Cafe Old Nelson

I love Jewish Delis. So I concluded my World Cup weekend with lunch at 4th Street. It was as good…read moreas can be. I had the extra sized pastrami Rueben on toasted rye. Massive. The meat was moist, tasty, properly salted, with a discernible bark. The amount of cheese, sauerkraut, & dressing accentuated the pastrami, although so much meat would be hard to impact! It needed the long spear to stay together. But yet I could cut & shave & make mini sandwiches. The potato salad was a great refresher. Not too tart, with carrots, celery, & I could taste onion. The pickle was not too acidic. Great crunch. A nice interlude between bites of the sandwich & potato salad. I took my time. It went into overtime. Washing it down with coke. My taste buds won. Great service. A nice diner like vibe. Incredible menu. We don't have this level of Jewish Deli in the Bay Area. I'd go every week. $36.18 is with it! I threw in a $10 tip for a great meal & nice waitress.

My mother has been a loyal customer of 4th Street Deli for many years, so this review is especially…read moredisappointing to write. Most of our food was delicious as usual. While I was downtown, I picked up about $92 worth of food, including 1 1/2 pounds of shrimp salad that couldn't be ordered online because, for some reason, the website would not allow it. The very next day, when we went to eat it, something was clearly wrong. The shrimp salad caused a tingling sensation on our tongues, and it was obvious it had gone bad. I called the deli to let them know not just because we couldn't eat it, but because I thought they would want to know if there was a potential issue with the batch. Instead of receiving an apology or any concern, I was met with a dismissive response of, "Oh, that's weird," and the conversation felt condescending. I explained that I couldn't bring the shrimp salad back because I'm leaving town and my mother has limited mobility. I wasn't asking for a refund on our entire order. I simply asked if they could issue a gift card or store credit for the shrimp salad so my mother could use it on a future visit. Every possible solution I suggested was met with an excuse as to why it couldn't be done. The spoiled food was disappointing, but the lack of empathy and customer service was worse. Loyal customers deserve to be treated with respect when they raise a legitimate concern. After years of supporting 4th Street Deli, this experience has unfortunately convinced us that it will be our last visit. I'm reading they have new owners, so maybe it's not the same amazing management we are used to.

Vintage interior

Choc. Bobka French Toast

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Inside

Hershel's East Side Deli

4.4(986 reviews)

0.3 mi•Market East

The only place I can compare it to is the former Wolfie's on Collins Avenue in Miami Beach. It…read moreserved a large Jewish community very well until it closed back in 2002. But, I must tell you... Hershel's Corned Beef Reuben was way better than any sandwich I ever had there. The cut of meat is thicker and the portion sizes are huge. My husband thinks he heard the guy say it was three-quarters of a pound of corned beef. I believe it because it definitely felt like there was at least 6 ounces on my half of the sandwich. I'm glad we decided to split it. It was totally worth the price that we paid for it. We arrived around 4:00 pm on a Thursday. It was busy at the market, but not as busy as it was on Saturday. We were tossed between the Reuben and the Rachel. The difference is that the Rachel has cole slaw instead of sauerkraut. I don't think you can go wrong either way. It didn't take long for the order to be ready. The service was great. They split the sandwiches and wrapped them individually. We each got a pickle spear. We didn't have to go too far to find seats. They have bar seating along the back counter that's specifically for their customers. The Reuben was very tasty. I even liked the pickle. I think they have desserts, but we had no room for it. I'd love to return one day to try their pastrami, and maybe even the breakfast. I wish we would have had more time to try one of these sandwiches on Challah bread. The menu has a little something for anyone craving a Jewish style deli experience. It's worth a visit when at Reading Terminal Market.

Corned beef on rye- Potato knish…read moreCorned beef was tender and tasty- seeded rye was old and couldn't hold up to the meat without tearing. Potato knish was not even warm- ask RUDE COUNTER STAFF if they could heat it up- I was told it is warm comes right out of a warmer- I said don't care where it's coming from it's NOT HOT can you please heat it up- nothing!!! Didn't eat it but was stilled charged for it ZERO+++ CUSTOMER SERVICE

2.4 mi•Spruce Hill, University City

Hershel's Brisket

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Hershel's Brisket

Koch's Deli

3.9(322 reviews)

The most amazing sandwich ever made! The ingredients and craftsmanship are top tier! Koch's really…read moredoesn't miss!!

