Deli in South Florida

Bagels and a Whole Lot More

10281 W. Sample Rd. Coral Springs

954-575-8130

Bakery, Deli, Best Of

1 article

Big Al's Steaks - Coconut Creek

5607 Regency Lakes Blvd. Coconut Creek

954-480-8550

American, Deli, Recommended, Menu

Big Al Costillo and his son Adam migrated from Philly to South Florida expecting to find some place that compared to their favorite local cheese-steak shop, Geno's. But they didn't. So they opened one in a tiny space in a strip mall between State Road 7 and the Sawgrass Expressway, intent on re-creating the famous Philly delicacy using sliced (not chopped!) rib eye, rolls flown in from the City of Brotherly Love, Cheez-Whiz (the ONLY authentic cheese for a cheese steak, although pretentious gourmets can request provolone or American), and loads of sautéed onions. The result is an incomparable sandwich for $7.25. Plus pizza steaks, chicken steaks, hot dogs, hoagies, and fries.

2 articles

Bokamper's Sports Bar & Grill

1280 S. Pine Island Rd., Plantation Fort Lauderdale

954-533-7152

American, Bar Food, Burgers, Deli, Sandwiches, Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Menu

Dolphins vet (and Plantation resident) Kim "Kimbo" Bokamper started this neighborhood hang to indulge his sports fetish, and it shows. Fifty plasma TVs enough for ya? If you know what most places with that sort of cathodic bling are like in terms of atmosphere, you probably have a good idea what to expect from the food. A few entrees, like the blackened swordfish sandwich and Bo's burger (with a fried egg poised atop) stand out on the menu, but beers, wings, and football: That trusty trifecta is always going strong at Bokamper's.

6 articles

Boulevard Subs

1100 E. Oakland Park Blvd. Oakland Park

954-561-1934

Deli, Sandwiches, Soups, Best Of

A sub is a sandwich made on a lengthy loaf of crusted bread that is layered with cold cuts, lettuce, tomato, and numerous garnishings, splashed with olive oil and vinegar, and dashed with salt, coarse ground pepper, and, if you're lucky, oregano. You can also call a sub a hoagie. Or a grinder. Or a hero. Or a Blimpie if you hang with the wrong sort of people. The right sort would be the types who frequent Marco's Boulevard Subs in Fort Lauderdale, where they pile on the ham, salami, capicola, and provolone and top it with salad, pickles, and peppers -- hot and sweet. A dozen types of hefty cold-cut-based subs are tossed together with aplomb, including a kick-ass BLT. Sub rolls come in whole wheat too for those who wish to delude themselves into thinking they're eating health food. Does Boulevard finish its sandwiches with a sprinkle of oregano? Of course -- this is, after all, the top stop for those to whom subway means only that train in NYC.

2 articles

Charcuterie Too!

100 S. Andrews Ave. Fort Lauderdale

954-463-9578

Deli, Salads, Soups, Recommended

Charcuterie Too! is a charming little mom-and-pop café on the second floor of the Broward County Library's Main Downtown Branch, a tiny cafeteria line loaded with mouthwatering daily specials: muffins and bagels for breakfast and hot, homey lunches like fresh soups, sandwiches, salads, wraps, and cheese or spinach quiche along with specials like chicken schnitzel, lasagna, and roast pork - you can eat your fill for under a tenner. Don't forget to pick up a New Times fave: The homemade oatmeal raisin cookie is the best bliss you can buy for a buck.

6 articles

Dyan's Country Kitchen

9100 Wiles Rd. Coral Springs

954-755-7590

Breakfast, Deli, Recommended, Menu

This western Broward County outpost combines the best elements of the family diner with great Jewish deli fare. The line can stretch down the block at times, but once you're inside, the service is so swift that there should be a warning like on amusement park rides: Keep legs and arms inside the booth at all times. Chicken-fried steak and eggs is a coronary on a plate ($7.95), served with a doughy bagel, crisp hash browns, and enough sausage gravy to stop a moving bus. Smoked nova, lox, and whitefish platters are all made in house, and so are huge deli sandwiches filled with corned beef and pastrami. Coffee is refilled so quickly that by the time you're finished, you'll be working a three-day buzz.

