Home Deli

Name: Home Deli
Location: 4700 Vestal Pkwy E Ste 13, Vestal, NY 13850
Phone: (607) 729-3495
Cuisine: Sandwiches/Bagels/Deli
Price: $5 to $10 per person

Review:
The Home Deli can be found in University Plaza. They offer an array of different hot and cold sandwiches, bagels, breakfast sandwiches, soups, and standard deli sides (potato salad, cole slaw, etc.) at low prices. Since I work nearby and was in need of a quick lunch, I decided to scope it out.

The restaurant is a pretty small space with a few tables set up in front and the deli counter taking up most of the left side of the place. I took a long look over the menu before deciding I was in the mood to try out their Philly Cheese Steak, since I hadn't had one in awhile, and opted to go with grilled onions and peppers and provolone cheese as toppings.

The sandwich was solid, and for a mere $5 represented good value. I got the sense that the bread was not the fresh-baked variety, which definitely causes the Home Deli to pale in comparison to some of its peers. But the sandwich was most certainly well made (not too greasy, which I certainly appreciated) and it satisfied my cheese steak craving. All in all, judging by this sandwich, I would say that the Home Deli is the kind of place I wouldn't mind frequenting if there weren't many other options available, but the unfortunate thing is that it lies in the same plaza as several other superior eateries (Mediterranean Gyro, for one).

What is noteworthy about the Home Deli is the service. The owner is a chatty fellow who seems to get to know his customers well; several customers came in while I was there and he knew what each of them wanted before they even ordered. He expressed sincere thanks when I paid for my sandwich. It must be difficult to coexist with Subway right around the corner, but I can understand why people keep coming back, even if the product is less than exceptional. Good, familiar service goes a long way, and for that reason, the Home Deli could be a place you find worthy of patronage, and is probably the reason the small shop has stuck around as long as it has.

Grade: B-