Town Hall Deli is a Taste of Home

South Orange’s Town Hall Deli does a brisk business throughout the day. Their supercharged Sloppy Joe sandwiches are known throughout the area, and those who leave town sometimes long for the taste of home, Town Hall Deli-style.

According to owner Tony Wonski, “People who grew up here try to find a similar sandwich in other parts of the country. But our combination of meats is unique.” The solution is to have a sandwich shipped from South Orange to nearly any part of the United States. Indeed, Town Hall Deli does a steady business in shipping sandwiches, salads, and even soup.

In partnership with George Berkeley of The UPS Store, Town Hall Deli ships nearly every day. “The most popular orders consist of Sloppy Joes. However, people often ask for salads, Russian dressing and our matzo ball soup, which needs to be assembled when it is received. That way, the matzo balls are not soggy when they arrive at their final destination,” said Wonski.

Wonski explains that people order from Town Hall Deli for many reasons. Parents often order a taste of home for college students, and locals often send gifts to friends in other parts of the country. “We have ‘snowbird’ customers who winter in warmer climates and order frequently while they are gone,” notes Wonski. They also do a brisk business shipping foods to folks who have relocated. “Today, I was speaking to a customer and her sister. Her sister has relocated to Plano, Texas. For her 60th birthday, the customer who still lives here sent several Joes as a birthday gift,” said Wonski.

Not all sandwiches travel as far as Texas. “Some traders from Wall Street order sandwiches to be over-nighted for meetings if they can’t arrange for a messenger to pick up for some reason,” said Wonski. “Then there are customers who order on a monthly basis for themselves -- people in LA and Florida -- who just love Sloppy Joes.”

Wonski described the partnership with Berkeley as “a win-win situation.” He adds, “We are delighted to partner with George, a fellow local businessman, and The UPS store to handle our shipping needs. He and his staff work with us to accommodate customers’ special requests all the time.”

For example, the Sloppy Joe was named to the Playboy.com “Best Sandwiches in America” list. “After the story was published, I did an interview on the Playboy Radio Channel. As a result, many customers who were previously unfamiliar with Town Hall Deli and Sloppy Joes ordered sandwiches to be sent,” recalls Wonski. “Similarly, we were featured on “Roker on the Road,” on the Food Network. Occasionally, that segment airs; when it does, people from all over call in and order, from Minneapolis to Tennessee.” Berkeley has been able to accommodate such surges in orders.

T-shirts and mugs make for a memorable gift as well, but it’s the sandwiches that customers crave. “We’re unique in the industry,” explains Wonski. “Foods you grow up with stay with you. We understand this sandwich.” As the T-shirt says, these sandwiches travel the country because they’re “not just your average Joe.”