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Business was brisk at Neighbors Deli on Pines Road during a lunchtime rush last week – but that didn’t mean the people behind the counter were anywhere near abrupt.
In fact, the mood at the bistro had the feel of a leisurely lunch instead of a hurried calorie break. The earthy colors and homey antique furniture here only add to the ambiance and while the setting may not remind visitors of any national fast-food chain, for co-owner Debbie Sainsbury, that’s exactly the point.
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| Rick and Debbie Sainsbury bought Neighbors Deli, a soup and sandwich bistro on Pines Road, in April. A few months before, the couple purchased Buck’s Pizza on 32nd Avenue. Both locations were set to go out of business before the change of ownership. |
“It seems like everything is going corporate these days,” Sainsbury said. “I think we’re losing part of our uniqueness. The thing about the deli is that it’s part of the neighborhood. It makes people feel at home.”
The local produce that goes on a variety of sandwiches doesn’t hurt either. Debbie and her husband Rick made it a point to stock both the deli and Buck’s Pizza – a restaurant on 32nd Avenue they bought in April – with vegetables and other products cultivated in the Inland Northwest.
Rick said both businesses continue to contribute to the community in other ways, as well. A portion of the proceeds from coupon books benefits Spokane Valley Meals on Wheels as did an areawide fund-raiser in which local cafes donated a percentage of their profits from all meals sold on a single day in March. Rick said that from schools to churches to local sports teams, plenty of discounted pizza and sandwiches are helping to prop up good causes.
“We think it’s important to support the community,” he said.
Diners at the deli are glad the Sainsburys made the investment. The locale features nine sandwich varieties and nearly as many soup selections. From clam chowder to tomato bisque to minestrone and more, the soup is a bargain at $2.35 for a cup or $3.25 for a bowl. The price includes a roll and crackers.
The sandwiches ($3.95 for a half, $5.95 for a full) are served on several kinds of breads including Vienna white, poppin wheat, caraway rye, foccacia and a traditional hoagie roll. The egg salad, croutons and chipotle sauce are made in-house.
The deli also offers a range of unique salads, starting with a conventional tossed garden at $3.25 and moving up to a spinach salad – with purple onion, mandarin oranges, almonds, feta cheese and a raspberry vinagrette dressing – at $5.25.
Sandwich meat here is pre-cooked, pre-sliced and lean. The “Flatout Chicken” is one of the more popular selections, consisting of fajita chicken, onions, tomatoes and cheese. The ingredients are wrapped in a tortilla, cooked on a panini grill and served with chips and salsa.
As Thanksgiving approaches, visitors will be sure to order up the turkey sandwich served on wheat bread with fresh turkey, provolone cheese, lettuce and cranberry sauce. Each sandwich at Neighbors is served with rustic style potato chips, pickles and choice of half-a-dozen cheeses.
Take out orders comprise over 30 percent of the restaurant’s business and catering is also available. A courtyard provides an opportunity for outdoor dining, depending on the weather. Plans are to have the area refurbished by next spring.
Neighbors Deli is located at 1014 N. Pines and is open Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To order lunch, call 474-9768 or send a fax to 922-4195.
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By
Craig Howard
