Zanti's Deli — Restaurant in Sappington

The wife and I finally made it to Zanti's Deli, a place we've been wanting to try for a few months, especially since I saw photos of their pastrami, my favorite meat. I love me some reuben, corned beef or pastrami but on the board today they had pastrami and grilled onions on rye so I decided to give it a try, substituting french roll for the rye, choosing spicy mustard over their white sauce. Karla is an admittedly very picky eater, choosing a simple ham and cheddar on sour dough. The restaurant is fairly small, maybe three or four small tables, but we arrived mid afternoon and quickly found an empty table. Ambiance is best described as "we encourage take-out". Owner Jami was at the counter and she is truly awesome; kind, patient, friendly, the whole nine yards. Let there be no doubt the pastrami was the star of the show. Holy cow it was so very tender and juicy AND flavorful, some of the best pastrami I've ever had. I was initially disappointed that it wasn't sliced deli thin like one of my favorites, Carl's Deli, but my disappointment faded immediately upon first bite. Wow! This may be my new favorite pastrami in the metro. Thick cut was definitely the right move for this house made pastrami. Jami threw in a small cup of their white sauce to try and I'm so glad she did. If you like a mild but flavorful horseradish sauce, you won't be disappointed by their white sauce. Karla really enjoyed the ham and cheese. The ham was so plentiful, we took some off of the sandwich and brought it home with us to make another sandwich out of. She would have much preferred Texas toast over the sourdough but she said the sandwich was nonetheless tasty with flavorful ham. Both sandwiches came with a side of pasta salad. Full disclosure, I'm not a cold pasta salad fan but it was tasty. Karla absolutely loved the pasta salad with its sweet and slightly tangy dressing. Overall, a super wonderful experience. We plan to return soon to try other things on the menu but I've gotta be honest. It's going to be tough for me to skip...

Zanti's Deli has truly exceeded my expectations. The moment I walked in, the friendly staff made me feel welcome with a cheery “hello” and a “welcome in”. She answered all my questions and made a few recommendations. The menu has an array of deli sandwich classics and some unique creations. There are only a few tables, but it’s a deli, not a restaurant. There are a few picnic tables outside if needed too.

My last visit I ordered their Brisket Salad with their homemade Vidalia Onion Dressing. It was nothing short of perfection. The brisket was tender and flavorful and if I dare say it, almost too much for the salad. There is no skimping on ingredients or portions here. My salad was enough for two meals.

My husband got a daily special sandwich called Smoked Chicken Melt. I did get a bite to try it. The chicken was so tender and had a perfect smoked flavor. It had port wine cheese and an amazing homemade bacon jam. It was amazing!

What impressed me the most was that almost everything is homemade. Their sauces, soups, pasta salad, meatballs, and most a few of their dressings are all made in house with high quality ingredients. They also have AMAZING gelato made at their sister restaurant “Roberto’s”. It's clear that the owners and staff of Zanti's take pride in every menu item served.

If you’ve never had their pizza, it is a must!!! And that Lasagne Soup! Omg! I highly recommend stopping by...

How did I miss this gem for the last couple of years?! As soon as you walk in, you are greeted with delicious smells that leave your mouth watering with anticipation of what's to come. Coming from the North East, we struggled to find a deli that makes an Italian sub with all the right meat; ham, cappicola, mortadello, and salami! The only difference is the provel cheese and giardineria, but who doesn't love that?! Absolute perfection! Now on to the chicken pesto, delicious FRESH chicken cutlets, fresh mozzarella, tomato, pesto, and garlic aoili!! Oh Madone! My daughter got the chicken parm, and of course I had to tax her with a bite! Being a sauce girl, I would have liked a little extra but it was on point! My youngest got a BLT, stacked just right between 3 slices of fresh bread. Lest we forget the homemade gelato, couldn't walk out without that in the bag! They also offer fresh "heat and eat" meals, that is next on the list. The service was as outstanding as the food. My belly is so happy, I felt like I was back home for just a short while. Sorry I don't have pictures to add, it was all gone when I wrote...