Plenty to see, eat at Garden Deli
By Jon Busdeker on Apr. 12, 2007
By Jon Busdeker
Lynchburg News & Advance
March 13, 2007
Nothing’s secret at The Garden Deli.
The oven used to make “made-from-scratch” soup is in plain sight. The meat slicer is easy to spot. The griddle that makes the restaurant’s delicious sandwiches is out in the open.
“We like for people to see what we’re doing,“ said owner Joe Barbara.
The Garden Deli, located in a red house behind Billy Craft Honda at 2600 Lakeside Drive, serves some of the best - and biggest - subs in the Lynchburg-area.
The Garden Deli features more than 25 hot and cold sandwiches made with fresh bread and Boar’s Head meats and cheeses. Subs are either 8-inch, 12-inch or - for the hungry man or woman-a whopping 16-inches in length.
The Italian Combo, one of the most popular sandwiches at The Garden Deli, is made with ham, salami, cappicolla, pepperoni and all the fixings.
Another favorite is the Classic Combo, which has roast beef, turkey, ham, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo or mustard.
Barbara, who seems to always be wearing his Boar’s Head apron, suggested the Reuben sandwich.
“Our Reuben is pretty popular,“ he said.
Barbara said years ago, when he first moved to Lynchburg, he went searching for a good Reuben sandwich. At a few places, he remembers being asked if he wanted white bread, lettuce and tomato.
That’s not how you make a Reuben, he said.
Reubens at The Garden Deli are made one at a time on a small griddle in the middle of the kitchen. The thick rye bread is buttered and toasted. Meanwhile, slices of Swiss cheese are melted to give it that perfect Reuben taste.
A quarter pound of corned beef is freshly sliced and then heated. The corned beef used for the Reuben isn’t brisket, like other restaurants, so it tastes a little different, Barbara said.
“Ours is healthier because brisket is mostly fat,“ he said.
While the corned beef cooks, sauerkraut juices are poured over the meat to add more favor. Also, the sauerkraut is heated up.
When the Reuben is finished, it is topped with Russian dressing and spicy mustard.
“By the time you’re finished with the sandwich,“ Barbara said, “it’s a half a pound of food.“
And it’s delicious, too. The bread is toasted to perfection, the sauce isn’t too heavy, the cheese tastes great and the sauerkraut gives it a bit of a bite.
If the sandwich isn’t enough, The Garden Deli offers homemade soups and salads.
“We don’t buy any of our salads,“ Barbara said.
It’s all made in the kitchen at the restaurant.
Barbara said it’s the quality of the meats and cheeses that separates The Garden Deli from its fast-food competitors.
“It’s simple,“ he said. “We serve real food.“
Barbara’s pledge to only serving fresh food has been in place since he and his wife, Corinne, opened their sandwich shop more than 10 years ago.
The Barbaras moved to Lynchburg in 1985. The couple left New York City because Joe got a job as an audio and video technician for the Rev. Jerry Falwell’s Old Time Gospel Hour.
His job was to help duplicate thousands of video and audiotapes used to teach the Bible.
He later went into business for himself duplicating CDs, videos and tapes.
At the time, the Barbaras also owned a nursery and sold flowers at the restaurant’s current location.
In 1996, the couple decided to get out of the duplication business, ditch the flower shop and sell sandwiches.
They decided on calling it The Garden Deli because of the store’s ties with the flower business.
Now, 10 years later, Joe said The Garden Deli has become a popular lunch spot that’s survived on word-of-mouth advertising.
The restaurant, which is small and has no indoor seating, is usually packed at noontime with loyal customers.
They also cater and deliver to local businesses and schools.
Corinne said she likes to add extras, like chips or desserts, to the teachers’ lunches because her kids attended Lynchburg Public Schools.
“That’s just our way of thanking teachers,“ she said.
The Garden Deli
Address: 2600 Lakeside Drive
Phone: (434) 385-1074
Hours: Monday- Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Price: Sandwiches range from about $5 for an 8-inch sub to $9 for a 16-inch sub.
Most Popular Item:
Reuben Sandwich with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, rye bread, Russian dressing, spicy mustard
COMMENTS
I was at Garden Deli last week..i was impressed by the flower aranjaments.