If there’s one thing this city could use more of, it’s access to deli sandwiches.
I love a good deli and I find it genuinely unfair that other cities around the US get to have so many fantastic delicatessens on every street corner.
Luckily, there are a few amazing eateries around the city where you can fulfill all of your deli dreams. Let’s take a dive straight in and get to know the most delicious deli spots around town a little bit better.
Columbus has a dozen delis worth the trip. Katzinger’s and Brown Bag anchor German Village, Frenchi’s runs shops in the University District and the Short North, Seitan’s Realm covers vegan, and the suburbs add Scotty’s Cafe near Bexley, Uptown Deli and Brew in Westerville and Vincenzo’s in Dublin.
| Deli | Neighborhood | Known for |
| Brown Bag Deli | German Village | Specialty sandwiches since 1974 |
| Katzinger’s Delicatessen | German Village, Dublin | New York-style deli, the Reuben |
| Danny’s Delicious Deli | Downtown | Weekday breakfast and lunch counter |
| Seitan’s Realm | Clintonville | Vegan deli classics |
| Cornerstone Deli & Cafe | Clintonville | Deli sandwiches and sushi |
| Smith’s Restaurant & Deli | Clintonville | Subs, pizza and pasta since 1961 |
| Frenchi’s Deli | University District, Short North | La Tour Eiffel, French pastries |
| Fox’s Bagel & Deli | Bexley, North Market | Steamed bagel sandwiches |
| Scotty’s Cafe | Bexley | The Schmoozer, challah French toast |
| Buck City Sammies | East Market, Franklinton | Oversized sandwiches |
| Uptown Deli and Brew | Westerville | European-style sandwiches with a brewery |
| Vincenzo’s Convenient Elegance | Dublin | Italian market and deli since 1987 |
Brown Bag Deli
About: Brown Bag Deli in German Village features amazing seasonal dishes and all of your favorite deli classics. You can dine in or get your food to go. If you choose to stay at the Deli, you can enjoy outdoor seating and treat yourself to some ice cream from the scoop shop next door or a nice walk around Schiller Park. It has been on Mohawk Street for more than 50 years, and in 2024 Lovefood named it the best hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Ohio.
Location: 898 Mohawk St, Columbus
Website: Brown Bag Deli
Katzinger’s Delicatessen
About: Katzinger’s is probably the most iconic deli that we’ve got here in Columbus. It’s a full-on, New York-style deli, offering everything from the Reuben to the pickle. The deli can get fairly busy, so if you’re visiting during peak hours (like lunchtime) it’s probably best to grab your order to go because this place can get crowded. But that’s just more proof of how delicious it is.
Locations:
– 475 S 3rd St, Columbus (German Village, the original, since 1984)
– 7160 Muirfield Dr, Dublin (opened 2019)
Website: Katzinger’s Delicatessen
Danny’s Delicious Deli
About: Danny’s Delicious Deli is more like a deli/diner combo. It definitely has a retro feel when you visit, plus it’s a wonderful deli to grab a fun bite to eat with friends or family. You can get breakfast or lunch at Danny’s Delicious, but only on weekdays: the counter runs 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, with breakfast until 10:30. The door is on South Front Street.
Location: 37 W Broad St, Columbus
Website: Danny’s Delicious Deli
Seitan’s Realm
About: Craving that perfect deli sandwich and then remembering that you’ve made the decision to go vegan doesn’t have to be the start of a very bad day anymore. Seitan’s Realm offers its own vegan twist on all of the classic deli dishes and it’s freaking delicious. In 2024 it expanded into the space next door, which added a bigger kitchen and 42 more seats. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Location: 3496 N High St, Columbus
Website: Seitan’s Realm
Cornerstone Deli & Cafe
About: Cornerstone is one of my favorite places to grab a quick bite in the entire city. There are a lot of dishes to choose from on the menu, from deli sandwiches to sushi. Plus, it’s a great place to start an afternoon exploring Clintonville.
Location: 3296 N High St, Columbus
Website: Cornerstone Deli & Cafe
Smith’s Restaurant & Deli
About: Smith’s has been in the same Clintonville building since 1961, and the family that started it as a meat market still runs it. The menu runs wider than a classic deli: subs and hot sandwiches, but also pizza, pasta and bagels, which is why it works for a group that can’t agree. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Location: 3737 N High St, Columbus
Website: Smith’s Restaurant & Deli
Frenchi’s Deli
About: Frenchi’s is a counter-service shop at Hudson and High in the University District, run by Djamal “Frenchi” Aboudou, who ran a deli for years in Pittsburgh before he came to Columbus. The sandwiches are the draw. La Tour Eiffel stacks corned beef, pastrami and roast beef, and the bakery case holds croissants, baguettes and beignets that go early. A second shop opened at 1219 N High St in the Short North in late 2025.
Locations:
– 18 E Hudson St, Columbus
– 1219 N High St, Columbus (Short North)
Website: Frenchi’s Deli on Facebook
Fox’s Bagel & Deli
About: Fox’s Bagel & Deli is a homegrown Columbus favorite, known for its steamed bagel sandwiches and neighborhood feel. Owner Jeremy Fox got his start slinging bagels from a food cart and trucks at OSU before opening brick-and-mortar spots in Bexley and the North Market. The bagels are steamed, not toasted, which is the thing to know before you order.
Locations:
– 3012 E Broad St, Columbus (Bexley)
– 59 Spruce St, Columbus (North Market)
Website: Fox’s Bagel & Deli
Scotty’s Cafe
About: Scotty’s is the breakfast-and-lunch counter on East Broad Street near Bexley, run by the Catering by Scott family since 1989. The deli side is the reason to go: a stacked Reuben and the Schmoozer, which is hot corned beef on three potato pancakes. The challah French toast has its own following. Weekdays only, and the kitchen closes at 2 p.m.
Location: 2980 E Broad St, Columbus
Website: Scotty’s Cafe
Buck City Sammies
About: Buck City Sammies has been making its oversized sandwiches since 2022, and it now runs a counter inside East Market on Kelton Avenue plus a trailer parked at Land-Grant Brewing in Franklinton. The sandwiches are built to order on imported deli meats and spreads made in-house, and every one comes with a bag of chips. Plan on leftovers or a split.
Locations:
– East Market, 212 Kelton Ave, Columbus
– Land-Grant Brewing (trailer), 424 W Town St, Columbus
Website: Buck City Sammies
Uptown Deli and Brew
About: Uptown Deli and Brew has held down State Street in Uptown Westerville since 2014, with Temperance Row Brewing Company pouring at the back of the room. The sandwich list leans European: the Classico puts mortadella, burrata and house pesto on focaccia, and the Smoke Show stacks pastrami with caramelized onions and smoked gouda on grilled rye. It’s the one deli on this list where a pint is part of the order.
Location: 41 N State St, Westerville
Website: Uptown Deli and Brew
Vincenzo’s Convenient Elegance
About: Vincenzo’s is an Italian market and deli on Sawmill Road in Dublin that has been at it since 1987. The bread is baked there, the meatballs are hand-rolled, and the case is stocked with imported meats and cheeses for building a sub at home or ordering lunch at the counter. It closes at 5 p.m. and isn’t open on Sundays.
Location: 6393 Sawmill Rd, Dublin
Website: Vincenzo’s
Get out there and grab something from a deli for lunch, Columbus!
