnaise). Served on baguette w/ arugula.

Fresh Mozzarella - on focaccia with citrus-marinated peppers and arugula.

Peanut Butter and Jelly - they make their own peanut butter and preserves, and there's also cream cheese involved. It's particularly good on the 3-raisin bread.

Not everything there is a winner. I don't like the Spanakopita sandwich at all. It's a good idea, but the execution is lacking. I also don't like the portobello mushroom sandwich, I find the mushrooms too vinegary. The eggplant sandwich isn't great either - eggplant tends to be chewy and bitter, and overall it's kind of boring.

[honkman]

" I don't know why they don't get more love on this board" - For us it is at least similar to you when you complain that other don't understand that grass-fed beef taste so much better than commodity beef. Once you eat really godd bread (and thanks to history of beer making Germany has one of the best (if not best) quality of bread) you will understand that the quality of the bread at Bread at Cie is average at best. (I know that a lot of people say it is the best bread in SD, which might be true but that still doesn't make it good bread). And for us the quality of a sandwich is to a large part defined by the quality of the bread.

[Josh]

Sure, I get that. I'd much rather eat a sandwich at Boccalone in San Francisco, whose bread blows Bread and Cie's away. But for me it's also not only about the bread, but the ingredients too. And I'd still rather have an acceptable sandwich than no sandwich.

[honkman]

I guess we are different that we prefer to eat something else than a sandwich in that case

[Josh]

Well, I wouldn't go out of my way. As it is, they're 5 minutes away, so it's a very convenient option.

[Alice Q]

I have problems with their french, epi and sourdough breads, but I like the levain, the ciabatta and the multigrain just fine, and I certainly find them adequate for a sandwich, particularly where the filling is going to soak into the bread a bit. My favorite sandwich there is the french tuna, it's generally all I ever get - sometimes I get it on jalapeno cheese bread, it's a surprisingly good combination (my friend turned me onto it.)

[Beach Chick]

French Tuna on jalapeno cheese bread sounds sublime..

[Beach Chick]

Wow..impressive list Josh!
Smoked Salmon on lemon Pugliese bread..I've never had Pugliese bread but sounds divine and with Smoked Salmon and herbed cream cheese, cucumbers and mozzarella!

[phee]

They also sell the Lemon Pugliese at Henry's, and, yes - it's divine.

[Josh]

Given our dearth of good bagels in this town, the smoked salmon serves as a close-enough approximation of bagels and lox.

[Beach Chick]

love me lox and bagels and I hear you on finding a good bagel in SD..

[Dagney]

Has anyone been to Courtesy Liquor and Deli? If so, did you enjoy it?

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Courtesy Liquors
3963 Governor Dr, San Diego, CA 92122

[mjill]

Mona Lisa in Little Italy makes maybe one of the finest Roast Beef sandos ever. Philly Cheese Steak from Alex's Brown Bag for me is probably the best CS outside of Philly or Mass. K's sandwiches also is another favorite of mine for Bahn Mi.

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Alex's Brown Bag
2550 5th Ave Ste 171, San Diego, CA 92103

[berliz]

as a transplanted easterner there is no good jewish deli in san diego - but the best deli i've had here is at 4.0 deli at sdsu - their sandwiches are all very good and reasonable...

[mjill]

I have to agree re: Jewish Delis around town, or lack of.

[stevewag23]

"Philly Cheese Steak from Alex's Brown Bag for me is probably the best CS outside of Philly or Mass."

Have you tried Gaglione Bros?

-----
Alex's Brown Bag
2550 5th Ave Ste 171, San Diego, CA 92103

[mjill]

I have not but you definitely have my attention, will have to look into. Nunu's also does a pretty good CS. They also get their bread, ect shipped in from Philly.

[stevewag23]

Yeah, I like Gaglione Bros better than Alex's. I go to the sports arena one.

[Captain Jack]

Another contender in the San Diego cheese steak arena is Olde City Grill in Pacific Beach. They use Wagu top round, and fly in Amoroso rolls from Philadelphia. The wagu is worth a try, it has a unique flavor. Alex's Brown Bag goes a different route. They used to fly in Amoroso rolls, but now feel that daily fresh baked Solunto's bread offers a fresher alternative. For the meat they fly in thinly sliced rib eye from Liberty Meats in Philadelphia. This is the same supplier that Jim's Steaks in South Philly uses. If you like to have the greasy juices running down your forearms, (think "the Philly lean") then Alex's is the place for you. Though technically "Jersey Style," Pop's in Pacific Beach is another cheese steak player. They also use Solunto's bread, and use marinated beef rib eye shipped in from New Jersey. I have reviewed all three of these establishments in the past.

http://sandiegorestaurants.typepad.com

[mjill]

I did not know they stopped using Amaroso rolls. Surprised about that one. I went last week and they still had that piece of a box with the name on it next to the register. I haven't found theirs to be too greasy, well at least not anymore greasy than you would expect for a CS. I'll have to look into that Waygu you recommend next time I'm out in PB, until then the 4 block walk to Alex's makes it easy to love.

I assume it's the American Waygu hybrid at City Grill, is this correct? Do you find that to be extraodrinarily greasy because of the high fat content or does using top round negate that you think? Thanks for the recs.

[Captain Jack]

Hey mjill,
Yes, it is American Wagyu, and you are correct, since it is top round, it is not nearly as "wet" as Alex's offering. Not necessarily better or worse, just different. At first I was alarmed at how dry it was, but the "beefy" flavor won me over. I like both Olde City and Alex's alot, but they are quite different. If you look at the photos in my reviews, you can see the difference. The picture I took of the bag and wrapper at Alex's always cracks me up.