Eten Food Co.

1404 E. Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale

954-383-4460

Bakery, Deli, Sandwiches, Recommended, Menu

Eten Food Co. is hoping to fill the cheap lunch hole on Las Olas with takeout-only soups, sandwiches, and prepared foods. It's a skinny yet trendy-looking space, with racks of wine on one wall and a glass-encased deli counter on the other. The menu is small, just soups and sandwiches, which each cost about $8. The house-roasted turkey sandwich is reminiscent of something you put together the day after Thanksgiving, with Swiss, greens, tomato, mustard mayo, and whole-grain bread. The best deal is the $7.50 to $9 lunch box that comes with a cup of soup or salad and a half sandwich. They also drop something sweet into each of the boxes. Those treats may be the best option, including a gooey chocolate truffle and a soft biscotti dipped in chocolate.

3 articles

Fernanda's International Market

3045 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale Wilton Manors

954-563-2500

Deli, Restaurants, Recommended, Menu

Fabulous Fernanda's isn't only the best gourmet market around; it also sells huge, deluxe sandwiches for lunch, the kind of serious fuel you need to keep you slogging through another six hours in the old cubicle. Muffelettos are made on homemade ciabatta bread, stuffed with many inches of paper-thin salami, ham, cappacola, and provolone, tarted up with a good swipe of olive salad. Or spring for a roast pork sandwich with "secret spices" and barbecue sauce. Or a Greek sub piled with turkey breast and roasted peppers. Then there's the Cuban sandwich, the Serrrano ham sub, and an olde English cheddar, ham, and pickle roll. Sandwiches are around $10 and big enough to feed two. A case of prepared foods offers empanadas, frittata, fried tortellini, prosciutto pasta salad, split pea soup, stuffed grape leaves, and marinated artichokes priced by the pound.

6 articles

La Mia Focaccia

6330 N. Powerline Rd. Fort Lauderdale

954-772-9499

Deli, Italian, Sandwiches, Recommended, Menu

A longstanding establishment and lunch spot, La Mia Focaccia, has been dishing out some amazing eats for close to 20 years. The owner and her son bring a taste of authentic Italian cuisine to the area with their line of fresh-made focaccia and panini breads baked daily, and on-premise. Free of preservatives, and topped with fresh organic herbs grown from the owner's own garden. They include rosemary and garlic; artichoke and olive; and tomato, basil and garlic -- soft, fresh breads the size of small plate. Sandwiches include ingredients like grilled eggplants, roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes, broccoli rabe, prosciutto, and homemade Italian sausage. Once you've managed to narrow down the options, they'll assemble your sandwich in front of you, and throw it under the panini press to melt cheese and toast the bread. A crowd favorite: #21, a combination of spinach, smoked mozzarella, roasted peppers, and chicken.

1 article

LaSpada's Original Hoagies

233 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale By The Sea Beaches

954-776-7893

Sandwiches, Deli, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Since 1973, LaSpada's has been flinging sliced deli meats into waiting hoagie rolls with a deft touch. But meaty acrobatics are just one of the infamous sub shop's trademarks. The other is its method of sandwich construction. A testament to flawless hoagie engineering, LaSpada's first preps a giant, fresh-baked roll with mayo and mustard (or olive oil and vinegar, for the Italian hoagies). Next goes a thick layer of deli meat - Italian capicolla, salami, and sweet ham; USDA-choice roast beef cooked rosy pink; oven-baked turkey breast - before handfuls of fresh lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and sweet and hot peppers find their way atop. Finally, the mammoth constructs are encased with one last layer of cold cuts, carefully tucked in tight along each side of the roll. The sheathing not only preserves the proper ratio of meat-to-bun per bite but also ensures that none of the fine ingredients will tumble out prematurely. Genius!

