Neal’s Deli

Meh.
I had high expectations after reading all the great reviews, so my friend and I decided to check this place out. We went on a Friday afternoon, around 1; it wasn’t too busy but there weren’t any empty tables so we took our sandwiches to go.
I had the Neal’s Chicken Salad sandwich and my friend had the Smoked Turkey. Both were just average but we both agreed that it wasn’t worth the price. They were pretty basic so there isn’t much to say about them.
Maybe we should’ve tried one of their specialty sandwiches since that’s what a lot of people have been raving out. Maybe we’ll give it another try. I’m thinking about going their for their breakfast because their breakfast menu looks promising. I dunno, we’ll see!

Best sandwich place in the triangle! There is not one bad food item on the menu-​everything I have eaten is very good! The employees are very friendly and the service is quick. Plus, I love the retro look of the restaurant.

Saw this spot on the NYT list of what to do in Chapel Hill/​Carborro. Ordered the sausage, cheddar and apple on a biscuit and the avocado salsa.
First of all, the biscuit was buttery, flaky, and really great. Crisp outside and soft inside. The sausage was sourced from the shop up the street and the cheddar was well, cheddar. The apples were a nice touch and complimented the sausage nicely, however would have added more. Overall a great sandwich!
The avocado salsa on the other hand was really guacamole with a cute name. It was ok, but the serving size was rather small. I really like that they source local when possible and small with a homey local vibe.

I had the vegetarian sandwich and it was a little pricey for the ingredients in my opinion. But, more importantly, it’s unlikely I’ll come back to this place now that I know their political leanings. These guys seemed to have teamed up with some other small businesses to push a charity kitchen for the poor out of downtown Carrboro. It’s really too bad that people use the political clout they have in a small town to marginalize the poor and prevent groups from helping people. Some places that jumped on this anti-​poor bandwagon have already retracted their alliances. I hope that Neal’s deli does the same.

We’ve had breakfast and lunch sandwiches here and absolutely loved each one.
By far the best pastrami I’ve had (and I’ve tried NYC).
Absolutely delicious.

Had the pastrami and the pimento cheese. Both were excellent as well as the butternut squash soup. It may seem a bit on the pricy side for a deli but definitely worth it. The bread was really well toasted, the dressing was a good balance between sweet and sour, and the meat was very tender. Would definitely go again!

Got here 5 minutes before 11 and the Lord was on my side! There was only One last golden biscuit so I told my boyfriend to get a lunch sandwich… lol I ordered the pastrami, egg and Swiss. Seriously the best pastrami I’ve had! It being the last biscuit in the house made it taste that more delicious! Neal’s deli was voted Indys best deli in the county and now I know why! This place is small but super cute and has a hipster vibe which I appreciate, feels like home.

My only problem with Neal’s is that it’s so hard to decide which classic sandwich or special to have. Or to choose between the fantastic sides. The Neals really know what they’re doing and they care about the food and the customer experience. BTW, don’t miss the breakfast biscuits – so worth waking up early for.

Now I know why so many good reviews. Place couldn’t be better. I was first in the door today, greeted and the menu presented. I was distracted by the brownies on the counter. HOW COULD YOU NOT BE???
Their first recommendation was the pastrami Swiss and egg biscuit. She went on to others but if their first recommendation sounds good it’s a good bet. And it was very good. Their biscuits can’t be beat.
The brownie will fly home tonight to the enjoyment of my wife. We will advise. Highly recommended.

I walked into Neil’s at around 730 this morning (Thurs) to order breakfast. Been there for the first time a couple of weeks ago and got there at 11:05 and was told they were no longer serving breakfast, breakfast service having ended at 11. No problem.
Went back today. Looked over the menu. Ordered two eggs over medium with bacon and biscuit and was curtly told they only do eggs «one way-​scrambled straight through» –whatever that means. I politely declined and went to the breakfast place next door.
I’m glad I didn’t have to wait in the customary line I’ve heard about because I would have been quite frustrated. There’s no disclosure on the menu that there’s only one way or the highway for the way eggs are cooked.
I would rate Neal’s as «precious.»

I had a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit, with wilted spinach on top. The biscuit was fresh-​made and good, and the spinach was a really good addition to the sandwich. I enjoyed my biscuit (it was good, but wasn’t a standout, hence 3 stars rather than 4).
This is a friendly little place, and popular with the locals, and no wonder, because it’s a great value.

In Carrboro they have this impressive ability to make everything alternative and a bit hipster. At Neal’s a simple deli becomes gourmet, a hot dog has a special sausage, and the list goes on and on.
Came with a friend from lunch during the week I ordered a sandwich while my hungry friend got two hot dogs. My sub was nice and huge, certainly would satisfy anyone.
Service was kind, and one of the ladies spoke Portuguese to me, which I find really cute.
The only problem I see is that some of the items in the menu are a bit overpriced, but nothing crazy.

Fresh Fresh food. Mostly salads and sandwiches. My son raved about his pastrami sandwich and I had the marinated albacore salad. Delicious and nicely seasoned. Everything was super fresh — light and reasonably priced. Awesome big brownie.
Outdoor seating PLUS 100% sanitation rating
And super friendly.
Will be back !

