Little Deli & Pizzeria — Restaurant in Austin

Absolutely terrible, food and service, and has been since the pandemic.  Used to be my fav and sent all New Yorkers missing NY pizza here, but never again.  If I'm spending $40-$50 for one pizza and a sandwich in Austin, Texas, you better make sure the customer is absolutely happy.

Last time, spent a fortune and got a BLT that WAS NOT TOASTED and when I called the Woodrow location, they gaslighted me and said they "checked the kitchen and the cooks toasted it".

Um.

Why would I waste my time calling in if it were actually toasted?  Who has the most to lose by telling the truth and would lie to not get in trouble at work here?  Not me.  Asked for the owners to call me and, of course, they never did.

And the kicker, they think you need to have the knowledge of their employees and tell them you want it "double toasted", which is what I was told. Classic, blaming the victim/customer, which is what these kinds of people always do.  I had been going there for YEARS when in Austin and have NEVER had to do that.  Furthermore, I don't work for you and if that is some weird I don't know what because every other restaurant in America doesn't make you ask for "double toasted" if you don't want you bread raw, then your actual employees should tell a customer that upon ordering.  They did say it's a regular problem, so....

Months go by because I refuse to give people like this my business anymore, and I'm close to a different location, so I try this today because I really did love the place and when I miss Manhattan, it comforts me...BLT toasted, but not great- only because I made a federal case out of it to make sure it was toasted, took away a lot of the bacon that used to be decadent and overloaded and made the sandwich, and THEN...I wasn't asked if I wanted parm and red pepper for the take away pizza, which is fine, but when I did ask, you can see, the tiny, tiny, tiny bit of parm that I was given for an entire large 18 inch pizza.

Which also isn't good anymore, has a thicker crust and not a NY pizza crust anymore.

And when I asked for more, I got the silent attitude like I have an issue.

If the food had just not been great, I wouldn't have even wasted my life writing this review, but with the way I was treated at the Woodrow location and then thinking that small amount of parm is what one should receive for a THIRTY DOLLAR large PEPPERONI ONLY pizza...these people and this company doesn't deserve to be in business anymore.

If you're in Austin hankering for good pizza, you're going to have to suffer through the huge wait at Home Slice.  There's a reason why that place is jam packed 24/7 and this place is not.

*First photo is what I was begrudgingly given after asking for more Parm, 2nd photo of tiny amount is what I was...

OMG, what a gem!

I hadn't been to Little Deli in over 5 years. I live way South, but used to eat here weekly when I worked nearby 20 and then 10 years ago.

Was in the neighborhood today and remember how great it was/is and went in a little after lunch time. This is a small neighborhood lunch place in a cute little shopping center. When I first moved to Austin 20 years ago my boss took me there and it blew me away. The founder and original owner Lucretia was amazing. She knew everyone and remembered everything about them. She eventually sold it and opened an Italian Restaurant and then retired.

The people who bought it obviously knew that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". They haven't changed much. Even the cute little chalkboard menu I remember was still up. It's an small store with tables crammed in all over the place. During lunchtime you can't get one inside, but there are tons of picnic tables outside.

Sandwiches are prepared when you order them. Pizza is excellent (they know to have red pepper and oregano available for true pizza lovers). The first time I ate there, I ordered a Reuben against my better judgement (I'm from NYC and was very skeptical). The first couple of years it was the only thing I ever ate there because it was as good a sandwich as I ever had. Every time I went there thinking about trying something new, I'd get such a strong urge for the Reuben, that I'd just order it.

Eventually, over time I tried most of the other sandwiches, as well as their pizza. All were marvelous.

This place is a real Austin Original Gem. If you haven't eaten here, you're missing one of the best...

Been coming to Little Deli for ~10 years. As a born and raised NYer, Little Deli was been my top go to for the closest thing to NY style pizza in Austin. However, I'm sad to report that over the past year or so the quality has severely dropped.

Most of the pies I get now are soggy, undercooked, and inconsistent. Just last I night I got two pies; a pepperoni and a half/half with two veggie options. I specifically asked for the pies to be well done but not burned (because the pies are always so undercooked). I wish I had photos because you would cry.

The pepperoni was mediocre; still white, cheese over gooey, crust barely cooked. The veggie pie was a trainwreck. It had WAY too much sauce in various spots, a hole was tearing through the middle because the crust wasn't even and the pie was so wet, and it was grossly undercooked. We had to eat half the veggie pie with a fork and knife because it was such a mess. And I ASKED for the pie well done!

Like, I don't know what's happened or happening to this place, but whoever is cooking the pies needs to be pulled aside, given a refresher course, and spot checked. If I can't pull a slice off your pie when it comes out of the oven, fold it in half, and not have it collapse all over me you have completely failed. This is not acceptable generally, and definitely not when I'm spending $75 for a couple pies...