Hunting for a Great Deli in Fresno

Look what I found!

Von’s DeliVon’s

When it comes to having a good deli sandwich, I'm fussy. I have had some excellent deli sandwiches from the east coast, specifically New York, Boston, and New Haven, Connecticut. 

I'm not going to say they are the best, but they are pretty close. 

You can go to Chicago, Florida, and beyond and get some great international sandwiches you can't find in any other state, but you have to look far and wide if you're on the hunt.

Living in Fresno and Clovis, I have found some great local places that stand out. They are either great at making sandwiches or not so great. There is no grey area when it comes to deli sandwiches.

I'm a fan of Jersey Mike's, mainly because back in New York in the early '80s, I had the opportunity to eat at the original Jersey Mike's and was impressed by the freshness of their meats, veggies, and everything else they served. Things have changed, but they're still hanging in there on my list of delis to visit.

Subway was great when it first opened back in Connecticut. Since the expansion or explosion into the world, they have gone downhill. Thye had good meatballs back in the day, or at least they were good as you could get at a fast-food deli, but things changed.

Times have changed and so have fast-food delis. It's all about how fast they can make a sandwich and get you out of the store so they can serve the next customer.

That's why I was on the hunt for a new deli over the last few months, and I found one that surprised me.

The Hunt

Over the past few months, I noticed at the local Vons they started carrying Boars Head meats and other items. Seeing Boars Head in Vons brought me back to my days shopping at supermarkets in New York, New Haven, and Rhode Island. Back then, in the early '80s and '90s, Boars Head was all over the east coast, and any good deli carried their products.

VonsVons

Now Boars Head is all over the US and probably in Europe, for all I know, but what I do know is if a deli carries Boars Head, they are going to make some great sandwiches.

As I said, Vons is carrying Boras Head, but at first, I didn't think they were using it in the deli. I found out by accident that Boars Head was their go-to meats and cheeses.

Boars HeadBoars Head Brands

I was at a Clovis Vons a few months ago and wanted a quick bite to eat for dinner, so I was looking at their pre-made sandwiches when I decided to ask someone at the deli counter about their menu and choices. 

I was delighted when the counter person told me they use Boars Head meats and cheese for their sandwiches and then pointed to the menu board and said I could pick from there and make any changes I wanted.

I was like a kid in a candy shop. I started with some essential meats and cheese I wanted and went to toppings and bread. I had a field day with my sandwich and was excited to try out what I had built.

I watched the counter person build my sandwich as ordered, and the amount of meats, veggies, and cheese impressed me. It blew away any other deli I had had in the past regarding the amount of ingredients.

This sandwich was loaded with everything, and I didn't even pick everything I could have added. If I did, I don't know if it would have fit in the bag with how they tossed the ingredients.

I've been to many local delis, and none of them pile on the meats, cheese, and toppings like Vons deli.

Of course, there is one thing I noticed. After that first try at the Clovis Vons, I found the other Clovis Vons wasn't piling on the meats and cheese as the other. I guess it's all about location and the person working.

I did ask about that, and the counter person showed me that everything had already been measured and wrapped, so all they do is pull out a wrap of the meat you order. They also, like other delis, count the cheese slices. I guess I got an over-enthused deli worker that first time.

I was still impressed with the other Vons regarding freshness and quantity. I mean, how much can you eat?

The Meats and Cheese

All I can say is the meats and cheese used by all the Vons is exceptional. They are always the freshest and tastiest meats I have had since moving to Fresno.

The Deli at Von’sVons

I'm. not going to knock other delis around town, but they need to step up their game if they want to compete with Vons.

I will say the price of a foot-long is high, but once you see what you get, I'm sure you'll agree it's worth it.

The money is worth it just for the freshest meat and cheese you'll ever see in a deli sandwich.

Of course, you can buy the same meats and cheeses in the store and make your own at home. They even have a sandwich dressing made by Boars Head to add to your homemade sub, which is fantastic.

In The End

There isn't one sandwich that I believe will not surprise you regarding flavor, freshness, and quantity of ingredients. I can't say anything terrible about Vons deli. It is something you have to appreciate.

I would suspect that all of the markets that are associated with Von’s name like Alertson’s, Safeway, to the name the ones I know of are carrying Boars Head, but you’ll have to check that out on your own.

I could recommend a few choices I like, but to be honest, you must check out the menu and make your own choices.

One thing I tried to be different was the tuna sub. At first, I thought they made the tuna in-house, but after asking, I found out an outside company made it, but it was fresh and great tasting.

Von’s Tuna Salad SandwichVon’s

The tuna is from Reser's Fine Foods, and that's just what it was fine, tasty, and fresh. You should give it a try. You can add stuff to the tuna, as I did like celery, relish, hot peppers, and more to make it more to my liking, but the base is excellent.

Check your nearest Von's deli and see how they do. If they don't

meet up to what I wrote here, then go to the Von's in Clovis at Herndon or Fowler. You'll be happy.

Buon Appetito!