11 articles

LaSpada's Original Hoagies

2645 S. University Dr. Davie/West Hollywood

954-476-1099

Sandwiches, Deli, Best Of, Menu

Since 1973, LaSpadaÂ?s has been flinging sliced deli meats into waiting hoagie rolls with a deft touch. But meaty acrobatics are just one of the infamous sub shopÂ?s trademarks. The other is its method of sandwich construction. A testament to flawless hoagie engineering, LaSpadaÂ?s first preps a giant, fresh-baked roll with mayo and mustard (or olive oil and vinegar, for the Italian hoagies). Next goes a thick layer of deli meat Â? Italian capicolla, salami, and sweet ham; USDA-choice roast beef cooked rosy pink; oven-baked turkey breast Â? before handfuls of fresh lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and sweet and hot peppers find their way atop. Finally, the mammoth constructs are encased with one last layer of cold cuts, carefully tucked in tight along each side of the roll. The sheathing not only preserves the proper ratio of meat-to-bun per bite but also ensures that none of the fine ingredients will tumble out prematurely. Genius!

4 articles

Mediterranean Market

1021 E. Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale

954-463-1212

Deli, Sandwiches, Seafood, Retail, Best Of, Menu

Though lamb chops, tenderloin, stone crab, and high-end to-go food is how this Las Olas shop has made its mark, Mediterranean Market offers some of the finest sandwiches youâ??ve never had. Composed of meat thatâ??s notches above Boarâ??s Head, the sandwiches steer toward traditional, with elevated quality. Whether itâ??s an Italian, a ham and Swiss on rye, or roasted vegetables with pesto on a roll, sandwiches are paired with pickles, house-made slaw, and potato salad. Split pea, lobster bisque, curry chicken, and dozens of soups are also available, made in-house from scratch. Although the market may be a darling among yachties and one-percenters, the prices are accessible for Everyman. Take out, eat in the clean, well-lighted place, or grab a table outside in the sun.

4 articles

Mr. Nick's Sub Shoppe

108 SE 1st St. Fort Lauderdale

954-462-1913

Sandwiches, Deli, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Cheese steaks are one of those foods that incite furious debate, turning friends into enemies and enemies into nemeses. Folks hailing from Philadelphia claim that only sandwiches adhering to a strict code of ethics even earn the right to be labeled as such. And shouldn't they have the right? Cheese steaks have been bastardized throughout the years, turned into crappy dive-bar food made from frozen strips of unknown origin. Let Mr. Nick's forever settle the debate: Good cheese steaks can be made even if they hail from a Fort Lauderdale street corner, where Mr. Nick's has crafted them for more than 30 years. The bread is just right - slightly elastic, cushy, and yeasty - while the meat has all the hallmarks of great cheese-steakery: quality beef cooked to order on a searing hot griddle. Mr. Nick's also employs a secret strategy - using a garlicky spice mixture that, along with the gooey cheese, melts right into the meat. The result is a juicy, cheesy, beefy jumble that hits all the right notes - even if there is no can of Cheez Whiz in sight.

2 articles

My Market & Deli

229 SW 17th St. Fort Lauderdale

954-764-5253

Deli, Sandwiches, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

My Market is an unassuming corner store that looks like an ordinary bodega. But go inside and you find shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of construction workers, business folk, and pretty much everyone else who could squeeze in. They all know that the deli-style, made-to-order sandwiches are concocted out of Boar's Head meats and cheeses and whatever homemade sauces and extras My Market feels like throwing in. Craving something exotic? Bite into the French Quarter, a French bread-based hot sub made of Brie, roast beef, "Want Mo!" sauce, and fresh rosemary. Heading to the beach? Grab a La Baja - fresh cracked peppermill turkey and jalapeño pepper cheese slathered with Russian dressing and pressed flat and hot. Any size and variety of chip and dip is at your beck and call, along with every fathomable type of juice, soda, and iced tea.

