Petite Deli
Categories: American (Traditional), Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill752 Columbus Ave
(between Filbert St & Greenwich St)
San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 398-1682
172 reviews
Neighborhood: Financial District
"This is my favorite sandwich spot near my work! They have a huge variety of "additions" for your sandwich and their salads are fantastic!…" read more »
77 Reviews for Petite Deli
It is the best place if you want to have your work done. We had to go somewhere urgently and my niece, you know how these teenagers are she simply refused. She was adamant and then I used this trick. I took her to this joint which is famous for its sandwiches. We ordered for Turkey Delite. I had tasted it before and it is simply yummy. I knew I will succeed and while she was having it I asked her whether she would like to come with us and she was so engrossed in the sandwiches that she just nodded her head in affirmation. I was delighted. I really thanked Petite Deli and Ms. Young who is a gem. A great place, go have fun.
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It was a nice today. I had an interview at CSAA that seemed to go pretty well, but all my job interviews seem to go great!
I met a friend for lunch. She spoke very highly of the Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil. And since we were in North Beach, I think that would be appropriate! Same stuff that's on a Margheritta Pizza! Plus, I've been cutting down on meat. But there are two kinds of meat I don't think I can ever give up ... 1) BACON, and 2) Hamburger.
Anyway, the good size sandwich comes with the cheese, tomato and basil, plus a good dousing of vinaigrette. There a few standard sandwiches, such as Ham, Turkey, etc, and there may even be some specials too.
It's a tiny place, with all of 8 seats inside and out. The woman behind the counter is legendary for her courtesy. She's the only one behind the counter, and I really can't see how she does it, much less where she stores all the meats, etc.
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I admittedly skimmed through all these reviews, not bothering to count how many times "nice" was mentioned to describe her and didn't think anything of it. So a nice person is running a little deli. Big deal, right? This is San Francisco, not New York.
Even despite all the rave reviews and ratings, I definitely wasn't left unimpressed today. Young is, yes you got it, nice, but not only that she is just plain adorable, just so sweet and warm. I asked for half a Young's chicken sandwich and the other a prosciutto and cheese. Both highly recommended! The chicken, like everyone says, is delicious, with a creamy mustard spread and a slight honey mustard tinge. The prosciutto was savory and delicious and had a really impressive spread to go with it - I wolfed it down so fast (and so attractively) that I can't even tell you what's in it, but if you're a prosciutto fan, definitely try it. Also the bread is a winner. I know there's a wheat or white option, but definitely go for the original (ciabatta, I think) roll - crisp and firm on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside and fresh all around. So good!
Also, sandwiches are very reasonably sized! The half size is more my ideal size.
It's hard for a sandwich to impress me seeing as how they're hard to ruin and arguably, Petite Deli's sandwiches may not be the best in the city, but you really won't think anything of it once you've been served by Ms. Young. This is gold star service and just goes to show you how far that'll take you. Definitely regard this as a skewed review because I am incredibly smitten not only with the delicious sandwiches, but the wonderful lady behind the food. If anything, come here to check out what the sweetest lady in the deli business is like (and while you're at it, grab a killer sandwich).
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I was first turned to this place when I was hungry for a sandwich and Marlena, the rec director of North Beach Playground, told me about this place. So I was curious after listening to Marlena talk about the soups and the dolmas and what now. So I decided to go there while taking a break from tennis practice. Yes, I play tennis. Still do so shaddap. As I was saying, I walked over to the shop, about half a block away. I step inside and this shorter than my grandmother lady stands just barely over the counter. Never in my life have I ever seen such a small shop let alone a place that actually makes sandwiches in such cramped quarters. I marveled at the way things are organized in the joint. All the breads on one shelf, seasonings and what not on another. The meats are in the display case with the chicken for the chicken soup she makes herself and the salads that she has as well. Everything she sells you can just about see with your own eyes. That's how small the place is. So I ordered an Egg Salad sandwich with some dolmas. I wasn't sure what was going on but I saw her chop up some eggs right then and there. Maybe I came when she didn't have any prepared. Or maybe she does this with every order. I kinda forgot this part because it's been a while since I last saw Ms. Young. Forgive me.
I must say, the sandwich was very good and that kinda hooked me onto her sandwiches for a while. I later branched out to her soups and the healthier salads that I love. Everything made to order and with care. I think her special ingredient is love because it looks like she loves her job and she loves her customers. And we love her back!
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Pretty good sandwich served with a smile. I tried the Young's Chicken which was simple yet definitely tasty. I'd go here over the "tourist trap deli further up Columbus" any day...
