IO Deli

This is the only deli in the neighborhood and thankfully it is amazing! You can get great lunch or dinner sandwiches. The deli meat is great — very high quality and very fresh. And I love that you can get it by the pound. The pre-​made sides are also a great option. It’s so refreshing to have a little deli near by.

Great location!

IO Deli is a pocket dimension of gourmet delicacies located a couple of doors down from Café IO, its parent restaurant. On two occasions last week, Kay and I found ourselves exploring it, Challengers of the Unknown that we are.
Located within a narrow corridor of a storefront, the proprietors own a panini press and a meat slicer and are not above using both to full effect.
Take for instance the masterful Corned Beef panino. A Reuben in sheep’s clothing, the meat was ample as was Swiss cheese, the tart sauerkraut, the creamy Thousand Island dressing, all of contained expertly within toasted rye bread and halved bisected. Salty, creamy, sweet strings were plucked, making for beautiful gastronomic music. Complimented by a large, halved dill pickle, Kay and I longed for a patch of green grass and a blanket.
Mama Rea’s «Famous» Potato Salad came next, quite frankly sending Grandma’s to the nursing home for the rest of her days. I couldn’t detect much else in the potato salad other than a sugary mayonnaise dressing and some mild herbs (perhaps parsley). There were no eggs, crunchy veggies, or paprika involved. No, this potato salad, featuring thinly sliced discs of spud excelled with an elegance of economy that I’d never encountered before.
Dessert was a successfully chewy bake-​sale level M&M chocolate chip cookie that put my candy canines to bed happily.
My second visit centered around the Pizza Dog and the Squid Salad. Grilled in the panin press like the corned beef sandwich, the Smith’s weiner was topped with mozzarella, tomato sauce, pepperoni, peppers, and a relish of tomato and red onion, taking it to Chi-​Town in a deep pan pleasantly.
The Squid Salad included chilled, al dente calamari (tentacles and all) and parsley in a simple olive oil/​vinegar dressing. Gourmet as all get-​out, this could have been served on a fancy plate in more opulent environs for much more than I was charged. It was as if it had been swiped from a table at Il Pizzaiolo via teleportation. Some fafcat musta got my tuna melt instead.
IO Silverrrrr! Get on your horses and do some takeout here, pronto!

If your looking for something fresh — a salad, sandwich or a good soup, IO Deli has it. Small sliver of a store that is take-​out or you can stand. There were four soups where you help yourself, or order a sandwich or salad.
Had a cup of the Tomato bisque soup. IO makes some great soups and I was not disappointed. The Portabella Panini with fresh spinach, caramelized onion, roasted peppers and munster cheese was delightful. Had a side order of kale slaw that was very taste, it had a sharp taste that is perfect for a slaw.
Currently the hours are Monday thru Saturday 11 am to 5 pm. They have applied for a liquor license to sell beer but as usual with government, the application is taking time.