Top 5 non-cheesesteak things I have eaten on my cheesesteak adventure. Koch's Deli has been on my…read morego-to list for a while. They have a 4.8 rating on Google Maps. It's summer, so I was hoping they wouldn't be crowded. I was reading their online menu. Most of their sandwiches have fun names. I looked at the steak sandwich section. There were no fun names. When I arrived at Koch's, I was greeted by a nice young man. I told him I review cheesesteaks but felt like I should get a sandwich that was more representative of Koch's. He suggested the Jewish Hoagie. I didn't realize how much he would change my life. I took my Jewish Hoagie to 2SP Brewing in Aston. I was taking pictures of my Jewish Hoagie at the bar. My new best friend Paul came over to ask where I got the hoagie. My Jewish Hoagie was amazing. Plus, it is fun to say 'My Jewish Haogie.'

0.4 mi•Rittenhouse Square

Homemade salads

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Schlesinger's

3.3(351 reviews)

Yum!! A jewish deli is always going to be a hit in my book and Schlesinger's is no exception…read more The staff is always so lovely, food comes out quick and the menu is huge and delish. Tons of seating inside and even when they are busy, they are quick to get folks in without rushing people out. I haven't explored their lunch/dinner menu yet, but their breakfast is so good and fresh.

Won award as one of the top twenty diners in the US in 2019. Really just pretty average and very…read moreJewish menu. Well worth a visit in busy part of center city Philadelphia. Family business that has survived and seems to be doing well. Lots of wall pictures of history and menu with nice touch of Jewish jokes inside cover. Coffee as you expect in diner and hash with potatoes ok and plentiful. Friendly service in clean environment. Good but apart from the history nothing special.

0.4 mi•Penn Center, Rittenhouse Square

Deli counter and the famous Dee

Random TooGoodToGo Chocolate pineapple cake- 3 slices

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Di Bruno Bros.

4.0(641 reviews)

Private events

Grab-and-go

I mean... where to begin?…read more DiBruno Brothers is an institution in Philly that lives up to the hype. Amazing boutique foods, cheeses, butcher shops, funky coffees, sandwiches and more. The staff is super knowledgeable and helpful, and the hustle and bustle of the place makes it feel like an experience. The store doesn't waste an inch of space, so be prepared to literally have to look high and low for what you need, but you'll find gems along the journey.

I can't believe I slept on Di Bruno Bros for so long. The grocery aspect is wonderful, there are…read moredelectable, local cheeses, chips, meats. breads, cakes, sandwiches to go, and plenty of drinks to choose from. We walked in for a late lunch and were overwhelmed by all our options. There's also a butcher's shop if you want fresh meats, and a designated cafe section for beverages and pastries to go. I chose an eggplant sandwich, which was thinly sliced, breaded, and fried, with mozzarella, and artichokes. The sandwich itself was so filling. The chips and pickle were an added bonus. They heated it for us before we went upstairs to eat. There's a quieter section with more ambiance upstairs, so we enjoyed the ac while we ate. I came back a few days later for a strawberry shortcake, and it was worth the trip. I love cake, so the miniature options were appealing and practical. Most of the cakes range from $12-30..Which is not a bad price for how much you get!

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Dolores

4.6(41 reviews)

2.2 mi•Pennsport

It was dumb luck that I got hungry in this neighborhood and found Dolores. What a spectacular…read moretreat this place is. I could tell they have a lot of regulars. I went w one of their signature sandwiches and it far exceeded expectations. They make all orders while you wait so you know it's fresh. They were so nice and honestly I was in and out of there. You get a massive amount of food for the price. I ordered a small and it was fantastic and a great value.