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Awe this place rocks so much! Young's BLT sandwich was super yummy! And the prices are nice and cheap. This place is great because the owner is so nice and friendly. She loves meeting new people and chatting up the regulars at the restaurant. there is only a few tables in the establishment and is often times filled with local people in the neighborhood and too many yelpers! shish! i prefer to go and get my sandwich to go and eat at the park or with friends.
Love the owner, unbelievably friendly and sweet, even on the busiest day.
Makes sandwiches like my mom used to make for school - same bread, same cut, same paper wrapping, even the same Korean-mother-esque TLC! Brings back memories.
Tiny space, but on a sunny, quieter part of Columbus. Just down the street, big plus for me. Grab a sandwich and take it to the park. Buy some chips and juice to accompany.
Not the absolute best sandwiches, strictly speaking, but this place has a place in my heart.
GOOD, but definitely NOT great.
VERY NICE Korean lady--if only I were sixty years older. ;0)
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Sometimes it's the random things in life that are the best. I ended up at Petite Deli after encountering a closed, dark and unexplained lack of human presence at Juicey Lucy across the street. I was so depressed, because I really wanted some juice and a veg sammie. I was also starving because I hadn't eaten since breakfast and had just worked out, so I was desperate. I saw Petite across the street and figured what the heck.. Except for the random woman blocking the petite entrance way smoking a not-so petite cigarette and making a not-so petite contribution of nasty smoke, the place is awesome. The lady/owner working there is really nice and sweet and was very helpful in helping me figure out what the ingredients were; I'm not eating meat/meat products these days, so I was grateful that she knew the tofu patties had egg in them. I ended up with the vegetarian sandwich with no cheese and this delicious balsamic vinaigrette dressing on a super lovely and crisp roll. It wasn't what I had planned when I ventured over to North Beach for juice, but this was a pretty good consolation prize.
Although I love Saigon Sandwich, Petite Deli has to be up there. Really really simple sandwich of lettuce,mustard, and bread. I had the young chicken and it was regular chicken that i find on my table(i'm chinese) She was really nice towards me and my girlfriend, and we didn't really have to wait because we were the first ones there on a SATURDAY. She is one of the nicest people around and don't expect it to be always open but because Ms.Young runs it herself with No help
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At the time of this review as I was going to review, Petite Deli is still one of the most popular bookmarked businesses to try and review. And one of them belongs to Matt G.
No kidding about this small deli, in which this Petite Deli is indeed "petite", and also fitting the name perfectly. It's a good thing that I was in my street clothes. If I was wearing my uniform and necessary equipment, I'm not too sure if I can fit or obtain my lunch from one of Yelp's favorite.
I ordered the Young's Chicken Sandwich on a soft roll. The $6.50 cold sandwich is a chicken-breast made with Honey-Mustard and other special spices, and has the usual condiments in a sandwich. With only a three small tables, obviously I was too big and might fear that I'll break the upholstery and decided to take my lunch back home and enjoyed it while watching the NCAA Basketball tournament.
Also, after reading the reviews saying that the Korean lady making my sandwich is very nice, evidence shown that, she is definitely very sweet and friendly. A pleasant generosity like hers is a clear example of how a business's customer service should be operated.
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Really simple delicious sandwiches. I ordered the Turkey Delight (turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomato, sprouts, avocado, cranberry sauce, dijon mustard and honey mustard) on Ciabatta bread. We went Sat during lunchtime and there was a bit of wait since there were 6 orders ahead of us and Ms. Young is a one woman shop. There are only about a dozen sandwiches on the menu but I am sure each one is delivered with a smile.
Three things to sum up everyone's reviews:
1. Average prices
2. Average sandwiches
3. The friendliest Korean woman working at the counter
That's about it. Quit all the fuss!
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Very petite little sandwich shop off columbus.
The wait is long if there are people ahead of you. The actual restaurant is so small and not very organized, the prices are not cheap. 5-6.50 for a sandwich. This is not a to-go location due to the wait and the actual location.. The sandwiches are simple and appear to be healthy. I would like to give 4.5 stars! If they made it look nicer inside inside I would give 5 stars, but currently it's only too clear that this is a "cash only" operation.
This place is a whole in the wall but the lady is very nice (don't hate on her niceness just because your a sad little person) ....I think she makes the visit pleasant. My friend & I split the Young's Chicken sandwich and the pasta salad. It was really good. The chicken was nice and moist and the spread was tasty. The pasta was really good....my daughter wolfed it down so that says a lot. I would definitely go again.
Since your already there I would go next door and try the truffles at XOXO...they were pretty good especially the black & white truffles. Their white chocolate mocha was tasty too.
