Photo by Cristina M. Fletes (Post-Dispatch)
Blues City Deli
Is Vince Valenza’s beloved Benton Park deli an inexhaustible resource? Well, I somehow keep finding sandwiches I haven’t tried yet. Most recently I discovered Mike’s Spicy Beef n’ Cheddar, which tricks out Blues City Deli’s juicy roast beef with cheddar, bacon and Delta sauce, a creamy, smoky and spicy concoction that could double as a dip for the fried food of your choice. Add in Melo’s Pizzeria, the tiny, terrific Neapolitan-pizza restaurant that Valenza’s son, Joey, opened at the end of 2015 in the garage behind the deli — if not for Melo’s limited hours, I might have given it its own entry in this year’s STL 100 — and there are more reasons than ever to visit this St. Louis treasure.
Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday (open until 7:45 p.m. Thursday)
Opened: 2004
Must order: Mike's Spicy Beef N' Cheddar ($6.50)