There was a time in Charlottesville where the only place you could order a sandwich or sub was at a diner. There were no sub shops or deli’s in in town. Now there is one on every corner and in every strip mall. Lots are good, some not so much.
When Jersey’ Joe’s opened at Forest Lakes, Nancy and I tried it out. We had seen it on the food channel. We were deeply disappointed. The sandwich was all bread and lettuce, not enough meat to taste. I would have ordered double meat and paid the price, like at Subway’s, but I’ve never been back.
But there is one deli in C’ville that is consistently good. Jason’s Deli in Shopper’s World, near Staples. When Nancy meets up with guests, clients or friends for lunch, it’s usually Jason’s. They have an extensive menu of soups, salads, pasta and sandwiches – all freshly made. Jason’s is a tad on the pricey side, but they put plenty on their sandwiches and offer a good value.
Jason’s was founded in Beaumont, Texas in 1976. They now have about 270 stores in 29 states. The company offers a standard deli style menu including traditional sandwiches such as Po’boys and Muffalettas. Each deli has a salad bar and a daily soup selection. They also serve other items, such as baked potatoes, pastas and salads. The company does $500 million in annual sales. That’s a lot of sandwiches.
Some of the sandwiches I’m familiar with include Reuben The Great, the Deli Club and Papa Joe with roasted turkey breast, asiago, roasted tomatoes, pesto aioli and toasted herb focaccia.
Nancy loves their soups and salads. They do a nice Broccoli Cheese Soup and the Big Chef Salad includes ham, roasted turkey breast, asiago, cheddar, grape tomatoes, kalamata olives and hard-boiled egg slices on mixed salad greens. I’ve never had a dish or sandwich at Jason’s that wasn’t delicious.
But deep down inside, the main reason Nancy, all her friends and I go to Jason’s is because they have free ice cream. And as Jason’s says, “Everyone deserves dessert!”