Deli

7 Awesome Things to Know about the Deli’s NEW Menu

Our 2017 Deli menu is hot off the presses, and we wanted you to be the first to know! We update it every year to introduce new items, edit some existing items and, sometimes, say goodbye to items. Plus, we just like to freshen the look up to reflect what our artists are inspired by in the moment.

Here are 7 awesome things to look for on the new menu:

1. A great new look
The new look is the work of Deli retail staff member and artist Victoria Samra and our lead graphic designer Maddie Zavala. A denim jacket with patches featuring iconic Deli imagery appears on the cover, and much to the enjoyment of Deli Managing Partner Rodger Bowser, the Deli’s black and white tiles are weaved throughout the design.

Victoria says she was inspired by a “1980s Punk Rock and biker” aesthetic. “Patches and pins have become a fun way to express your identity and achievements. So I guess I was trying to translate the feeling of belonging and being ‘alt,’” explains Victoria.

Maddie was inspired by Victoria’s work in more ways that one. “I am in love with Victoria Samra’s brain. She comes up with the most rad and bizarre concepts and tucks them into her presentations as ‘wildcards,’” says Maddie. “The denim jacket and patches direction we went with for the menu also happens to be one of her wildcards. The artwork lent itself perfectly to patches, buttons, and other design elements that tied the whole piece together beautifully. Working on this menu actually inspired me to go out and buy a denim jacket with food pins and patches!”

Hangry Henry’s Fish and Chips

2. A delicious new sandwich
Our June Sandwich of the Month, Hangry Henry’s Fish and Chips, was a hit, and now it’s part of the permanent menu! For Rodger, all the sandwich stars aligned for the new creation. He’d been wanting a sandwich that included three things—Zingerman’s potato chips, our fantastic tuna salad (featuring pole and line caught American tuna. It’s really the best!), and Zingerman’s Bakehouse True North bread—and was a little shocked at how great it all worked out! Added bonus: it includes our house-made ranch dressing and Cabot cheddar cheese while the chips featured are our smokey barbecue flavor. It’s destined to satisfy even the hangriest among us.

3. More True North bread
If you ask Rodger about True North bread, be prepared to hear him gush! He thinks it’s absolutely the best new bread from Zingerman’s Bakehouse. Being such a big fan, he’s been looking for more ways to include it on the Deli menu, so he made a pretty big change, switching from whole wheat to this naturally leavened bread made from hard red spring wheat from Grand Traverse Culinary Flours in Traverse City.

You’ll find True North on these sandwiches:

#5 Rodger’s Big Picnic
#94 Amazing Grace’s Family Shroom
#61 T.L.B.B.L.T
#207 Hangry Henry’s Fish and Chips

He knows this is a big change, and change is hard! But we think that even the most dedicated devotees to cult-hit sandwiches like Rodger’s Big Picnic (there’s a lot of you out there), will agree that this particular change is good.

True North Bread

4. Gluten-free bread
We heard your pleas, and we’re making dreams come true: you can now switch out the bread on any sandwich to gluten-free. This new option comes by popular demand (you’ve asked in person, you’ve asked on Facebook and Twitter), and we’re happy to offer this to our guests! The Bakehouse started making this tasty bread made without wheat flour this year. It’s crafted with a special flour blend of potato, rice, sorghum, tapioca and buckwheat, and it also has eggs, honey and olive oil. You can also order loaves of it from Zingerman’s Bakehouse.

Meat Monger’s Choice

5. Cheese and charcuterie
Did you know we offer cheese and charcuterie boards? We do! But, we admit, it’s been a
a bit of a secret—until now. You’ll find these world-class plates on our menu (in the
Platters and Salads section, page 8), which include a changing selection of meat
and cheese hand-picked by the our mongers (you know, those nice people behind the deli counter who are always tempting you with samples), plus delicious extras, like bagel chips, pickled vegetables, mustard, and bread. It’s great for sharing with the whole table, and if you like what you taste, you can get 10% off any of the selections to take home!

Cheese Monger’s Choice

6. Did someone say fried chicken?
We did! Our salads are made even better with additions like grilled chicken and smoked turkey as well as chicken, tuna, and curried turkey salad. For the new menu, we’ve upped the protein ante with a tasty fried chicken thigh. About half of our menu developments come about organically in the kitchen, driven by our staff’s eating habits. We’ve been special ordering fried chicken on our own salads for a while, so we figured guests would probably love the option, too. Let us know what you think!

7. Es Alpukat
Say what? Es Alpukat is a smooth, creamy, slightly sweet smoothie from Indonesia, and it’s available at the Next Door. It’s made with avocado, Deli cold brewed coffee, and sweet honey. We blend it with ice, so it’s very refreshing! It’s been a cult favorite at Zingerman’s Coffee Company on the South Side for a few years, so we thought we’d offer it on this side of town, too!

Now that you’ve read about the new menu, come by and take a look—and give the new items a try! Our new menu is also online, and we offer delivery and curbside pickup. Call us to place your order: 734-663-3354.