A common complaint I get is that I’m hugely biased towards Asian/fusion restaurants in my reviews. For the most part, that’s completely true. I grew up in a European household with a largely traditional influence in the kitchen, so I find western food to be, well… not thrilling. That’s not to say I can’t appreciate a well-done steak with potatoes or a classic fish and chips, but why would I subject myself to a cuisine I already know so well? That said, even the prodigal son eventually returned home, so I decided I’d take a moment to enjoy one of the finest gems Hoboken has to offer, Lisa’s Deli on Ninth Street and Park Avenue.
Lisa’s has probably one of the more noticeable street presences of the delis in Hoboken. With its large signs, beautiful plants, and bustling corner atmosphere, it’s hard to miss it if you ever find yourself slightly off Washington Street. That said, the atmosphere inside is definitely of a “grab and go” sandwich shop; if you wanted to sit around with a large group and enjoy some very well-prepared sandwiches, this is not the place to go. Only the most dedicated of aestheticians would casually take up one of the two small tables sitting the middle of the locale. For the rest of us, there’s a beautiful park a few streets down on Ninth Street that was a freshman favorite for me back in the day!
Looking at the menu, I was feeling especially bold. I hadn’t been to Lisa’s in a hot minute and finally had the license to explore the menu. Usually, I just get the New York hero, but I had the fortune of trying the Cubano panini and Miami wrap. Pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and sauces I can’t even name on a panini? Sign me up. Tuna, lettuce, tomato, and more sauces I can’t name in a wrap?? Also, sign me up. After waiting a bit for all three I packed up and trekked back to the library to enjoy myself.
Despite my return to more traditional cuisines, I was still all about the New York hero. The balsamic dressing, lettuce, tomato, onion, and breaded chicken make the New York everything you could love about Italian food into a sandwich. Messy? Yes, you wouldn’t eat this in a suit, but then again you probably wouldn’t be at a deli in a suit, anyway. After that, I took a bite into the Miami wrap, and honestly? I was a little disappointed. The quality of the ingredients was high and that alone made the wrap a delight, but I think the tuna preparation would have benefited from sharper flavors as opposed to the large amount of mayo that held most of it together. Finally, the Cubano panini was an absolute delight. The gooey, melted Swiss cheese combined beautifully with the pickles and tangy/spicy mystery sauce to provide the ultimate backbone for the pork meat base, which was so irresistibly juicy that I was sad when I found out that I had eaten it all! Despite my innate bias toward the New York, I loved all three of them, and I highly recommend the Cubano.
If you need a quick bite to eat and are really feeling some almost gourmet-level deli food, then Lisa’s is the place to go. It’s slightly more expensive than your hometown dive deli, true, but then again, so are most other sandwich shops in Hoboken. In addition, at least Lisa’s offers a huge bang for your buck. If you like it enough, you can even buy their ingredients! The store doubles as a specialty meat and cheese shop, with some Italian classics like Lady Fingers.
Location 4/5
Food 4/5
Service 4/5
Price $.5/$$$$
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