M-F, 7 AM to 5 PM, Sa 9 AM to 5 PM
(609) 392-5000 Google Maps
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Owner Lavalle Williams runs the Downtown Deli with an eye to detail. He’s there almost all the time, and is happy to indoctrinate new customers into his ordering system, which consists of a complicated order sheet and golf pencils. There’s a little bit of WaWa, a little bit of Subway (the arch competition across the street), and a lot that’s all Lavalle.
Once you figure it out, it’s not too bad. The order sheet lets you specify exactly what you want, and the women behind the counter make it all up into a nice sandwich from fresh, high quality cold cuts. Even during peak lunch rush, service is pretty fast.
You can also get a nice cup of soup (not home-made, but “home-style” from a “supplier in Philly”), or a tub of coleslaw, potato salad, etc. Prices aren’t particularly cheap, but they’re not unreasonable for the quality. As my friend, who’s a frequent customer of both Downtown Deli and Subway, said, “I prefer Downtown Deli, most of the time. The sandwich is maybe a buck more, but the quality is a lot better.”
What more can you say? Well, most of the customers take out, but there is a pleasant seating area in the back of the store. It’s open for breakfast, which I haven’t tried yet. We’ll expand the review when we do.
My favorite pastrami ……. Mmmm 🙂