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What a nice lady! The mozzarella sandwich was uber tasty!
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A fine sandwich, but in the end...OVER-RATED!!! OVER-RATED!!! Get over the nice Korean woman behind the counter, people. We get it - she's nice. In terms of the sandwiches themselves, nothing special. 10 other better delis in the city, and 5 are probably in North Beach.
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I was really surprised by this place. I got the Young's Chicken sandwich on wheat, with lettuce tomato and mayo. That's it. And it was amazing. I could've eaten 5 of them. I never thought such a basic sandwich could be so good. Somebody give this lady a medal.
ms young ms young.
great woman.
good sandwiches.
call in orders to help ms young out.
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The Korean lady was very helpful and oh so nice! She was extremely helpful and sweet.
The place is small but Washington Park is just around the corner, so I suggest you take your delicious sandwich there. Prices are reasonable: $5-6 for a sandwich.
I had the prosciutto and provolone sandwich which was delicious! Get it on a warm toasted bun and youre good to go.
The lines can be a bit hectic at times but it's worth the wait. And hey, why not? It's located in a beautiful neighborhood.
I would definetly come back here anyday.
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I don't need to add anything except that due to all the love from yelp this woman needs some help. I don't know how feasible that would be considering the space she's working with.
When I walked into the joint, I was skeptical... The place sure was busy enough, but for some reason, I felt this wasn't going to be a five star deli.
Once in line, there was an attractive Asian woman who I thought was giving me the eye. I waited way past the three second rule and asked her, "what's good here?" She mumbled something and said, "well, I'm having the salami sandwich." Rest assured, I didn't have the salami sandwich. She picked up her salami sandwich and smiled @ me as she left. It definitely wasn't a love connection...
I had Young's chicken sandwich. It was phenomenal! One of the best sandwiches I've ever had! The bread is good and all the ingredients are fresh. It's definitely homemade chicken. While waiting for my sandwich, I went next door to XOX and ordered a double espresso, in which they give a free truffle- such a deal!
I ate the sandwich outside in front of XOX and it was such a lovely day in the City!
I highly recommend Petite Deli! I'll probably be back next week. I told Young I came here because of great Yelp reviews and she said thank you and predicted I would be back on Monday. And that might be a good bet...
And I thank yelp and yelpers who reviewed Petite Deli for turning me on to this gem!
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Simply put great, great, great, great sandwiches made me love! I hate to admit she makes better sandwiches than my Mother ever did (sorry Mom-I love you!)! There is nothing I've ordered that wasn't good and the pasta (ribbons, with sundried tomatoes, olive oil-i believe) is to die for!! gawsh, it's been a long while since I went there (used to be closer to my old job) i'm hungry now!!
(oh, yes mrs. young is the best, always sweet, smiling and super friendly!) did you know she collects the cans for a local who needs the $ and recycles them. She's soo sweet!)
I like this place and frequent it for the BLT, excellent crispy bacon sandwich the way it should be done. Fast, friendly and well priced.
Remember Hung on Top Chef? Well, the lady here is the opposite of Hung. Not to say she has no technical skills, but she is full of soul and love (and clean, 99 point inspection card) and I think that's what makes the sandwiches taste so good?? Its just a sandwich after all, but like everyone says, it is super duper delicious.
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Petite only gets three from me because in the past three weeks I have gone to try this place for lunch and it has been closed! I hear about this lovely Korean Lady and their tasty sandwiches, but I have yet to enjoy this meal. If your hours say you are open on Saturday... OPEN THE DOORS ON SATURDAY!!!
I never knew so many people went to the Petite Deli. I always thought it was for the locals who worked around that part of north beach and needed a sandwich place for lunch. I worked around the corner for about a year, and went to Petite about once per week. The chicken sandwich is superb- moist and tender. I use to get a hot pastrami that was excellent. Young is great- and if you are not sure what you want to get, ask her and she'll definitely give you a recommendation.
I am totally on the Petite Deli bandwagon! Not only are the sandwiches really flavorful and the owner really wonderful but the whole experience made me want to be a better person.
So the woman behind the counter of this very small shop is soooo nice and soooo helpful; it's like watching somebody getting to do their dream job. She made me a prosciutto and provolone sandwich which was high lighted by the dressing she uses on the lettuce and the warm roll that holds the sandwich together. It was delicious and fully satisfying. This isn't just the sandwich freak in me either getting all juiced about one of my favorite styles of food.
While eating the sandwich I smiled at all the people who dropped in just to say hello and was elated to see the owner greet everybody with the same enthusiasm.
