Pickerman’s Soup & Sandwich Shop

Wanted something close to the hotel. I stumbled upon Pickerman’s. I checked Unilocal and the reviews were old and very mixed. I decided to give it a try. Greg S hit the nail on the head. It’s very similar to Pot Belly’s. I’m a huge fan so I was pleased with my sub. I really liked the bread. It’s a little softer than your typical sub roll. If ever in the area again I would definitely go back.

There are a lot of different types of Sammie shoppes in town. You have more traditional gourmet sandwiches with Palmers Deli and chain sub spots like Jimmy Johns and Subway. To me I like Pickerman’s because it serves as the closest reminder to my favorite place Potbellys with its toasted bread and sandwich simplicity.
I got the turkey sandwich which was just that, turkey, lettuce, tomato, onions and a special sauce (thousand island) and a bowl of soup. The sandwiches are fairly cheap as is the soup on its own and although I think 10 bucks is a bit steep for soup and a sandwich, that is the price for each menu item on their own.
Service was quick, shop was clean and management was friendly. I dig!

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY! RUN AWAY — FAST! ANY SUB SHOP IS BETTER!
If I could give a «0» star I would. What a horrible experience! First we were baited in by the website. Once we arrived the menu was not the same. I asked why and the very impatient lady (who clearly could care less about customer service) taking the order smiled while stating, «Its so outdated and we really don’t use it» — WONDERFUL!!! then take it down! False advertise much?! After the painful order we then got back to work and found they toasted all the subs! It was never asked and my sub was not intended for toasting… SUPER HOT MAYO (yum) AND TERRIBLE LETTUCE I wouldn’t force a rabbit to eat the lettuce (McDonald’s hot & spicy lettuce is better), the soup was cold, the soda to go were WARM, and for $ 10.00! WHAT A RIP OFF — GO TO SUB WAY or anywhere else.
***Although this experience has provided me another use for their subs — IT’S A GREAT SUBSTITUTE FOR IPECAC SYRUP!!!

As someone who squeezes in both a meal and a workout on my lunch break, I need an eatery close in proximity and fast in service. Pickerman’s fulfills both needs efficiently and deliciously.
When I stopped in around 1pm, I was pleased to see one medium-​sized group and several couples already enjoying their meals. The lack of a line allowed me to place my order and pick it up within minutes so I could enjoy the outdoor seating before heading back to work (and the gym).
As added bonuses, the staff were friendly and my chicken salad sub was tasty. The salad had a coleslaw-​like consistency, which did nothing to deter me despite my distate for coleslaw. The approximately 5−6″ inch sub was nicely toasted and can best be compared to the bread of Planet Sub (nothing special, but appealing). It was cut in half, which was handy considering both its messiness to eat (see consistency above) and my tendency to eat one portion before my workout and the rest after. And at $ 5.25, it didn’t break the bank.
All in all, a handy (if forgettable) way to grab lunch on the go and still have time for errands!

One question about Pickerman’s: how do they make a «basic» sub taste so good?!
As far as I can tell, the sandwiches are the exact same thing that I could make in my kitchen: white bread, deli meat, cheese, and lettuce, tomato, Italian dressing, etc. But somehow, they make it taste amazing. Maybe they put love in each one? Beats me. But it’s good. Way good.
You’ll pay more here than you would at another sandwich shop: cough cough: Sub… way… :cough cough:
Try it. You’ll like it.

Decent sandwiches at decent prices. This is a good option for a quick lunch (they only serve lunch). Better meats and cheeses than subway. The subs are probably about 6″, and are made to order. I would normally go for a foot long if I were to stoop to going to Subway, but a sandwich is filling enough here.
I hear that they have good soup as well, but that’s not a selling point for me. I can’t say from first hand experience.
There are better delis in Des Moines, but if you are in the area, this is not a bad option.