Every summer, I like to go on a mission to find the best food spots in a given category in Baltimore City. This year’s mission is corner store delis.
I’m not looking for polished brunch spots. I’m looking for deli counters tucked inside corner stores where the sandwich makes you feel your soul ascend for a second.
I believe there is a direct positive correlation between cruddy-ness and food quality, so I will be testing that theory.
Fifth Floor Pool Deli Rating System
- Store Aura /10
- Sandwich Build /10
- Flavor Balance /10
- Drink Selection /5
- Experience Factor /10
Total Points: /45
Ratings
- 40–45 – Religious Experience
- 35–39 – Insane
- 30–34 – Solid
- 25–29 – It’s Food
- Below 25 – Did Not Like
1. University Market & Deli
1228 N Charles St
The first stop on the mission was University Market & Deli on Charles & Preston.
First impression: the store itself was strong. Good corner store selection, a nice snack variety, and, most importantly, they had Nutella ice cream, which immediately raised my opinion of the establishment.
That said, they did not have any Rip Its, which is a serious issue for me personally. No Power Flavor especially, a metric you will learn is integral to my rating system. Deeply upsetting.
I ordered a spicy cheesesteak with everything on it and provolone.
While I was waiting, the fire alarm started going off inside the store, which instantly cut through the otherwise calm aura and changed the whole vibe. Ear-piercing. It definitely accelerated the hearing damage I’ve accumulated from years of playing music.
But it was 10 p.m., I hadn’t eaten dinner yet, and I had already paid, so I stayed the course.
And I’m glad I did, because this cheesesteak was crazy.
They didn’t go overboard on the onions, which I appreciated. The steak was juicy, the provolone was properly drippy, the hots were in perfect proportion, and the bread was toasted exactly right. Each bite gave you a little bit of every ingredient. It was balanced, hot, juicy, and deeply satisfying.
This was one of those sandwiches where you bite into it, pause, and go, “DAYUM.”
Score: 37.5 Points
- Store Aura: 6.5/10 - the fire alarm was godawful, but the staff were nice and it wasn’t their fault
- Sandwich Build: 10/10 - this is what cheesesteaks should be
- Flavor Balance: 10/10 - genuinely insane, no notes
- Drink Selection: 1/5 - no Rip Its is catastrophic for me
- Experience Factor: 10/10 - despite the fire alarm, I’m still thinking about that cheesesteak
Verdict:
A genuinely excellent cheesesteak served under auditory distress. Great sandwich, strong store, unacceptable Rip It situation.
2. Lexington Deli Mart
329 W Lexington St
Second stop was Lexington Deli Mart at Eutaw and Lexington.
It was raining, so naturally a lot of people were crowded inside near the front of the store. On entry, I was immediately asked if I was good and if I needed anything. I really just needed breakfast, but I was also offered various pharmaceuticals, which felt pretty in line with the broader Lexington Market ecosystem, just more direct than usual.
Usually it’s more sporadic as you walk down Eutaw Street. This felt more like a sneak ambush.
I declined. I’ve been sober for like eight or nine years, and I’m definitely not interested in mystery street Percs at this point in my life.
Still, I have to be honest: the whole interaction was weirdly charming, even if mildly stressful. I had also just woken up and probably looked like I hadn’t slept in three days, with the hair of someone who had just stuck a fork into an electrical outlet, so I guess it could have been ambiguous what sorts of purchases I was hoping to make.
The store had those Clover Hill cheese danishes, which got me excited, but unfortunately they were stale. Disappointing.
On the beverage side, they did have Rip Its, which earned immediate respect, but they did not have Power Flavor, so I had to settle for G Force. G Force is a good stand-in, but I’m telling you now, it does not hold a candle to Power Flavor. Trust me.
They also had what looked like every flavor of those Tyson vapes, which doesn’t do anything for me personally, but my girlfriend appreciated that.
I ordered a bacon, egg, and cheese on a plain bagel with cream cheese.
The food took a little while, as the place was busy, and honestly I take that as a positive sign. A busy deli counter usually means food is moving.
While I was waiting, the front of the store stayed active. At one point there seemed to be some tension brewing, and eventually the clerk had enough. He banged on the plexiglass and yelled for everybody to take it outside. They listened.
Then another dude came in mad because people had thrown trash by the door right after the clerk had cleaned it. He was irritated on behalf of the worker, which I respected. Then he cleaned it up himself. Good man.
Now the food: heeeellllll yeah.
That sandwich was BANGIN. There was so much egg on that bagel it was folded over. They used real bacon, not microwave bacon, but real fresh deli bacon.
My only complaint was that the cream cheese got a little messy, and the bagel could have been thicker to stand up to everything happening on it, because it did that thing where I ran out of bagel before I ran out of sandwich.
Even with that structural weakness, it still absolutely hit. I wouldn’t want less sandwich, don’t get me wrong — just more bagel.
Score: 37 Points
- Store Aura: 8/10 - fascinating and memorable, even if not exactly relaxing
- Sandwich Build: 8/10 - fresh ingredients, not skimpy, but the structure needed help
- Flavor Balance: 8.5/10 - the actual eating experience was solid
- Drink Selection: 3/5 - at least they had Rip Its
- Experience Factor: 9.5/10 - a true Baltimore cultural experience
Verdict:
Rainy-day chaos, unsolicited pharmacy menu, one righteous trash cleanup, and a breakfast sandwich that absolutely delivered. A little messy, but in a way I can forgive. I will be going back with regularity.
