It isn't easy to create the right deli aesthetic. For some, like the old-school Jewish delis, things naturally fall into place. But how to ring in the modern, the new? Some on my list have stood the test of time; others have reinvented. Sandwich purists may find a better option or two that exist elsewhere, but these are all package deals. To define what needs to be sold at a modern deli — by yours truly — I'm expanding beyond cold cuts to include breads, salads, and cheeses. At minimum, each place must serve a sandwich, and at least with these four, they are all ones to remember.
Marty's Deli
Spend a little more time at Marty's Deli, and you may notice kitschy details that elevate Marty's Deli from a New York-style, classic Italian deli to one that expresses the colorful voice of its owner, Martha Polacek. The soothing mosaic by the door, the nautical blue accents, the fancier take on checkerboard-patterned wrappers. The provisions — Minnow tinned fish next to petite bags of La Molisana pasta and Duke's mayo — alongside a flowering wall of deli chips, and beside it a riot of hipster sparkling waters and CBD soda. Savage Garden playing in the background.
And the sandwiches, some of which are clever riffs on deli staples like chicken salad, an Italian hero and BLTs. My favorite among them happens to be Polacek's, too: The Pool & Yacht ($15) leavens good chicken — a Wild Acres breed — with capers, pickled fennel, arugula and a red onion pepperoncini. It's familiar yet somehow elevated. Don't miss the Uncle Pete ($15), the BLT play, either. While there is Peterson Farms bacon in there (and it's glorious), the stars here are the cold, crisp lettuce and that perfect, thickly cut beefsteak tomato. And the pimentón aioli.
But really, it's her housemade focaccia. A little chewier than usual, and in the right thickness, the bread is a pleasure to eat — with or without the filling. That's probably why Marty's has that special something that will make my visits there more frequent than at other solid delis in this style.
Polacek transformed a tattoo parlor in this brick-and-mortar location into something where all can frequent — and linger. Marty's has come a long way since her days peddling sandwiches via a '73 VW bus. Stop by.
400 Lowry Av. NE., Mpls., martysdeli.com; open 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Breakfast served until 11 a.m.
Emily's Lebanese
The decor, I'm told, has not changed much in Emily's 50-year history. But endearing things — the old-school cash register and display case flanked with large glass jars of sweets, among others — don't age, especially with prices in check. The most expensive thing on the menu is an excellent lamb shish kebab meal, for $22. But the sandwiches are $11, and for about $5, you can subsist well on the cabbage rolls and tabouli salad, both my go-to picks.
The tabouli, made in-house daily, is more vibrant than typical, with the kind of acidity that can disintegrate rust — a good thing, done well — and there is plenty of parsley within the nooks. That may be why patrons repeatedly frequent the shop and buy it to go by the pint. But it comes as an optional side to entrees, too. During a recent visit, I enjoyed the Kafta burger; the patty, wedged between housemade buns, was juicy and threaded with spices.
