I am glad RC Rodgers and Taneytown in Catonsville did not make the list. THEY ARE A SECRET.

I just refuse to eat at a deli that spells it "delly." For some reason that just sets my teeth on edge.

Two more secrets. The best Italian cold cut sub you can get anywhere is at Cannella's on Belair Road in Perry Hall. Also Savory on Rt. 152 in Fallston has good fresh made breakfast sandwiches, sandwiches, subs and other homemade food. And both serve much higher quality meats (Boar's Head) than places like Mary Mervis.

There was a great deli on Washington Blvd near Jessup..DUKE'S, Duke retired then Rocket (and his famous chili)took over without a drop off in quality...but the last time eeh...

Quote from my husband regarding RC Rodgers Deli in Catonsville: "Oh no, it’s closed and replaced with new coolers. They moved all the domestics over there and added to the craft beer selection quite nicely. I’ve talked to them about it. It’s not coming back."

No mention of Isabella's in Little Italy? Best sandwiches by far.

how can you include a town 45 minutes away in the top list of anything Baltimore? Should not the capital of the state have its own paper and lists? Ugh.

Sorry, I'm not sure why you think this blog is limited to Baltimore. Look at former Top 10 lists and you'll see I try (not always successfully) to include Annapolis, Columbia, Ellicott City, Bel Air -- wherever in Maryland I might have readers. EL

Boars Head brand is quality meat, one of the only reasons I shop in Publix.

Even though they spell it "delly", you should try Chick and Ruth's. I don't like the spelling either, but their food is very good.

I have to agree with dcdiva...taneytown deli is catonsville is absolutely incredible. I have only been to 5 of on the deli's on the top 10 list, but of those 5, taneytown certainly has the high card against them.

Chick and Ruth's is the greasiest joint in town and not what I think of as a deli! I've gotten sick both times I've eaten there.

If you want a great deli sandwich in Annapolis, I highly recommend Sammy's Deli/The Big Cheese.

Problem is, people go to a deli not for the menu but because they're looking for a favorite dish -- hot pastrami, corned beef, potato knish, cheese blintz, kugel, chicken soup, even something as simple as halvah. So how do you rate them as a whole? You don't. How about follow-up Top Tens at some future date, comparing blintzes, matzoh ball soup, etc?

1. Attman's
2. Taneytown. Impressively quick mention of this one by dcdiva. Make sure you check the hours of operation before you get too primed for your sammich.

Just so everyone knows, there is also a 2nd Taneytown Deli on York Rd. just north of Paper Mill Rd. near Hunt Valley. I could'nt believe it myself, but when I went in, the menu and the food was identical to the Catonsville location. Fantastic!

You said it, mfunk, Canella's has INCREDIBLE subs.

EL: if you want to include your readers, you forgot to include a good deli in Boulder, for Bucky :-)

Listen, no one here knows their ass from a hole in the ground. First off, to put that horrible Lennys/sysco into any kind of a good category is to say that the battle in Iraq is a good one. In fact, forget any list here Elizabeth. There are no good delis in this area. You must travel to nYC to even get to a decent one. Stick with seafood for this one. Delis are dead here. Maybe edmart used to be good.

Pastore's on loch raven blvd

Attman's? Yet another place that makes a list just because they've happened to have been around for a while. I've never been there when they haven't been gruff and perturbed.
Surburban House rocks.

John's on Annapolis Rd. and Taneytown!!

And so elegantly put, jon

I can not believe there are complaints about having Chick and Ruth's or Attmans on the list. What's wrong with you people? Maybe I can see arguing that Chick and Ruth's is more diner than deli, but Attmans? If you don't think Attman's deserves to be on this, you're probably the kind of person who puts mayo on their corned beef.

On the snark today, Jon? Ain't NO deli worth traveling to NYC for...I gave up on that city twenty years ago.

Elizabeth, you named two of my favorite delis, so I like your list. When you get around to Italian delis, I nominate Pastore's in Towson for THE best Italian cold cut sub, PERIOD. I'd think Trinacria would be at the top of that list.

IM TRYING TO FIND GOOD BREAKFAST PLACES IN BALTIMORE AREA THAT ARE OPEN ON SUNDAY MORNINGS...AND NOT BUFFETS......ANYONE?

Since voodoopork got his BWI (blogging while intoxicated), I will have to speak for him.

