Food Factory

A rather large sandwich shop with a rather large menu. The front has some classic options; and don't miss the "combinations" selection on the flip-side with even more choices. Frankly, I'm not really sure what ambiguous filtering system they use to decide what goes into which category. The combinations were explained to me as sandwiches that combine meat, cheese, and condiments. But I thought that's what all sandwiches do!

Anyway, if you follow my reviews, you know I'm not a fan of joints that charge you separately for a side of chips or potato salad, etc. And this is one of those places. Though it did come with a pickle! I had the chicken salad croissant, and again, it was just ok. Nothing special. Something I could have made from home. Left me longing for more innovation, like what they deliver at Sandwhich.

If they tried to pass themselves off anywhere near Manhattan as a deli they would be run out of town by an angry Jewish mob- there isn't nearly enough attitude. That said, when I need a satisfying sandwich or salad during the day this is without question where I go. Friendly, speedy service and lots to choose from.
They really need to have matzo ball soup daily for me to take them too seriously though.

This is great place for a NY-diner style meal.

For breakfast they serve a good selection of typical breakfast dishes, including omelets. They are all prepared well, although no surprised (in my opinion, you really do not want surprises for breakfast, whether good or bad). Given the low prices (breakfast for two for $10), this is a great place for a nice for a casual breakfast.

For lunch they serve what a typical deli in the NYC area might serve. The time we were here for lunch I had a pastrami with swiss sandwich. There was a generous amount of good pastrami (slightly salty but not overwhelming), and with the melted swiss and toasted bread, it was very close to what you get at a diner or deli.

One thing to note, this is NYC style sandwiches. Which means you have to understand that sides are extra, except for the pickle. However given the generous portions, you really are not left hungry after the meal even without any sides.

Another thing to note is that kids meal are rather limited, with only PB&J and grilled cheese sandwiches. Also, the sandwiches are actually too large for smaller kids (when we were here for lunch, my kids were having difficulties finishing theirs even though they were enjoying the sandwiches). Given the selection of deli meats, it would be nice if they also had kid's deli meat sandwiches, and if the sandwiches themselves were half sized.

Finally the decor is very funky, with art from what I expect are local artists on the wall and on the table (actually, they are the tables).

In general, it is a great place if you want to have a gastronomic NYC experience.

Came here for Saturday breakfast with a bunch of friends. Great place for a big group...we just pushed a few tables together. There are tables outside too if it's a nice day out.

Coffee was really good -- Seattle's Best. I had the Western omlette...it was decent. Friendly staff. Will be back again.

(Updated Review to 5 stars)

My wife and I love Food Factory. We have been weekend regulars for about 3 years. We have introduced a number of our friends here and they are regulars now, too.

What I Like
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1. The very casual, NYC themed atmosphere. I agree with Melodie S. that this is not a *true* NYC deli, but then again, Cary is not NYC. (Please reserve all jokes. :) I think of it like a movie that is "based on a novel". The Food Factory is "based on an NYC deli". Maybe not identical, but a quality work on its own.
2. The food is great. I have gotten a bunch of different things from the extensive menu, and have never been disappointed with the main dish.
3. The owners and staff are very friendly and know our names. They have conversations with us that (seem like) more than idle chit chat.
4. They have daily specials that are often different and expand the menu even more.

Why I thought about not giving them 5 stars
====================
I originally reviewed them, and I couldn't give it 5 stars. I changed my mind since I eat there all the time and it is probably my fave quick eat. Here's my two knocks on them:
1. Most of the side dishes are unimpressive. The potato salad is plain and sometimes feels undercooked. I'd recommend the Greek spinach pasta salad.
2. They recently stopped automatically adding a side to sandwiches. They are now an additional $1 a la carte. I know the economy is tightening up and food prices are increasing, but this seemed contradictory to the NYC theme that they espouse.

That said, I still love the Food Factory. It's my favorite sandwich shop in the area.