Great place. Had the pizza steak which was very good, old school style. Great taste, perfect…read moresize, we also had a cutlet sandwich which was great. Not sure what took me so long to get there. We will be back

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Marinucci's Deli - Mayfair

4.3(219 reviews)

8.4 mi•Mayfair

A1 neighborhood deli. Best hoagies in the area. Authentic The staff is very personal and…read moreaccommodating. My faves are the chicken salad and Italian. They even offer some outdoor dining as well. Definitely recommend :)

I feel like I'm late to the party with this spot. Definitely one of the best hoagies I've had in a…read morevery long time and I'm general. Call before you go, this will save you a few minutes. All in all this is one of if not the best Hoagie in the city !!

Interior

The Nucci Hoagie - prosciutto, sharp provolone roasted peppers on their classic Italian. Delicious

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Hymie's Delicatessen

3.9(461 reviews)

5.5 mi

A delicatessen with a pickle bar?! Count me in! A must visit destination for me when visiting one…read moreof my besties in Philly. I've been for breakfast, lunch and dinner through the years. Their challah French toast is something I often think fondly of! They've always been super friendly, and this location may be older but kept clean. I would not just return, but suggest others to stop by in they are visiting the area!

My partner had been to both Murray's Deli and Hymie's Deli in Ardmore. We wanted to have lunch…read moreafter an appointment, so I took a quick look on Yelp, and decided to go to Hymie's. It was packed - only a few tables were available at 12:30 on a Friday afternoon. We were immediately seated and looked over the menu. We decided to share a 1/2 Pastrami sandwich ( you can order 1/2 a sandwich ), 1/2 a Corned Beef sandwich, an order of Potato Latkes and we each had a small bowl of Chicken Matzo Ball soup. The soup was delicious - it was a little bowl with tiny shreds of carrots and chicken. The broth tasted very good, however, the matzo ball was a 'little' different. They were light and fluffy - but there was no texture or flavor at all....none. I would have thought the matzo balls would have absorbed some of the flavor from the soup, but it didn't. I finished the soup, but left the matzo ball. My partner likes pastrami over corned beef - she says it's a more 'peppery' flavor. While I probably prefer corned beef over pastrami because it's a leaner cut, my 'baseline' for pastrami is Katz's (NYC). I'm sure Katz's has great corned beef, but I've only had pastrami there - it's the best I've had. I thought my Corned Beef sandwich was excellent - it was lean, tender and very tasty. I squeeze out a little mound of mustard on my plate and dip. My partner thought her Pastrami sandwich was very good - it was also quite lean. I took a few bites of the pastrami, I thought my corned beef was tastier and had more texture. It almost seemed like they sliced the pastrami too thin. She liked her pastrami more than my corned beef - I suppose it's all a matter of individual taste. The Potato Latkes were delicious - especially with the applesauce! They were a little thicker than I might have preferred, possibly from either potato starch or matzo meal. However, there was a very nice potato taste and the thicker texture was fine. Of course, on the way out I saw a large selection of pasties and had to try a few! I got a few of the Rugelach and a Poppy Hamantash. The Rugelach were a disappointment - the interiors of all were very thick and doughy. I ate some of the exterior layers.....and left the rest. The Poppy Hamantash, on the other hand was one of the best I've had. It was by far the largest one I've ever had! As a result, there wasn't enough Mohn (poppy filling) for such a large pastry! The filling was very good as was the cookie (it was like 1/2 scone and 1/2 cookie)! Overall, Hymie's exceeded my expectations and I'll look forward to returning.

Interior

Potato pancakes

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Exterior

Cosmi's Deli

4.2(458 reviews)

1.7 mi•Passyunk Square

After hearing a lot of hype about this being one of the best delis in Philadelphia I wanted to find…read moreout for myself. To get right into it, I will say our to go order had a few errors. One sub was missing cheese and three were missing marinara. Taste wise I would say they're cheesesteak is solid, but could use some sort of seasoning. I highly recommend getting the seeded roll. Their roasted pork was good as well. I can't say either were the best I've ever had, but definitely above average. Overall, I would say give this place a shot, I would come here again, but would definitely double check my to go order before leaving.