Attman's blows. I stand by that. It borders on the disgusting. I would call it barely acceptable for some things and downright revolting for others. jon is as right as he is elegant in manner - I haven't been to a decent delly in Baltimore. And I hate mayo. NYC all the way.

Please use your indoor voice Robert.

There's a whole brunch category on the right sidebar. Try that.

LENNYS??? I think you need o get your taste buds checked.

I've always enjoyed The Barron @Lex Market. I get a kick out of the whole "you can't get good pizza/deli outside of NYC"thing. Well thats ok ....I'll take a crab cake (and other seafood) as my town's signature dish over sandwiches and pizza any day.

I hate the fact that Towson Delly spells their name that way... however... their shrimp salad is the best I have ever had and their sandwhiches and home cut french fries are also outstanding. Plus, while you are waiting you can wander over to ProAm Sports and gawk at all of the jerseys being custom embroidered for the big leaguers.

In rating delis, may I suggest that you separate out the cafeteria delis from the sit-down-and-be-waited on delis. Attman's, Lenny's, Millers' and some others you "list" are cafeterias; Suburban House is a sit-down deli. I don't know about the new Freda's, haven't been there. But in rating delis, it's important, I think, to separate out one from the other--cafe vs sit-down. There is a big difference.
Gil Sandler

That's your job. :-) EL

Lenny's in Owings Mills is overrated and overpriced.

Liz my dear.... its a sad day in the Baltimore Metro when that's the list. Have you been to some of them recently?

Not one Italian Deli on the list btw and there are several deserving wouldn't you say? Trinacria, DiPasquale Cannella, Tosca, Mastellone, Pastore I am sure those names ring a bell and each one could replace a name on your list hands down.

But back to your list,... when was it written, 1980, 81???

With the exception of Attman's most of your list has been mailing it in for years.

For something new and fresh, it might be time to go to Pickles and Chips on Joppa Rd in Towson. A traditional deli in the Attamans/Manhattan mold. It deserves to be packed daily but I am afraid we might soon lose this place.

Lenny's...on Lombard??? Really?????

I'm going to try to talk in my quiet voice here but I'm not sure I can manage it. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE SO ANXIOUS TO SAY SOMETHING NASTY YOU DON'T EVEN BOTHER TO READ WHAT I SAID ABOUT HAVING A SEPARATE TOP 10 LIST OF ITALIAN DELIS?

There. I feel better now. EL

For years listening to people talk about it, I thought Chick and Ruth's was "Chicken Ruth's" - until I finally went one day, and got a look at the sign. I wouldn't call it a deli, but maybe because I always have breakfast there.

Their sandwich board with the sandwiches named after famous politicos always makes me chuckle because it reminds me of the "Larry David Sandwich" episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry's sandwich was whitefish, sable, capers, onions and cream cheese. The owner said he could change it only if someone else traded with him, but no one would once they heard the ingredients.

That's what I love about the Sandbox: an open FORUM wherein we can share our thoughts, however stupid they may be. While it's clear that EL listed the delis alphabetically, too many sanders chose to eschew the body of the blog. Shame on you! (And high five to EL for venting!)

I saw the Italian Deli disclaimer. Open eyes, read text. Pretty simple, huh?

On another note, the best deli Baltimore ever had was the Homewood Deli. I still miss them.

Delis are not a happy subject, apparently. I suggest that for next week, we do something uncontroversial.

How about 10 best places to get foie gras?

Well, well, Elizabeth using her outdoor voice! That's new. I completely understand though, since I was thinking what a bunch of chowderheads some of you are - she said Italian delis get their own list. Jeez. Chowderhead Tuesday.

RC Rodgers did away with their deli? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

I can see why they closed it though. It was a deli inside a booze shop, and most people went there for booze. AMAZING cold cuts though. Taneytown for me then.

Piano Rob--eschew. Another one of my fave words! And it goes so well with the theme of this blog.

Sanders?

VoR, would you prefer Boxers?

I read that but really, while you may have a top ten Itallian Deli down the road, surely one or two belong to on top ten list of deli's in general, especially given the sorry state of Baltimore delis in general.

I know this is a top ten blog but sometimes there just are not ten good enough to qualify, I think that is the case in this particular list.

At the very least, if you haven't gone to Pickle and Chips in Towson you might want to think of a revise down the road.