9 articles

Pa' DeGennaro's Restaurant

4335 N. Ocean Dr., Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Beaches

954-351-0310

Pizza, Italian, Bakery, Deli, Sandwiches, Best Of, Menu

Pa' Degennaro's is the invincible old favorite of generations of pasta-craving Lauderdalians, a restaurant that through a couple of makeovers and many chefs has held onto its base clientele like a showman with a mad tiger by the tail. While over the years the interior and the chefs have changed, the food has remained much the same: fantastic. Dishes like Veal DeGennaro (cutlets of veal served with spinach, prosciutto, provolone, marsala-mushroom sauce and linguine) or ziti bolognese (delicately topped with pesto ricotta) have been pleasing the crowds for ages now. We're just sayin' if a spot can garner the attention of fickle South Floridians for so long, there's usually a reason for it.

2 articles

Pinho's Bakery & Deli

4363 N. Andrews Ave. Oakland Park

954-630-9199

Bakery, Deli, Recommended, Menu

For 20 years, Pinho's has serviced this blue-collar stretch of Andrews Avenue. Mechanics in their stained jumpsuits file in early for egg and cheese sandwiches served on Pinho's home-baked croissants. That and a cup of coffee or a plate of home fries will get the day going right. For lunch, the same crowd grabs bulky submarines on doughy Italian loafs filled with premium Boar's Head meats and Pinho's fresh tuna, egg, or crab salads. Daily specials are cheap and filling, and the staff is friendly.

1 article

Pomperdale New York Style Deli

3055 E. Commercial Blvd. Fort Lauderdale

954-771-9830

Deli, Sandwiches, Recommended, Best Of

A truly transcendent deli, the ultimate comfort food, is all about trust. Some will quibble over details -- the altitude of the sandwich, the sourness of the pickle, the correct brand of house mustard. Step inside the Lauderdale landmark and take a look at the grinning, crinkled mugs working the counter and you simply trust the 60-something grandpa with your corned beef on rye. He's made it a thousand times before today, and, God willing, will make it a thousand times after. Blessedly nonkosher, Pomperdale will gladly slap a slab of Swiss on top of your house-cured pastrami, but they also excel in the more esoteric selections of Jewish culinary tradition: the sublime knish, the curative chicken soup, and the enigmatic kugel. Their smoked fish selection swims with the stuff bubbeh adores, nova and lox and whitefish and even pickled herring.

3 articles

Sage Bagel & Appetizer Shop

800 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd. Hallandale Beach

954-456-7499

Deli, Market, Best Of, Menu

A traditional Jewish deli without any of the unnecessary schmaltz, this Hallandale bagel shop has been a neighborhood institution since the 1970s. Hand-cut lox, homemade matzo ball soup, and fist-sized piles of shaved brisket, pastrami, and corned beef piled high in overstuffed sandwiches would make any bubbe proud, while a special section of the menu comes with a stamp of approval from the local rabbi.

3 articles

Sisters' Subs

66 Indian Trace Weston

954-385-6300

Deli, Best Of, Menu

Sisters are great at many things - trading clothes, doing each others' hair, scheming against Dad for later curfews, and, naturally, the occasional cat fight. But they may just be best at making subs. Home of the "Big Sister" - a six-foot Italian hoagie stuffed with ham, Genoa salami, cappicola, cheese, and a host of condiments including black olives and hot peppers - Sisters' Subs is steps above any would-be sibling. The place also takes its theme seriously. With the exception of the "Ricky" and the "Rocky," two cheese-steak-type subs, all sandwiches, salads, and side dishes are named for women. Is there anything more to say than, "You go, girls"? Yes, apparently, if you ask a man whose fondest dream is to say, "I'll have the Marilyn." Or whose biggest nightmare it could be to admit, "I'd like the Mom."

2 articles

Steak Shop & Deli

1801 E. Sample Rd. Pompano Beach

954-941-5790

Deli, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Moan over tempting gyros and try the Philly cheese steak, a signature item at this pleasant, Miami Dolphins-colored sandwich shop. You can get it prepared traditionally: Some sautéed onions, mushrooms, and peppers, plus lots of melted cheese. You can have it doused with marinara as a pizza steak. Or you can go upscale and have your steak sautéed and topped with mushroom wine sauce. So order away: The Deli's easy on your wallet.

