Zingerman's Delicatessen

Best deli in the country (and yes I have been to many New York delis); best specialty food store I have been to as well. Located at the corner of Detroit and Kingsley Streets, Zingerman’s has a reputation beyond compare and it is a singular draw in Ann Arbor for many. Its sandwiches are unique, fresh and loaded, and are complemented by two whole buildings filled with house made breads, cheese, gelatos and pastries; house cured meats and olives; a pantheon of rare olive oils, vinegars, mustards, sauces, spices and other specialty goodies. The dill pickles alone with their emphasis on the dill and the garlic and the salt and not on the vinegar (re: jarred dill pickles) are unrivaled by ant. I have tried about 25 different pickles in DC and none have even come remotely close to Zing’s. I have tried a bunch of deli sandwiches here too and none yet have been awful, but none have had the love that Zingerman’s packs into their sandwiches, which make them the best. At a DC or NY deli, if you order pastrami or ham or whatever, they slap a heaping portion between two slices of rye bread and “badda-bing.” Nice sandwich, no love. At Zingerman’s, you might end up with Jimmy Wants Rosemary’s Baby, piles of thin sliced country ham with house made fresh mozzarella and tomato slices, with a beautiful combination of olive oil and balsamic vinegar from their stores, all between two thick slices of house made sesame semolina bread. Makes my mouth water. But hey, you want that corned beef on rye or the turkey Reuben at Zingerman’s? They’ve got you covered. And still manage to pack in the love.

Read this and other reviews as well as my own recipes at www.autofoodography.com

my very good friend introduced me to zingerman’s brownies not too long ago, so when i visited her in ann arbor, she took me to this specialty store located downtown. i’m easily smitten w/european delis and i suppose zingerman’s is no exception. although a bit pricey, a splurge every now and then seems in order.

… you must hit Zingerman’s. Best, biggest sandwiches with the best of ingredients and the largest choice anywhere. Not cheap but if you’ve never been, you gotta go at least once.

phenomenal sandwiches – especially the turkey reuben. very cute and inviting!

I loved the old Jewish Deli feel of the place and the enormous variety of different meats/cheeses/sandwiches. I also liked that they offered a sandwich in small/large based on the amount of meat you wanted.
What I didn’t love was the huge price for my small reuben which, while delicious, was about $15.
Not that I’m cheap, but I don’t think I’ve ever paid that much for a sandwich without anything else (chips/side/salad/drink).
I also tried a dixie cup full of gelato which was also tasty but $5. I think lunch for 3 people was close to $60 with drinks and my gelato.
The only reason I didn’t rate the sandwich as outstanding is because it wasn’t a good value.

Ann Arbor tradition. If you are a bread snob, or have a weakness of aged, imported, slightly-smelly but oh so tasty cheese, this is your place. You probably can find a cheaper (and as large) as a sandwich in SE Michigan, but you will have to hunt.

My favorite sandwich is the Sherman’s Sure Choice: Pumpernickel, cole slaw, swiss, russian dressing with a whooole lot of delicious, moist corned beef. You probably should wash it down with your favorite statin! (Lipitor, Zocor, etc).

If you have room for desert, try a brownie! One is enough for at least two.