On the hunt for some good food on the way to VIR, we had heard of Neal’s and wanted to visit. Three hours later I’m still happily sated and dreaming of a return trip! We tried several items that Unilocal users recommended (thanks, Unilocalers!) including the Manhattan (a house — cured pastrami rueben) and chicken salad. Both were fabulous. Our sides were red-​skinned potato salad with a light vinaigrette, no mayo. YUM. Also Coleslaw and broad bean salad. I enjoyed both, especially the latter which had a lovely tomato flavor and beans cooked where they weren’t too mushy. Potatoes also were cooked al dente, not falling apart. We’ll done! Our only negative comment, and it’s personal taste, is that there are onions in everything and we don’t care for raw onions. That said, it was well worth the detour and we loved seeing Sheila and Matt!

The best deli in Carrboro/​CH. Matt and Sheila know what they are doing.
You really can’t go wrong with the menu selections, so let me just say this: the Chileano Completo will change your (hot dog) life; the biscuits are a spiritual experience; and the Muffaletta will make you glad you finally tried Muffaletta!

Breakfast is important for me. Neal’s deli had been on my bookmark for several occasions. Due to time conflict and dining interest shifts, I missed lots of opportunities to dine in here.
As a senior, a chapel hill inspired foodie, now I made up my mind and come here for some «normal» biscuits. I mean normal because I don’t eat biscuit as my breakfast. Not because I don’t like it, but because I haven’t find a good combo to eat with biscuit. But today, let me introduce the amazing pimento cheese and bacon biscuit and announce the fact that I may have an obsession on this kind of biscuit now
Location: green sign green outdoor seating, connected to Open Eyes, Neals deli is definitely fit in this hippie area. Although there is a limited amount of table inside, there are several outdoor seating for you to sit on. I am fond of their huge table indoor, it’s big huge and plenty space to have lots of food on the table. As for parking, carrboro has public parking which is close to Neals deli. So don’t worried and eat on here
Price: pimento cheese and bacon is 4.25. Not bad, other stuff is reasonable price. I felt like the lunch menu is much more expensive tho. But as long as food is delicious, I am okay with it
Food: Pimento Cheese and Bacon Biscuit is the beast!!! Huge portion of hand made biscuit. The cheese is moistured and balanced well. Not too salty compared to other sandwich store.
Overall: 4.5 555 555! Food is good and service is caring.

Items Selected:
Buttered Biscuit with Jam
Pimento Cheese and Bacon Biscuit
Dark Chocolate Walnut Brownie
The third stop on a morning breakfast run that had already seen beguiling biscuits at Sunrise and woeful disappointment at Ye Olde Waffle Shoppe, Neal’s Deli was recommended by a well-​traveled gourmand as a ‘can’t miss’ place for upscale deli cuisine and arriving to find every seat filled and a line two-​deep surrounding the counter I nearly walked out for simple lack of a place to stand, a man at the window-​side bar fortuitously getting up just as I entered graciously offering me the stool on which he’d just sat.
Using my coat to mark my space, and getting in a line of eight that moved surprisingly fast, it was with Take-​Out menu in hand that decisions were made and although both soups and pastrami seemed to be selling like hotcakes it was once again in biscuits that I’d invest — the buttermilk batter just entering the oven as I sat down to enjoy a plastic wrapped brownie chewy with dark chocolate and punctuated with slightly bitter nuts.
Slightly prolonged in my wait, but likely to benefit from biscuits served hot and fresh, it was with an elderly local that I struck up some chat and told that I’d made ‘the best choice’ in ordering the pimento cheese and bacon biscuit his words soon rang true moments after the man behind the counter called out my name — the fluffy golden crumb tinged with buttermilk proving quite nice with simple strawberry jam but finding a substantial upgrade when sandwiching spicy cheddar spread and crisp bacon that didn’t seem particularly ‘Jewish Deli,’ but was delicious just the same.

Neals Deli is my main jam in Carrboro. Great biscuits and great sandwiches. For breakfast the decadent pimiento cheese and bacon biscuits are to die for. No really, they are probably killing me. If you really want a heart attack get a pastrami, egg, and swiss biscuit to go with the first one. The plain biscuits are delicious too (better than Sunrise). Yeah. I said it. Be warned: Neal’s runs out of biscuits many mornings.
For me lunch is all about the house cured pastrami. The Manhattan is my go-​to sandwich, but the Reuben is also excellent. The apple cheddar dog is yummy too. I’ve never enjoyed their sides as much as the sandwiches.
Staff is friendly and it’s a locally owned business. Understandably lots of folks love Neal’s as much as I do, so the wait can be pretty lengthy sometimes, especially on weekend mornings. That knowledge coupled with the tiny dining room leads me to plan to either 1) take it away or 2) plan my visit during non-​peak hours. Neal’s is pricey, but the fresh, quality food justifies it. Like I said, it’s my jam.

Y’all. Stop what you’re doing right now, go to Neal’s, and eat a biscuit.
Seriously.
They’re the best in the Carrboro/​Chapel Hill area. And ya girl knows her biscuits.
Baked fresh every morning — and once they move from breakfast to lunch, *IF* there are biscuits still left, they sell them bagged, 4 for $ 4. Buy that bag. Take it home. Treat it to a nice morning — maybe a nice cup of coffee, whip up some eggs, share the crossword together…
The lunch sandwiches are pretty bangin’, too. The lemon dill chicken salad is just perfect. Oh, and their pickles — they make their own. They’re amazing. You should drink the juice (preferably as a pickleback down at Bowbarr!)

Co-​worker spoiled us with Neal’s biscuits for breakfast. Had the pimiento cheese and biscuit and oh my, it is beyond. I love pimiento cheese, but am not a biscuit fan but Neal’s may change that! Highly recommend.