Young Deli Gourmet: Comp Sci High’s Favorite Bodega
photos by Kyle Brown
Picture this: you’re a student or teacher at Comp Sci High, and you’re hungry. Your stomach is growling, but you don’t know what to eat, or where to go. When you walk out of Comp Sci High, you’ll see a wide selection of delis: Zoey Deli Grocery, Guy’s Deli Grocery, Hero City, Mexicocina. However, most teachers and some students will tell you without a shadow of a doubt that the best deli in the area is Young Deli Gourmet, on the corner of 147th and Concord.
Walking in, you will see a small, vibrant staff that is always helpful and always willing to go above and beyond to make your experience the best it can be at the deli. Often, there will be music videos blasting from the television above. But the real treat is whatever Danny, the cook, is making. He is what makes Young Deli great. His sandwiches are the best around our school because he puts in the effort to make them amazing, and pours a lot of care into his cooking.
When we interviewed Danny, we asked him about opening Young Deli and his process of cooking. He said: “When you love what you do, you know, you try to make the best results possible. And that's what I just try to do every day, man. Give you guys the best product and keep it going, keep it consistent.” In the point of view of many, Danny has achieved that, which honestly just shows his love for what he does and how much care he puts into making everything the best it can be.
This care is evident by the menu at Young Deli. The menu at any deli can either be hit or miss but that depends on who's cooking. But with Danny on the grill at Young Deli, you are basically getting a god-tier sandwich for 7 bucks or less. We recommend the chopped cheese or the bacon egg and cheese, but the menu has stuff unlike anywhere else, like an oxtail chopped cheese, or whatever Mr. Kelly orders when he's there (editor’s note: honey turkey on a roll with lettuce, tomato, red onion, swiss cheese, mayo, and honey mustard – toasted) . The menu has so much variety it makes you just sit there and wonder “what should I try this time.” We ask ourselves the same question every time we go there. But the truth is, we are never disappointed with Danny’s work.
We asked Danny about this innovation around his menu, and he stated: “I feel like for us, we try to keep it modern and we're not afraid to take risks. So we understand how everyday new foods are being created and we just want to keep up with that wave and just keep it going. Try and just, you know, evolve with the times and keep people happy.”
Many teachers agree: Young Deli is the best in the area. Ms. Germain told us that “Danny has a heart of gold and makes an amazing sandwich. Sometimes, I'll tell him the protein I'm craving and give him full creativity over the rest of the sandwich.” Think about that: someone trusting someone that much. Ms. Germain also said that Danny “knows best! While he's making my sandwich, we'll talk about everything from the last Knicks game to how annoying y'all are. Young Deli is the spot and we should continue to support local Bronx businesses.”
It doesn’t stop with Ms. Germain. Ms. Joseph told us: “Every time I walk into Danny’s deli, it feels like coming home with the music blasting, the quick hands crafting my sandwich, and those funny, political conversations that somehow always brighten my day. Danny remembers my order without a word, asks about my day like he genuinely cares, and no matter what may be going on, he always has a welcoming smile on his face.” Ms. Joseph’s point shows that a great deli is not just about the food. It’s also about the care.
Ms. Helmer told us: “Listen. I’m sure the other cooks at the deli are great, but Danny is my guy. He lets me text him my order so it is ready for pick up and the best part is he takes the decision right off my hands. Similar to Ms. Germain, I’ll let him know the protein I am craving and ask him to surprise me on the rest, and it is always delightful.” Later, she put it even more simply: “Danny never misses.”
As we have been reporting this, we have been recommending Young Deli to other students, some of whom have gone to try Danny’s food. Michael Robinson went there. After finishing his sandwich, he looked at us and said: “You were not wrong to glaze the deli, that chopped cheese was so good, I was thinking about getting a second one.”
Hennedys Guerra, a senior who went alongside Micheal, said: “The way the cook made the food just made me wonder how long he had been doing this, and when I took that first bite I honestly wanted to steal back the piece I gave Michael.”
Finally, Jaylen Matthews said Danny made him “the best bacon egg and cheese I’ve tasted in a bit.” A notoriously hard grader, Jaylen even said “I’ll give it a 9/10.”
In conclusion, Young Deli Gourmet is a really chill, caring spot with an amazing menu, a warm staff with a great vibe. We would recommend that everyone at Comp Sci High go to the deli to try out the food. While you’re there, say hi to Danny for us.