One of the biggest ongoing campus debates is the clash between Emiliano’s and Tierney’s. To settle this debate, I decided to try sandwiches from the most popular spots near the Riverdale campus. At each of these places, I let the workers pick the best sandwich on their respective menus. In my opinion, a deli should be quick and efficient while also serving food that tastes good; the customer service and look of the place are irrelevant. For this debate, I graded each spot solely on their food quality and speed.

Tierney’s: B+

Down Fieldston Road and then a right on Mosholu, you can find Tierney’s, a high-quality, well-priced deli. Tierney’s is a family-owned business that opened in 1995. They average roughly 50-60 students a week. What distinguishes Tierney’s from other bodegas and delis across NYC is the chicken cutlet and the Irish snacks, including candies and munchies. The workers recommended their best seller to me, the Chicken Cutlet, a sandwich with mozzarella, tomato, and chipotle mayo in an Italian hero. The sandwich was packed with chicken cutlets. It was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The bread was also extremely good since it was firm on the outside but fluffy in the middle. However, my biggest problem with the sandwich was that the mozzarella was not fully melted. If a chicken cutlet sandwich is paninied, I feel the mozzarella should be melted or at least warm. This sandwich was neither, which I did not enjoy. My other problem was with the tomatoes. I understand that tomatoes are out of season in the middle of winter, but the tomatoes in my sandwich were tasteless watery rings of mush. Despite the unmelted cheese and the below-average tomatoes, the chipotle mayo revived the sandwich. The mayo bound everything together and brought a slight spiciness to the sandwich. I paid $8.50 plus tax for a decently filling portion. It took about five minutes for my order to be taken and prepared. In the end, factoring in the food, portion, and speed, I would give Tierney’s a B+.

Riverdale Deli Grocery: B

Located at the last stop of the 1 train, right across from Van Cortlandt Park, Riverdale Deli Grocery is another family-owned business that opened in 1992. Many of their foods are homemade, including their empanadas. Riverdale Deli Grocery is unique for their creativity in adding different ingredients together in a sandwich. Many of their menu items are named after the people who order them. The Riverdale Deli Grocery recommended “The Hashtag” sandwich, which was created by Manhattan College students. The Hashtag consists of bacon, egg, cheese, hash browns, chicken cutlet, and chipotle mayo on an Italian hero. I really admired the creativity of this sandwich. I was expecting a greasy glob of fried food, but the sandwich held its structure and tasted delectable. To be fair, bacon tastes good on anything, but the chicken cutlet and hashbrown were crispy and the hero was standard. However, there was not enough chipotle mayo, and the egg was ultimately unnecessary. I would suggest removing the egg from the sandwich and just making it chicken, cheese, and bacon with mayo. I would give this place a B. It is not a 5-star restaurant, but it will deliver if you are coming from practice in Van Cortlandt Park or going on the 1 train and are just hungry.

Ben Reich’s Sandwich: A*

As a surprise candidate, I would like to recommend the sandwich that I have been making at the salad bar since third grade. My sandwich costs nothing and is high in protein, nutrients, and good carbohydrates. The Ben Reich Club is also accessible, and can be made with a regular spread of sandwich ingredients. To make it, you first must toast up a Kaiser roll. Then take roasted turkey, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, cheese, pepper, salt, mustard, and salad dressing and put it all together. Slice it into halves and enjoy. Of course, this sandwich is an A but does not count in the official rankings here since I do not own or operate an eating establishment. But rest assured, the Ben Reich Sandwich is the best of the bunch here.

Emiliano’s: A-

Down Fieldston Road and to the left on Mosholu, is Emiliano’s, an Italian family-owned deli that has now been open for just over a year. They average about 40 Riverdale students a day. When asked what distinguishes them from the thousands of other delis in the city, they answered that their Italian groceries make them unique. Not only does Emiliano’s sell sandwiches but they also sell other Italian foods such as pasta, breads, and salami. The workers recommended “The Emiliano” as their best sandwich, a sandwich with prosciutto, mozzarella, arugula, balsamic glaze, and sundried tomatoes on Italian bread. I enjoyed the prosciutto as it was salty but not overpowering. The bread was nicely toasted and very crunchy. The mozzarella was fresh and, unlike Tierney’s, did not need to be melted or even warm to taste good. However, the arugula did not add anything to this sandwich and was mostly filler. My one problem was the balsamic glaze and sundried tomatoes, which added a layer of sweetness that overpowered the mozzarella and prosciutto. I like sundried tomatoes, but packing too many into the sandwich was overkill. In the end, I still really enjoyed this sandwich, but I could not eat it consistently. For $15.50, you get a smaller sandwich than Tierney’s. My time spent inside the deli was also around 8 minutes, but it took a little longer to get my food. In the end, I would give Emiliano’s an A-, putting it at the top of the neighborhood food chain!