We drive 30 minutes from Raleigh just to get these amazing sandwiches. We really love the eggplant/broccoli rabe and the chicken cutlet ones. The brown butter cookie was also amazing. I love looking at all their fresh baked breads and goodies inside the shop. 10/10There isn’t a lot of seating, but take your sandwiches to the Duke Gardens or somewhere downtown to eat outside!! You will not regret trying this place :)
I can’t stop thinking about how amazing our sandwiches were (the Primo and the Italian)!! Highly recommend getting the whatever sandwich you decide on with the focaccia bread. Truly incredible how crisp but somehow soft the bread was. If you want water, bring a bottle of water yourself or buy one for $1 inside the store!
Just had the egg & cheese with Spicy Salami on English Muffin with the basil mayo! WOW!! It was amazing. Every time I try a new sandwich from Ideal's I fall in love. I think this is my new favorite! Amazing staff too. Always friendly.
Always on the hunt for new Deli's and this one stood out because of the 5 star rating. Have to say....the flavors and quality of ingredient lived up to the hype which is rare. I had the Chopped cheese, mom had the Roast Turkey, dad had the Chicken Cutlet. All tasted amazing and very fresh. Cool little store area to wait in. Heads up...you'll be waiting around 20-30 minutes for your order if there is a line.
My first ever review! That is how good Ideal's is.Ian and the team are really doing something truly fantastic here.I got the Primo sandwich, some fresh chips, and a bag of English muffins. Everything at Ideal's is absolutely incredible. The Primo was honestly one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. AMAZING focaccia bread, super juicy chicken, fresh mozzarella, top quality prosciutto, savory herb mayo, crisp arugula salad…. Mouthwatering symphony of flavors!!The quality of ingredients, the amazing selection of goods and pre-prepared foods in the grocery, the kindness of the staff, and the love for good food is really next level.This will be a Durham institution in the coming years!!
Went here for the first time to get a Valentine’s Day lunch, such a cute spot with a fun grocery area to snag some extras. I got an Italiano, and got my partner the Eggplant + Ricotta, both with their homemade garlic chips. While I was waiting for my food, I glanced around the grocery area and grabbed some focaccia and vanilla heart cookies. Everything was so good, the sandwiches are god-tier. The right amount of meat and veggies, delicious bread, and the chips are sooo well seasoned (also they actually fill the bags with chips, rather than the classic “there’s a chip in my bag of air” situation). 10/10 would recommend.
I stopped by here for lunch on a Friday around noon with a friend. Shortly after the place opened, there was a queue to get in - always a good sign. Once inside, my friend and I ordered an Italian and one of the special sandwiches to split. While waiting, the area has a selection of in-house prepared food/sides, beer, wine, and specialty grocery items you can buy. I noted that you could really set yourself up for a killer picnic by stopping in here.The kitchen is open so you can see the staff making all the food. Despite the fairly small space, the staff worked in concert and had food flying out. Everything being made looked great and I left wanting to try a couple other things on my next visit.We sat at one of the little tables outside and dug into the the daily special sandwich. Fried eggplant, pesto, roast beef, and fresh mozz on a fresh baked bread. By the first bite, it was clear that this special sandwich was, in fact, VERY special. The fry job and batter on the eggplant was spot on, well seasoned, very crisp and went great with the pesto and roast beef.It was quite clear that the people running the place are putting a lot of care into what they are doing. Keep it up folks, I look forward to returning.
This place is killer. Best bread and subs in town, not even close. High quality ingredients. Looks like they've added some tables out on the sidewalk to give folks a chance to eat there. It's nice to see quality in Durham with subs/sandwiches that isn't a chain.
Part of me doesn’t want to review this place because I don’t want the line to get any longer but I can’t keep it from the world. I used to think we were spoiled with amazing restaurants in Durham (and we are!), but we were all kidding ourselves until this place came along. It is so freaking good. I’ve eaten here almost every week since they opened and every single time I’m impressed again. Everything they do is top notch (literally all our friends have a different “favorite”) but I’m partial to the Uncle Primos. Also the grocery is stocked with wonderful goodies and a perfect touch! Just go, you won’t regret it…but you might dream of it every night until you can go again. Only complaint is I wish they were open everyday and located next to my house, ha!
This is a much needed addition to the lunch options for people who work near this area. A little on the pricey side but well worth it because the bread is amazing and the sandwiches are so big you can easily save half for lunch the next day.I just hope that they eventually are able to add more seating outside and be open for lunch on Tues and Wed.