{Restaurant Review} Lucky Dill – Tampa, FL

Noah’s Eat – Lucky Dill – Get (Over) Stuffed

So, I developed my taste for deli food as a youngster being I spent my early years on the south shore of Long Island, a stones throw from The Big Apple.  To say the food was authentic would be a colossal understatement. I make my home in northern Florida now, and I’m still astonished that there isn’t even a semi-authentic deli within 100 miles! Fortunately I travel quite a bit and recently even made the pilgrimage back to NYC where I took in all my favorite cuisines….one being Ben’s Kosher Deli on 38th St. This is relevant because you need to know my standards are pretty high! I also recently took one of my frequent trips to the Tampa Bay area, slipped off of I-275 in the Westshore area and came upon The Lucky Dill Deli. Perhaps the pastrami was wafting my way! They bill themselves as “Home of the Sandwich That Ate Brooklyn,” and let me tell you the size of this sandwich did not disappoint…. every bit the three fisted size of a Katz or Carnegie Deli! The menu is very extensive, with many more items “coming soon.” It goes far beyond the usual deli fare, including burgers, wraps, chickwiches, wings and more.  More importantly, they have the core menu items that any real deli should have… giant sandwiches, noshes, soups, salads, and even the staple, Dr. Brown’s Soda!

I dug in on a straight up, hot corned beef on rye, with mustard only. With Ben’s still fresh on my mind, the competition was high, and this baby was up to the challenge. First it was massive, but more importantly it was delicious, just the right combination of lean and fat. My buddy opted for The Rachel, and The Dill has an extensive list of Reuben’s as well, even one that pays homage to the local Cuban. The Reuben was every bit as good (and big) as my corned beef.  Capped off with a Dr. Brown, this LI kid was feeling pretty satisfied!

It may not have the sights, sounds and smells of NYC deli, but The Lucky Dill puts out a mean deli sandwich!