Have been to Cosmi's many times. Loved the place. Huge hoagies. Was in three days ago. Ordered two…read morehoagies. Not impressed at all. Yes, tasted good but really thin on the interior. I paid $32 for a lot of seeded roll. Not happy about that. This is usually a five star joint. Not this trip. There are far too many locations in the NJ/Philly metro area for me to back to Cosmi's. Sorry. Jason Blum Washington, DC

0.6 mi•Franklintown, Art Museum District, Fairmount, Logan Square, Spring Garden

Lg Big Dom Cutlet

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Christie's Deli

4.8(216 reviews)

Super cute fam runs this place. It's clear that they care about their customers and have many…read moreregulars Chicken club- triple decker sandwich! The bread I felt was a little too dry and crisp. The sauce was very yummy and elevated the sandwich. The chicken itself was also seasoned and not dry, which I feel like is common Shrimp taco- this was the special! Fantastic. It was creamy and flavorful. There was a nice crunch from the cabbage slaw too. This was also super filling too. They def don't skimp on the shrimp.

Wanted something fairly light for lunch and this popped up on my search. Easy ordering process,…read morefood was ready slightly earlier than promised. I had the turkey sandwich and it was generously portioned and able to pick and choose what went into the sandwich, it was exactly what I wanted and it was delicious!

Menu

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B. Christie's Breakfast

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Lucy C.

0

25

0

17 years ago

I love this little place. I have them deliver lunch at my office regularly and am always happy with my sandwich or salad. I love their BLTs. They are also super cheap, which I love! read more

Joel D.

0

1

1 year ago

Amazing flavor of the wrap, fast preparation time, and customer service was outstanding. I highly recommend coming here whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. read more

Sophie H.

0

28

0

14 years ago

It's fine, but why is this Old Nelson more expensive than all the other Old Nelsons?

Cafe Old Nelson - delis - Updated September 2026

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The most absolute neighborhood Deli and corner store…read more Excellent Boar's Head Deli products! Great baked goods! Awesome selection of beverages, snacks, hummus and ice cream! The Team of this Deli are absolutely awesome!

Fresh and affordable deli sandwiches! Friendly customer service. There's a seating area in the…read moreback, and lots of snacks and drinks to choose from. Such a gem! My favorite sandwich is the buffalo chicken panini. My coworker's favorite is the Italian hoagie.

Old Nelson Food

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Good sandwich, fresh mango on it. Unique combo's, fresh food. Bodega like, no real seating just to…read morego.

$13.68 for a Chicken Salad Hoagie, chips, candy and an apple juice. You can't beat that for lunch…read more Figured I'd try this spot out for lunch instead of the usual student filled spots and I'm so happy I did. For starters I've never seen so many specials running at once all around a store. It's also so much things crammed in this store that I could've spent 45-minutes alone to browse, but I LOVE IT. This place is like a corner store mixed with grocery store! The sandwich was good, service was fast, you can eat inside or outside and I agree with the review... this spot is like the old school WaWa.

Jake & Max's Deli

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This deli is located in the Concourse, housed in the basement floor of the Comcast Center as one of…read moremany spots in its food court. It's personally my favorite of the different selections, with a lot of market-style foods (i.e., wraps, sandwiches, salads, and soups). My go-to order is always their Chicken Caesar Wrap, which typically is for $10.49 and is a great portion size for one of the most affordable prices in the Center City West area during work lunch periods. The service goes quick since it's deli-style, but the food is delicious every time and makes for a great meal. Even during rush hour meal times, it's prepared well and always a spot I revisit when working in my office two blocks over.

We ordered 3 corned beef specials ($11.99 each) which come…read morewith Swiss cheese (we subbed American cheese on one) and a nice crisp sliced pickle. Sandwiches were made with Russian dressing on the fresh rye bread then very lean corned beef (not a speck of fat or gristle) then delicious coleslaw and more lean corned beef, Russian dressing and the fresh rye bread lid of the sandwich. Sandwiches are pleasantly generously sized and we all are saving our second half for later. Thankfully they serve you your sandwich in nice plastic containers. We highly recommend getting the corned beef specials!!!! The staff are pleasant and welcoming.

