While Manhattan College students have their favorite delis and restaurants around Riverdale to enjoy, a new option, Gourmet Market and Bagel, opened up on Broadway at the end of last semester, replacing Sandwich King 2.
As reported last semester in the article “Arsonist Sets Fire to Unopened Deli”, there was fear that the new deli would not be opened in time. But it ended up having its grand opening as scheduled at the end of the fall semester.
Gourmet Market and Bagel now offers students different discounts such as ten percent off with a student identification card or the ability to get money off with the food app Seamless. Most importantly, the store is now accepting Jasper Dollars from Manhattan College students.
The menu has a wide variety of sandwiches, paninis and even smoothies. While some of the employees previously worked at Sandwich King 2, the brand new menu allows for new favorites to be made. Students have been going for midnight snack runs, a break between classes or whenever they’re craving a good sandwich.
“A9 off of the avocado menu [is my favorite]. It’s chicken, avocado, chipotle mayo, cheddar and I get it panini-style, it’s so good,” said sophomore Samantha Wagner, who frequents the store for the avocado menu.
Other than the avocado menu, which offers multiple sandwiches that feature the popular fruit, students have enjoyed getting recommendations from others to stretch their Jasper Dollars far. The prices are very affordable for any college student, with a free soda or water bottle attached to some menu items.
“My favorite thing to get there is chopped cheese. It’s basically a cheese burger thrown into an 8-inch sub […] and they do a very good version of that. It’s been recommended to me by many locals,” said sophomore Conlan McDonald.
The cooks at Gourmet Market and Bagel are also kind and friendly with MC students, typically stopping to chat with them. The environment is a bright and welcoming one, with the store’s bright, blue ceilings and shelving of snacks wrapped around the facility. It’s a much different feel than that of Sandwich King 2, which went out of business over the summer of 2016.
Although the store on Broadway brings in the subway crowd, its biggest customer source is the proximity to Horan and Lee Hall. By gaining the popularity early on in its opening, the bagel shop will hopefully stand the test of time, thanks to the students consistently stopping by from the nearby dorm buildings. This proves convenient to both McDonald and Wagner.
“I’d much rather go there than the other places near OV, it’s just really convenient. If it’s late at night or I’m busy I can go down to Broadway and get my favorite avocado sandwich,” said Wagner.
Many students have begun comparing Gourmet Market and Bagel to other popular eateries that accept Jasper Dollars,like Best Deli and Jasper’s Deli. The convenience is a great way to increase business, especially around the student crowd. Students like McDonald don’t feel like they are going out of their way to get their food.
“I like that it’s easily accessible, it’s similar to [Jasper’s] Deli and Best [Deli] but they have their own special twist. It’s convenient [being on Broadway] because I get my sandwich there and then go to Dunkin and get my coffee, it’s great,” said McDonald.