Filled from wall to counter with simple woodenbrchairs and diner tables, there’s not much room to mingle or meander atbrWeinberger’s Deli. But that’s exactly the intention. Patterned after abrtraditional Chicago eatery, Weinberger’s is designed for quick service with justbrenough space for patrons to sit down and enjoy the special sandwiches.
Located in historic downtown Grapevine, Weinberger’sbrseems, at first glance, to be just like any other deli. You might be lookingbrfor some character, and quite literally, you’ll find it. There are caricaturesbrof the people for which the sandwiches are named on the walls throughout thebrdeli.
A variety of meat, cheese, veggie and breadbrcombinations pay homage to well-known and local celebrities. Are you in thebrmood for hot pastrami? Try Joe King’s Pastrami (hot pastrami, coleslaw, redbronion, Russian dressing and Swiss cheese served on a toasted, seeded bun) – abrfavorite inspired by Southlake’s current citizen of the year. Would you ratherbrhave meatloaf? Try Don and Wanda’s Meatloaf (hot meatloaf, melted Americanbrcheese, grilled onions and ketchup served on Texas toast). The sandwichbrcreations earn their names from being a “famous” regular’s usual order, or whatbrowner Dan Weinberger deemed as an appropriate homage to that person.
Dan Weinberger opened his Grapevine deli inbr2002 serving up hundreds of sandwich styles he either tweaked or createdbrhimself. In building his own deli, he relied on memories from his youth spentbrtraveling around the Windy City with his father who owned five delis and soldbrmeat. Dan describes Chicago as a melting pot, and attributes his wealth ofbrflavor knowledge to the many restaurants he would enjoy with his father. Those experiences,brcoupled with the culinary arts training he received down the line, broughtbrabout this delicious delicatessen.
The portions are generous, served up fresh andbrmade to order with potato chips and usually a pickle spear, in a red basket.brAlthough Weinberger’s Deli is a self-serve restaurant, you don’t feel rushedbrwhen ordering or dining. It’s a place to take a load off and enjoy your meal.brOur party was small, and we only sampled two of more than 80 menu choicesbravailable.
Thoughts on the California Club: With abrgenerous helping of turkey, bacon and cheddar cheese, you’d think therebrwouldn’t be any more room between the toasted multigrain ciabatta roll halves.brBut Weinberger’s manages to squeeze in spring mix, tomatoes, red onions andbravocado—all topped with a honey Sriracha mustard. Although the sandwich wasbrhearty, it was not heavy, and the multigrain bread was unique for a club. Itbrwas thick with a crunchy crust, but the inside was pleasantly doughy.
Thoughts on the Italian Roast Beef (hot, wetbrand cheesy): According to Weinberger’s, if you don’t know what that means—youbrshouldn’t be ordering it. So it’s a good thing the individual in our party whobrplaced this order wasn’t a first timer. Served on a 12" wheat hoagie,brthe roast beef—hot, wet and cheesy—comes topped with giardiniera (pickledbrpeppers and veggies), is dipped in au jus and served with cheese.
If these don’t sound like they’d cut it—meaningbryour appetite is a bit bigger—try the one of their
super-sized sandwiches.brServed on toasted jalapeno-cheddar bread, the Oscar is made with heatedbrmortadella, Genoa salami, pepperoni and capicola meats. Add provolone, avocado,brgiardiniera, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, Italian dressing and seasoning, andbryou’ve got an award-winning sandwich—that is if they gave local sandwichbrawards.
Weinberger’s Deli isn’t just about sandwichesbrthough: They offer salads, gyros, vegetarian fare and hotdogs. The Chicago Dogbrcomes topped with your standard yellow mustard, onions and relish as well asbrtomato wedges, a couple of sport peppers, celery salt and a pickle, all servedbron a poppy seed bun.
Forget those all too common New Year’s resolutions.brYou don’t always have to eat your vegetables—unless they come on a Queen ofbrHearts (a sandwich of artichoke hearts, crushed red and black peppers, sautéedbrmushrooms, roasted tomatoes, spring mix and banana peppers). You may come forbrthe funny names, but you’ll stay for the great tastes.
Details
Weinberger’s Deli
601 S. Main St., Ste. 100, Grapevine
817.416.5577
WeinbergersDeli.com
Other locations
3 Village Cir., Ste. 116, Westlake
817.491.9119
311 E. Hickory St., Denton
940.566.5900