So now that your expectations are all out of wack and you'll be expecting to find the answers to all you problems please just remember that it is just a sandwich shop that makes salads too.
I'm totally jonesing now
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i totally agree with jonas. average prices and friendly staff. The sandwiches were good but not that great.
It is sad to me how hard it is to find a great mozzarella, tomato and basil sandwich in North Beach. Well here it is. Perfect. And that special sauce makes it even more magical. The lady that works there couldn't be sweeter. Love. love, love it here.
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Such a gem in North Beach, this lil deli deserves no less than five stars. The lady who runs the place is absolutely adorable--upbeat, and always with a smile on her face. I'm amazed at how she's able to single-handedly run the restaurant, making sandwiches on her own for over 13 years. Personally, I would get overwhelmed with all the orders coming in, but not her; she never misses a beat.
The menu is simple--a number of sandwiches and a few pastas and salads from the glass case. Soup and chips are also available if you so desire. The garden burger and her homemade tofu (vegans take note: it contains egg). Were well-prepared and scrumptious. But the best of the veggie sandwiches goes to the tomato, basil, and mozzarella. I've been trying to cut down on dairy, but eating this creation of love makes it extremely difficult to; it is to LIVE for.
Eat in, and she's trusting enough to have you pay after your meal, and even then, she usually comes up with an arbitrary total, less than what it should be based on menu prices. A sweet gesture to her customers, I still end up giving it back in the form of a tip. I wouldn't be surprised if there were others doing the same.
The hours of operation are short: 11-4 Mon-Fri, and until 3 p.m. on Sat. As mentioned, each sandwich is made to order. But since this is one woman run and not a Subway operation, don't expect your order to be done within 5 minutes (at least 15 if it's busy). Is it worth the wait? You bet.
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She automatically get's a higher rating from me because i love small northbeach independent businesses - and if she's getting acclaim on yelp she's doing something right. I order tuna sandwiches at 99% of the deli's i go to. Same thing happened here. Yes, it is tiny. Yes, the lady was very sweet. There were 3 people in front of me and i had to wait about 15 minutes for my sandwich. It was tasty, not really not any better than every other deli sandwich or one i could make myself. I will try this famous chicken sandwich everyone else seems to be trying, but after that i'll stick with justa bite across the street for a normal old sandwich on whole wheat and minus the 15 minute wait. Oh, and I was with Miguel V on every saturday attempt - yes it's annoying being "open" on saturday's according to your sign - but then it took 5 attempts to actually catch them open on a saturday, but it finally did happen and i was pleased with my lunch.
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Talk about the welcome wagon- this small deli is stocked with cold cuts and warm hearts. The staff consistently serves up amazing sandwiches with a smile and time after time I walk out of the Deli with a pleased, not so petite, appetite.
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You can't say "best sandwich in north beach" and give it 4 stars?" Always 5 stars mf! It's the best sandwich in THE CITY cause Mrs Young treats you like her favorite child and makes the sandwiches like she's packing your school lunch. They are all SOO good that I don't decide anymore I just ask "what's todays specialty?"
Don't think that you'll just try it out and move on, she sucks you in with her warm personality and crafty tricks and pretty soon you'll find yourself going there almost every day. It's a trap! DOOON'T do it!
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Heard so many good things about this place. Just had to try it for myself. Let's just say I'll be returning. Alot.
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I used to frequent this place when I worked down the street a number of years ago. Young was always in a cheery mood and whipped up sandwiches at the speed of light - she even takes phone orders on a headset as she makes your sandwich! As other reviewers say, her sandwiches are superb. I used to always get the turkey avocado sandwich and even though I've witnessed the entire process several times, I don't know how she makes them taste so good. I went back recently and she asked me where I'd been for the past few years!
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man this place was awesome. We were gonna try some other local sandwich joints, kingfoot sub, the cheesesteak. This was some other kind of sandwich, made with love and care by a very nice old lady. Says shes been around for over a decade and i know why.
The turkey delight was made simply.
with a very slow toasted roll with
melted cheese and korean mayo
sprouts and freshly cooked cranberries.
absolutely delicious.
Small but truly effective as a sandwich champion.
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Sandwiches are a tricky business. The line between good, very good and just extraordinary... well let's just say it's thinner that the thinnest deli slice you've ever put between your tongue and the roof of your mouth. That being said, this place makes sandwiches made with L-O-V-E and then some, making each bite something to savor. I lingered on each nibble like I was swirling the finest Napa red in my mouth. Extraordinary never tasted to good.
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As fresh as it gets. Don't miss it even if you are on diet.
Ideal for those who can not be pleased with most of deli services - well done Ms. Young!
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