Who knew you could argue so articulately after your first post? :-) EL

If it is the same Barron's that I know from catering, they leave alot to be desired. I have never tried their "deli" food, but we get catering from them alot (by sales reps, not by choice) and their pastas, lasagna,and eggplant parmesan are horrible. I used to work for an italian family and that food isn't italian. It is seldom that I turn down free food, and I won't eat their's.

Pickles and Chips is very overpriced. I went there a few months and will not go back.

How about Denizens of the Sand?

Our neighbours to the south weigh in:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/08/AR2008080801945.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

Maybe I'll change my name to Sand Tart--or is that one already taken?

Sand Monkeys

How about the Wine Merchant at 83 and falls Road?

If we're talking Jewish Style deli here, which I think we started off with; some of these places while they make a fine sandwich just don't qualify. Maybe one really does need to have tried a NY deli to really understand what it is - it's more than the sandwich. It's a combo of the thick hand sliced fresh baked crusty rye bread, it's the deli mustard, it's the freshly sliced corned beef (or brisket or pastrami) and the shmear of deli mustard. Additionally, it's matzoh ball soup with matzoh balls that are enormous but light and soup that tastes like someones grandmother just made it. It's a really great bagel (another whole discussion) with a variety of schmears available, the choice of nova or belly - if not more; sliced onions, etc. Tongue, chopped liver and herring should also be on the menu as well a variety of smoked white fish including the ever popular revelation (I don't know if I spelled that right and I believe that everywhere but Baltimore it's called sable). In my own opinion, although all of the places named have a great sandwich, Suburban House and Miller's come closest to the actual NY experience here in Baltimore, but that's just MHO for what it's worth.

awaits patiently for the Italian deli post :-)

About the Attman's comment.. I wonder- have you ever been to a really good jewish deli in NY or NJ? They're ALWAYS gruff and perturbed. It's part of the appeal. The food is genuine, and so is their demeanor.
Give it another try.

When I was in lower Manhattan, my favorite deli was the Rector Street deli, a couple blocks south of the WTC.
yeah, they were a little gruff, but the food was excellent.

If you haven't yelled at a deli, then you haven't been to a real deli. It's generally "nice" yelling, but it's a necessary way of asserting yourself in the hubbub. (I can't believe I wrote hubbub). I learned about jostling for counter place, yelling out and ordering succinctly and promptly at the Homewood deli. Dawdling and ordering poorly will get you dismissed at a good deli. There is a certain level of assertiveness that borders on aggression by customer and deli employee alike. It seems rude at first, but that's what you call New York style.

Until you question what they are doing (Is that lean? I said no mayo!) and they treat you like the dog that you are (Yeah, that's lean! No mayo, I heard you!), well you haven't had the real deli experience. Anything else is just a place that makes sandwiches. NEXT!!!

Amen, OMG. My DW and I are making our annual Fall theatre trip to NYC in November (four shows in three days), and I hope to hit some delis. I might even try to get back to Katz's. I haven't been there in 45 years and want to see how its changed.

While the Towson Delly North was nice and friendly I don't understand how a deli selling grocery store quality meat (SAVAL) on mass produced bread can rate in the top ten.

I had an ongoing game with one particuliar gentleman who worked at The Homewood Deli, I would always try to get all my requirements in and it was his job to ask one question that he felt needed to be answered..
Me- "lean corned beef, on rye with mustard, for here"
Him-"you want that heated"
et etc etc..
I miss the Homewood Deli

This list is being modest. First of all they're referencing delis, and not JEWISH delis which are in my opinion to vastly different experiences.

If any of you are arguing about Attman's you're tripping, its the real deal and as close to NYC as we're going to get.

Dissapointed Snyder's isn't on this list. Lenny's is okay but they pale in comparison to Attmans.

Also Eddie's of Mt. Vernon has a fantastic deli.

WOW!!! They do EVERYTHING right. Store cooked, corned beef ( hey Lombard street-take notes) roast beef brisket, turkeys, soups. Every time I go there the food is awesome. Please open more locations

HEY HEY HEY... what happened to Snyders Deli.. they blow Overpriced Lennys and Dirty Suburban House away

Posted by: Carey | August 13, 2008 6:57 AM

Pickles and Chips is very overpriced. I went there a few months and will not go back.

Hey Carey,
Its not your local wawa or farm store... its top quality food and to get quality it costs more. Try it..you'll love it