During my recent visit to Food Factory, I was happier with the food choices. Why am I still giving Food Factory 2 stars? It's mostly because I didn't appreciate the owner's initial response to my negative review (see Full Disclosure below). I hope that in the future he is a little more professional in dealing with criticism. Had I gotten a more welcoming reply to try the restaurant again, my review would be different.

Now that I have tried more food let me update my review...

Reuben:
This sandwich was far better than other sandwiches that I had tried at this restaurant. If I had tried this sandwich first then I probably would have reviewed differently. The sandwich was served warm and had a nice flavor. It was loaded with meat and just the right amount of sauerkraut. I think there may have also been some cheese but I can't remember. I'm not familiar with all of the ingredients but it did seem to have a nice sauce or maybe the meat was marinated. Not that familiar with the composition of a Reuben but this one was good.

Cucumbers with dill:
This was a nice light appetizer and I was very pleased with it. It was very refreshing and flavorful and the cucumbers were nice and crunchy.

Rice Pudding:
This was delicious. I actually had it mid-meal but it would also make a nice dessert.

Chicken Soup:
I wasn't a huge fan of the chicken soup. I know that Jim is proud of this item but I didn't find it too special. It definitely tasted like chicken soup and probably what you'd expect. It was loaded with a lot of celery and that's one of the few vegetables that I avoid. Maybe it was just a personal taste thing...

Macaroni:
This was simple and it's hard to complain about something so simple. It wasn't smothered in cheese or a lot of seasoning but it wasn't bland either. This probably wouldn't be my first choice for a side item but it's not bad.

In-Restaurant Service: 5-stars (they don't have waiter service so mostly limited to interaction with person taking order and the person bringing food to table).

Food: 3.5-stars. I still have my reservations on the simple deli sandwiches but, as Jim likes to point out, they're only trying to be a deli -- not a fancy gourmet sandwich shop. They use good quality meat and produce. It's a little better than 3-stars ("A-OK") but not quite 4-stars ("Yay! I'm a fan").

Atmosphere: 3-stars. It's not that polished but I don't think the atmosphere detracts too much from the meal.

Customer Service: 1-star (simply due to the insulting responses to my original review)



Full Disclosure: My first negative review attracted some attention from the owner (Jim) and I received some inflammatory responses via Facebook and my online wedding guestbook from him. I was a bit surprised. While my review was harsh, it was my honest opinion, and I thought the owner's response was out-of-line. I later ran into the owner in person so we had a face-to-face discussion about the review. His real-world persona was not as aggressive as his online persona. He's a former New Yorker with a strong personality that cares a lot about this business (this I appreciate!); but doesn't take criticism very well. Anyways, we reconciled some of our differences in opinion and I came back for another visit. Jim was gracious and did comp the meal for me and provided a sampler as well. I also met Jim's wife who you'll also probably see at the restaurant. She was very nice and I'm hoping that she handles the PR in the future :) I do think that Jim cares about the community and his customers but lacks some restraint when responding to criticism.

Had a great wrap there today. I wouldn't exactly call it a NYC style deli though?? They carry Boars Head meats and have a lot of fresh sides. It's a little pricey for a sandwich - but I would rather pay a little more than eat at Subway. It was pretty crowded at lunch time on a weekday and parking is tricky. Noise level is a bit high, so I wouldn't go there for a lunch business meeting or in a goup where you plan to have a conversation.

Had the Roasted vegetable on toasted foccacia sandwich. Eggplant, Baby Greens, Roasted Red Peppers, Zucchini, Squash, Onion, Provolone. Portion was just the right size. Tasted amazing.

A New York Deli in Cary, NC!! I was shocked, this place is legit. Other "Deli's" make the NY claim but this place brings it. Their sweet spot is of course lunch but they also do breakfast, closed on Sundays and after 4pm daily. If you like good sandwiches...go no where else.

Always tasty and closest thing to NY style deli I've found near Cary