Expand / Collapse search
☰

Attention pickle lovers: This NJ deli serves sandwiches on giant pickles instead of bread

Published  April 16, 2019 10:01pm EDT
U.S.
FOX 29 Philadelphia

LOS ANGELES - Love pickles on your sandwich? Or maybe a pickle on the side?

A restaurant in New Jersey takes it a step further by serving sandwiches on a huge pickle instead of bread.

Elsie's, a deli in Haddon Township located just outside of Philadelphia, offers classic deli sandwiches on gigantic pickles made from a "secret recipe."

"In a nutshell we are a sandwich shop with no bread in the house," owner Katherine Cohen said.

Customers can choose from specialty sandwiches on the menu like "Elsie's Famous Italian" with ham, cappy and salami, "The Harold" with corned beef and "The Falafel" with, well, falafel.

More adventurous eaters can build their own pickle sandwich with a choice of meats, cheeses, vegetables and sauces, including hummus, wasabi mayo and Sriracha mayo.

If you'd like to keep it fresh, the deli also serves "roll-ups" using cucumbers as the wrap, similar to a sushi roll, in addition to the coveted pickle option.

The pickle sandwiches sell for about $8.50 to $9.50 each.

Cohen said the pickle sandwich started as a way to make her mother eat healthier.

"Our mom is a diabetic and I'm always on a mission to make her eat better so we started making sandwiches on our homemade pickles at our original location," Cohen said. "Someone at the old shop saw the pickle sandwich, requested a bunch and then posted on social media. The rest is history!"

Sadly for those pickle fanatics who don't live within driving distance, the deli says sandwiches are best served "directly from the shop" and doesn't compromise quality by shipping its pickle sandwiches.

The shop's name pays homage to Elsie, the company's original proprietor.

"She pumped the gas and managed the store before women were 'allowed' to do so," Cohen said. "When we rebranded, we wanted to pay homage to Elsie and her hard work."

If you're looking to cut carbs and also happen to really love pickles, it might be time for a road trip to Haddon Township, New Jersey.

Based on plenty of customer reviews with high praise -- one from Lance Bass with a two hands up emoji -- it sounds like Elsie's just might be the real "dill."