There’s nothing quite like taking shelter in a neighborhood deli on a cold, rainy day, and that first bite into an Italian grinder stacked with cold cuts, cheese, and crunchy lettuce. It’s a quintessential comfort food experience – and one I realized, upon visiting Providence Vegan Deli for the first time, I had never quite been able to replicate since becoming a vegetarian just over eight years ago.
I’m not alone in having this small yet poignant epiphany. Owner Rich Gaccione, who opened the plant-based deli this summer, told me other vegan and vegetarian eaters have expressed similar delight over finding a grinder that fits their diet. While enjoying a late lunch on a Thursday, other patrons filed through picking up to-go sandwiches (more than one praising the Day After Thanksgiving Leftovers special) and stocking up on a host of seitan products, which is where Gaccione found his footing in the plant-based food scene. His brand of packaged faux-meats, ranging from pepperoni sticks to corned beef slices, was formerly known as Born From Pain, and had become a farmers market staple over the years.
At the deli, which shares a home with legacy vegan business Like No Udder, the well-lit dining area boasts a rainbow mural, colorful chairs, and a case filled with seitan sticks, creamy pasta salads, and spreads. A menu is posted at the counter, along with rotating specials. Gaccione tackles the stereotype of plant-based being equated with small, dainty servings by assembling sizable foot-long sandwiches overflowing with fixings.
The classic Frank Italian Grinder, which I had the pleasure of tucking into, is a great example of this. Plated on red-and-white checked paper in a plastic basket, this fan-favorite is filled with slices of house-made vegan pepperoni, sweet ham, and Italian seitan, cut thin enough to drape into meaty layers I was giddy to sink my teeth into. The faux deli meat is the closest to the real thing you’ll get in flavor and texture, as well as variety – the three styles tasted distinct from each other and had their own roles to play to the overall medley of smokey vegan provolone, banana peppers, tomato, red onions, and shredded lettuce. The surprisingly creamy mayo substitute (also made in-house) tempered the light tang of the herbed oil and vinegar.
A side of macaroni salad offered a mild, satisfying counterpart with notes of dill and the occasional crunch of celery. It’s a picnic-ready crowd-pleaser, as is the Buffalo Chicken Dip. Shredded soy protein adds a nice bite to the creamy house-made ranch and cheese mixture, garnished with green onions. The spread is thick enough to enjoy by the forkful cold, and also great warm (I heated up the leftovers at home with pita chips for dipping).
What feels like a niche veg-forward experience need not – these sandwiches and sides stand out on their own, not merely as vegan riffs on beloved deli staples. But for plant-based diners craving a tuna salad sandwich, reuben, sloppy joe, and other comfort sammies, the search ends at Providence Vegan Deli.
783 Hope Street
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