As a food writer, I’m often asked about my favorite foods, restaurants and dishes. I have a long list of local places I rattle off, but what seldom comes up is that my favorite type of food is sandwiches.
Some may have expected a fancy, expensive dish or international cuisine that can scarcely be found stateside. While those can be appealing, I’d be lying if I claimed any food other than a deli sandwich as my personal favorite.
Lucky for me, Reno has no shortage of sandwich shops, many of which aren’t lackluster chains. We have a healthy dose of locally owned deli counters and specialty shops to choose from for our lunchtime cravings. I make it, quite literally, my job to know where to get the best sandwiches around, and each occasion may have a different answer.
So, imagine my surprise when I came across a sandwich shop I hadn’t yet visited. The Urban Deli opened in 2019 in the Sierra Meadows Plaza on South Virginia Street (7111 S Virginia Street, Suite 5), near Camp Bow Wow, Bistro 7 and Chihuahua’s Cantina & Grill.
The shop leans into its surroundings. The sandwiches are all named after roads in Reno, including Kietzke Lane, Pyramid Way and Double R Boulevard. It makes for an interesting tiebreaker if you’re ever stumped on what to order. Do you prefer turkey, bacon and jalapeño pepper jack with chipotle mayonnaise or ham and pastrami with American cheese on Dutch crunch? Ask yourself instead, would you rather drive down McCarran or Lakeside?
My favorite has more to do with the sandwich ingredients than it does the name. On the Idlewild, chicken and bacon get a kick of flavor from the “sriRANCHa” spread over a soft roll. It’s also made with lettuce, onions and tomato. It usually comes with provolone, but I’ll take American or Vermont cheddar over that any day of the week.
Urban Deli opened mere months before the pandemic shut many businesses down. Despite an unlucky timeline, the business has survived. While the names may evoke nostalgia for long-time Renoites, it’s likely the flavors that keep them coming back.
The first thing I noticed walking in was how cute and clean it was. It felt like a place I’d want to hang out in—charming and bright. The second sense that was tickled was smell. The aromas hit me immediately— and let’s just say it— there isn’t that distinct Subway onion smell. No, The Urban Deli smells like herbed chicken and sizzling bacon.
The ingredients taste fresh, and there are plenty to choose from. In addition to signature sandwiches, made with Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, one can also make one’s own from the ingredients list. Meat options include ham, salami, roast beef and pastrami. For cheese, there are all the classics as well as horseradish cheddar.
The list of spreads, breads and toppings is just as long, offering up everything from a hearty helping of avocado to a garlic pesto house sauce.
Every month there’s a special sandwich on offer.
The extras here are pretty simple. Customers pick a sandwich and then can add a soda, tea and/or chips by making a meal. There is also the option for pasta salad as a side.
Unless you request a cold sandwich specifically, all of the options come toasted, but that doesn’t translate to wilting lettuce and warm tomatoes. Those fresh ingredients stay crisp.
There are salads on the menu too. Named for regions of Reno instead of streets, choose between an Old Southwest cobb salad, complete with chicken, bacon, avocado, grape tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, black beans, corn, romaine lettuce and a chipotle-ranch dressing or the Midtown chicken Caesar salad with chicken, shredded parmesan, onions, croutons, chopped romaine and Caesar dressing.
Dining with kids? A ham and cheese sandwich served with goldfish crackers and juice is a daily option.
Some days, there are also desserts, including cinnamon peach bread, a brookie and raspberry bars.
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