[Beach Chick]

Captain..since you are in PB, is Chalkboard Deli and Crest Liquor still really good for their deli sandwiches?

[Captain Jack]

Hey BC,
I just had a sammy at Chalkboard a couple of weeks ago and it was great. They use Boarshead products which I just love. I have some Boarshead London Port roast beef in my fridge right now as a matter of fact.

As far as Crest Liquor goes, it has been a long time since I have been there. It is not walking distance for me, so that's probably why I don't go there more often. One of my neighbors is a long time PB resident and he swears that they have the best sammys in town. I keep meaning to try Crest again.

[deckape]

I prefer Sully's on Cass St when in PB...I miss it having finally moved off the beach...their Italian Sub is brilliant.

[Captain Jack]

I like Sully's too. I have not had their Italian sub, but I will try it on your rec ape.

[Beach Chick]

Is Sully's the place on Cass by the library where it used to be an Italian Deli?
Cass Street Bar and Grill still around?
Back in the day, their food was outstanding..Oriental Chicken Salad..Yum!

[Captain Jack]

The library is several blocks away on Cass, just south of Grand Ave. Sully's is just south of the corner of Cass and Felspar. Cass St. Bar and Grill is a block north of Sully's on Cass St. CSB&G continues to amaze me with the quality of the food coming out of their TINY kitchen.

[stevewag23]

Yeah Olde City Grill is good.

I think Pop's in Pacific Beach was an off shoot of Alex's. But I am not 100%.

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Olde City Grill
967 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109

[Lillian Hsu]

If you love sandwiches, you have to try Chez Nous in Scripps Ranch. Their spicy chicken is addictive, and their soups--especially Burmese Chicken or Thai Chicken--are my favorite comfort food. They also make a great tuna melt, leg of lamb, pastrami, chipotle chicken, etc.

-----
Chez Nous
9821 Carroll Canyon Rd, San Diego, CA 92131

[DiningDiva]

Oh, jeez, TOTALLY forgot about Chez Nous. Their sandwiches are killer. BC, I think you'd really like this place. Just off the 15 at Carroll Canyon, same little shopping center as Carl's Jr.

-----
Chez Nous
9821 Carroll Canyon Rd, San Diego, CA 92131

[Beach Chick]

I've been meaning to get to Chez Nous for awhile and thank you both for the push!

-----
Chez Nous
9821 Carroll Canyon Rd, San Diego, CA 92131

[Beach Chick]

Do they make non-meat Banh mi sandwich?
They look so good but I don't do the meat..

[Beach Chick]

Sounds like Bread on Market is the place to get a great sandwich!
Bristol Farms too..Armenian Deli..is there such a thing?
Cheese Shop in LJ is way better than the downtown location..imho
Good Call on Mona Lisa..do you go to Pete's too?

[DiningDiva]

I really like Bread on Market but I'm not in the area often enough :-(.

[keena]

I've never been to the one in LJ, but I was downtown yesterday and had a great corned beef club at the Cheese Shop. I'd go back when I'm in the area again.

[stevewag23]

Mona lisa #1.

Bread on Market and Con Pane are legit as well.

Cheese shop downtown has never seemed as good as the la jolla location for some reason.

[DiningDiva]

The BLT at Bread on Market is outstanding.

Closer to home and truly downscale are two delis that are certainy not authentic anything but manage to turn out some pretty good sandwiches. The deli counter at Windmill Farms does a great sandwich for under $5. I'm partial to the RB. Cheer's Deli in the liquor store in the Keil's shopping center at Navajo and Jackson also turns out really good sandwiches. Service at Cheers, however, is exceedingly s-l-o-w and you could starve to death before you get your sandwich. Both of these are in an area that is woefully underserved by anything other than a chain. Would I drive from anywhere to go to either of these delis? No, but for those of us living in the area, they're a pretty good option.

[JRSD]

I have given up on Cheers without ordering first since it winds up being dinner! For a straight deli meat sandwich I wind up at Kiels since they have Boar's Head cold cuts and my wife really likes the roast beer. Their hero rolls are not too great but the breads are good.

Just went to Grove Grinder (3345 Olive Street Lemon Grove, CA 91945-1734
[phone]) and had the best turkey in a sandwich I have had in San Diego. They roast their own turkey breast rather than use cold cut deli meat and it was excellent. I did not care too much for their rolls which were the soft hero rolls that a lot of places use and they do use shredded iceberg, but they offer pepperocini and black olives and the full sandwich was enormous. Definitely worth checking out. They also have about 40 different kinds of root beer and a wide selection of other multicolored sodas. (1 color per bottle)

Its been brought up before, but I think BMH has the best sandwiches in is area. Have only tried their Italian cold cuts and grilled eggplant but both are very good. (Like the cold cuts from Mona Lisa a little better for comparison's sake)

[eatemup]

I like Cheese Shop for the pork loin and some stuff at Milton’s is good but I had a truly outstanding sandwich a couple months back at Bristol Farms. I was wandering through around lunch and they had a rare and juicy prime rib sitting on the cutting board. They were selling the RB as part of a plate but the nice woman agreed to pile some on some delicious sourdough bread with Swiss cheese. I slathered on some mayo and off I went.
This was warm, tender, juicy, truly tasty roast beef like I used to get at the Armenian deli back in the old country (OK, Pasadena’s Foodland Deli). The best sandwich I’ve had in years….years I tell you.