Doug G.
Yelp
I have lived in Nashville now for about 3 weeks and this place has been recommended to me no less than 5 times by various folks here, so naturally I had to pop in to see what it was all about!
51st Deli sits on the corner of, you guess it, 51st Avenue and Centennial Blvd in The Nations, which is a small neighborhood in West Nashville. Pulling up to this place, first thing you see is the original 51st Deli street sign, which lets you know this spot has been a staple in this area for a while! This sign lets you know what you are about to get into, but once you walk in...you get that old New York deli vibe, but with a modern twist. The ordering/kitchen/food coolers/salad bar/coffee station areas have all been beautifully updated, and the seating area, drink coolers and beverage station are stuck in the 90's.
When you walk in, you can do a few things...immediately pop in line and begin scanning the chalkboard menus on the wall or you can take time to pick up a drink or side of choice and scope the fried foods before getting in line. I personally enjoy the popping immediately in line and grabbing a bag of chips once I decided what I want and established my place in line. This place gets busy, so securing that spot is key when you are hungry! Once you order and pay, you are given a number and when they are ready for you, the kitchen staff yells out your number. Everything is packaged as to-go, however you can eat in as they have several tables inside and outside.
While delis make you immediately think of sandwiches, 51st Deli steps up the deli game and offers a wide variety of good eats and drinks from tacos, quesadillas, burgers, hot and cold sandwiches, salads, pastas, beer, breakfast sandwiches, bagels, biscuits, coffee drinks, chips and queso, elote, fried chicken, friend fish, cheesecake and even cannoli's! This list is certainly not all they offer, but it should give you an idea of the expansive variety offered here at 51st!
I mean, while they have a wide ranging menu, sandwiches are still king here as the have over 22 hot and cold sandwiches with a build your own option as well. Three of my recommendations called for the #10, Turkey Avocado. This was a hero style sandwich with turkey, cheddar cheese, bacon, pickled onion and avocado. It is a super basic sandwich and they do it to perfection! The hero roll was soft, yet sturdy and coated in avocado while the turkey was stacked high, cheese was perfectly warmed by the crispy bacon and the pickled onions delivered a stellar zing that brought it all together. For my next visit, I have my eyes on The West/Nasty!
My only "issue" and I use that loosely was overall cost. While everything on the menu is under $10, it is easy to spend $20 on lunch. With the #10, a bag of chips and a fountain drink, I was pushing $18. Seemed a little much, but I am happy to pay it to keep a local spot like this up and running.
Overall, I am impressed and super happy to have heard about and finally found 51st Deli...a true hidden gem that I will certainly be back to!