Bain's Deli

3.0

(9 reviews)

Found this place while working in the area and wow glad I have been choosing it for my go to lunch…read morespot. I actually think I'll order from there today for lunch but switch up and try a different sandwich. Ordered the blt sandwich on rye bread, macaroni salad, tried the potato salad and ordered some Dirty bbq chips- and wow so tasty. The blt was made fresh and the salads were very fresh and tasty as well. The dirty chips were crunchy and definitely not like other chips I've had. Kinda taste like kettle cooked chips. Definitely recommend this place for a yummy sandwich.

I give it 3 1/2 stars…read more It's a mall shop with plenty of seating. Hubby had half a sandwich which he said was very good. I had the tomato Florentine soup and it was just ok. I'm a soup lover. The staff was friendly. I'm sure this place gets busy during the week at lunch. I was there around 6pm and it was quiet. Will I be back? Hubby might but me for soup.. nah.

Christie's Deli

4.8

(216 reviews)

Super cute fam runs this place. It's clear that they care about their customers and have many…read moreregulars Chicken club- triple decker sandwich! The bread I felt was a little too dry and crisp. The sauce was very yummy and elevated the sandwich. The chicken itself was also seasoned and not dry, which I feel like is common Shrimp taco- this was the special! Fantastic. It was creamy and flavorful. There was a nice crunch from the cabbage slaw too. This was also super filling too. They def don't skimp on the shrimp.

Wanted something fairly light for lunch and this popped up on my search. Easy ordering process,…read morefood was ready slightly earlier than promised. I had the turkey sandwich and it was generously portioned and able to pick and choose what went into the sandwich, it was exactly what I wanted and it was delicious!

3J's Food Market Fishtown

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Mostly garbage. The Caesar wrap is tiny and underfilled, the first time in my life I haven't liked…read morea Caesar wrap. They've forgotten items from our order before. I gave a star because I like that they have international store items.

I love this market! Very friendly people, the take out is fantastic! The food is fresh and…read moredelicious. The atmosphere is lovely. From beer, coffee, fresh salad etc... feels like home.

The Coventry Deli

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Busy deli right in center city that gets quite busy during lunch hours. The menu is quite expansive…read morefor all types of hot foods, entrees, and handhelds. They also have a great bakery counter with treats and cookies. Inside has a few tables to sit as well if you want to eat there. To order, just wait in line for the counter you want food from and then head over to the cashier area. Have had a hoagie and a sandwich here on two occasions, as well as some bakery items. Ingredients all fresh and decent quality, but the cookies are great. Not sure if they're made in house or a different bakery. Some of the prices are a bit higher than other options, though the selection here makes up for that. Thanks

I think the service staff was extremely helpful. I had the Asian salad which I thought was…read moredelicious. My concern is I watch the utility worker take a tray from the serving line and smashed down the trash at the entrance.

JC Food Market

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Yummy and cheap food with lots of options. Neighborhood staple!! I wish they were open later for…read moremidnight munchies lol.

They are so very nice and the food is good. I can only get the fries because I'm vegan but they're…read morevery good. I have friends who've ordered other thing and it is good food. Lovely corner store.

Yum Yum Deli

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If you're anything like me, you probably wouldn't think to grab a bite from a corner store…read more Usually, you'd go for whatever's trending on social media or featured in Philly Mag. But in a pinch, I stopped into this little mom-and-pop spot and I'm so glad I did. The breakfast was great! Fresh, hot, and flavorful. And the price? Practically unbeatable in this city. It's the kind of place that reminds you why local gems matter. No frills, just solid food made right. Definitely worth a stop if you're nearby. Highly recommend.

Yum Yum deli is right on time for a quick bite to eat! Service was fast and friendly. The store is…read moresmall but clean and we had breakfast! My son purchased an egg player with home fries and I had a bagel with cream cheese! Everything was fresh and homemade, so you can't beat us! I'm The price was right, less than $10 bucks and I purchased the aloe Vera drink which is one of my favorites . If you want me to bee honest, There are 3 gambling machines and I dint approve of them! Do we really want our children to learn how to play an addictive game or go play sports like dance, football, basketball and baseball! Please God take the slots off our corners!

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