2 articles

Sushi Deli

1412 79th St. Causeway, Miami Beach North Dade

305-861-0143

Deli, Japanese, Sushi, Recommended

Located inside a little Japanese market (that's nearly impossible to see from the road), this place has a Japanese-trained veteran sushi chef who turns out a limited selection of what insiders consider among Miami's top sushi. Some is extremely hard-to-find traditional Japanese stuff, like the Battera -- Osaka-style sushi, for which rice is loaded into a square box, layered with seasoned seaweed then more rice, pressed, topped with cevichelike marinade-"cooked" mackerel, then cut into squares. The result is as savory as it is beautiful. There's also uniquely creative sushi such as a Marie Roll: inside, the strong mint/basil flavor of shiso leaves balances raw tuna in hot sauce; outside, roasted garlic substitutes for standard sesame seeds, adding an inventive Italian touch. There are also a couple of hot dishes, such as an assertive curried beef stew with rice, a salad, and edamame soy beans in the shell) -- a substantial meal for less than five bucks. Well worth the hunt.

The Little Mermaid Bar & Restaurant

2442 E. Sunrise Blvd. Fort Lauderdale

954-396-4520

Deli, Diner, Recommended, Best Of

It doesn't advertise. Its entrance is literally hidden at the back of the gifts department on the second floor. And yet, every day at lunchtime, every seat at the twin curved counters of the Little Mermaid is occupied, and more eager patrons queue up in front of the cash register, waiting to pounce on any vacancy in this cramped, wood-paneled nook. What could be better to fuel yourself for an intense afternoon of shopping than a smoked turkey Reuben with homemade Thousand Island dressing? Or a ham-and-hogwash sandwich (hogwash being a tangy-sweet, horseradishy sauce) on grilled egg bread? Or perhaps one of the Mermaid's salads: spinach, cobb, or caesar -- the latter available with grilled chicken or shrimp? The homemade soups are always excellent, so one can't go wrong with the Mermaid Sampler: a cup of soup, half a sandwich, and fresh fruit. Ladies who really know their lunch always order a side of the orange soufflé; it may look like a Jell-O mold, but trust us, it's much, much more. The cakes certainly look tempting, but a full slice is huge. That's why these ladies almost always travel in pairs: the better to split a slice of deliciously moist carrot cake, my dear!

3 articles

TooJay's - Wellington

2605 State Road 7 Wellington

561-784-9055

Deli, Menu

TooJay's Gourmet Deli

1721 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. West Palm Beach

561-340-8805

Deli, Bakery, Menu

Founded in 1981, TooJay’s has become a Florida institution renowned for serving authentic New York deli comfort food. With almost 30 restaurants throughout Florida, they are famous for sliced-to-order meats and piled-high sandwiches. They also offer freshly baked bread, salads, pastries, and desserts. In addition, TooJay’s has an array of catering options for holidays, office gatherings and events of any size.

Top Hat Delicatessen

415 NE Third St. Fort Lauderdale

954-900-3896

Deli, Jewish

Old-school–inspired new-wave deli offering knishes, Reubens & reinvented dishes, plus a full bar.

5 articles

Urban Rustic Bagel

2790 Stirling Rd. Hollywood

954-873-3699

Bakery, Deli, Sandwiches, Best Of

Good bagels are hard to come by, particularly in South Florida. But it's not hopeless. Our faith in the round, doughy delights is restored at Urban Rustic Bagel, Hollywood's kosher café. Opt for a regular variety, or go for a hot-pressed sammy. They also serve up lots of Israeli and Jewish fare, plus salads, sweet crepes, danishes and Asian options too. It's an all-encompassing, inexpensive cafe for eaters of all kinds.

1 article

Deli in South Florida

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