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    Downtown Deli

    4.7 (71 reviews)
    InexpensiveDelis
    Closed 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Downtown Deli Photos

    Business Info

    DOWNTOWN DELI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Downtown Deli

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    Chips, 7" sandwich, water, all for $8.44.
    Jacob T.

    This classic Deli serves subs better than any chain could fathom. I always purchase a 7" sub and a bag of chips bringing my total to $8. The whole meal is fresh and filling. Great lighting perfect for a quick date or catching up with someone. If you're ever hungry in downtown Ames this stop will leave both your belly and wallet full. They slice the meat and cheese in front of your eyes while maintaining conversation and making the experience more personal than a chain restaurant sub shop. Everyone should check out Downtown Deli! 5/5, my favorite Deli in Ames.

    Downtown street view

    Excellent sandwiches, great prices, friendly staff. It's definitely the place to go for a fantastic sandwich at a great price. Several tables to dine in. Located is the historical downtown district of Ames, full of beautiful art, sculptures and fountains and lots of independent retails stores to keep you occupied.

    Aja L.

    I was extremely leery of trying this place out because I've yet to be impressed by any Ames eateries the locals love so much. Welp, this one they actually got somewhat right. Indeed, a white woman with dreadlocks was behind the register the evening I went in. Small setup, small menu, fairly good quality. I loved that they offer samples of the meat. I got a 7 inch with capicollo and pastrami, and it was pretty darn good. It was cool seeing the cashier grab the chunk of meat and slice it up right in front of me. I also got a side of potato salad which could've used a touch more seasoning, but for Iowa... It was house made fresh, not store made. I loved the temperature of it. Not room temp, not cold, but sort of chilled. I was impressed that they had upside down pineapple cake. I chose the chocolate instead which was nice, but I might have to go back for pineapple. You can taste the difference from a chain in the meats and breads, and they do a really nice ratio of meat/condiments/toppings. I liked it and will likely return at some point. My wife on the other hand is in love and has totally cancelled Subway.

    a sandwich, chips, and a drink on a table

    My gf and I recently moved to Ames in March. Downtown Deli easily our favorite place to go. The food, the prices, and the atmosphere make us come back at least once a week. You can tell the owner takes pride in his business and wants each customer to have a great experience!

    7" Roast beef with Colby jack
    Tanner R.

    Overall a great experience. Asked for the run down on this place and was told how the sandwiches are all make your own except for two of them. Meat and cheese are freshly sliced in front of your eyes and you can even ask for samples, which I did with capicollo. Ended up choosing the 7 inch roast beef with Colby jack, a cup of chili and chips. The sandwich was packed with meat and all the toppings, very delicious. Large selection of chips to select from and they aren't the cheap bags, then the chili was good but not the best I've had. What I enjoyed the most about this deli was the customer service. I was asked a lot of questions about what I wanted on my sandwich and made sure I wasn't being charged for anything extra at the register. Sandwich was delivered to my table and I was able to enjoy the meal in a moderately quiet environment, suitable for a conversation with a friend. I believe the owner was working the meat/cheese slicer but not entirely sure. I really enjoyed this place and would recommend to any sandwich lover!

    Roast beef and turkey 7"
    D B.

    Why go to chain sub shops and eat processed meat sliced hundreds of miles away with crap preserved colored toppings when places like this exist? Everything is fresh, meat is sliced on the spot. Perfect sub. Delicious. Fair prices too. I'll never give a penny to any chain garbage peddlers in Ames. Downtown Deli is just the way I like it. Support local fresh healthy foods. Start here

    New front

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    2 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Best deli sandwiches in town, made with fresh ingedients. , Great chilli. Good homemade cake - when availble.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Super great local sandwich shop. Always tastes fresh and delicious. Would reccomend to anyone visiting the historic area!

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    The food portions were substantial and the quality was top notch. We'll be back the next time we come to town.

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    6 years ago

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    Claudius D.

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Claudius D.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Hours shown are until 7 pm. Got to the door and paper sign say 10 AM to 3 PM. Out of town friends wanted to support local. Guess not.

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    5 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Great food, great location, and super friendly staff! They even had french silk pie when I came in!

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    Claudius D.

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    5 years ago

    This is just good food. Get the tossed salad with meat - pickles on a salad are a life-changing experience!

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    Claudius D.

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    17 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Great sandwich. Meat/Cheese is sliced when you order, all ingredients are fresh, good bread.

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    5 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Downtown Deli

    Review Highlights - Downtown Deli

    Large selection of chips to select from and they aren't the cheap bags, then the chili was good but not the best I've had.

    $2.40 Chili

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    Wheatsfield Cooperative

    Wheatsfield Cooperative

    4.1
    (57 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    I love Wheatsfield, as it provides terrific food and lifestyle options without compromising my…read moreoverall experience. The overall vibe of the place is calming, which helps me in these hectic times. Private parking lot, great layout, helpful staff who know their store. Excellent produce. Terrific deli and meat market. Numerous options that you cannot obtain in most store. Located just West of downtown Ames. I try to stop here every time that I am in Ames, as I find items that I cannot get elsewhere, and they add to my quality of life. Some interesting food options always intrigue me too!

    What i really love so much about here is that even on their hot bar there is always something…read moreavailable for the vegetarian or vegans!!! I also love their juice bar and always get a juice to go. It is their hot bar that I love the most but especially their soups! It is hard to find any vegetarian soups but they always have at least one! So far every soup I have tried, I have enjoyed a lot! A few times after getting a small bowl for there, I get a big bowl to go. I also enjoy their deli too. I love how they even have vegan options there too! I don't do much grocery shopping there but usually go for the food lol. It really is a little hidden gem! Ended up becoming a member a few years ago because of how much I love their hot bar! Other part I love, they have some of the most amazing bread made in shop, not always lucky enough to get some but when I do, it has to be best bread around!

    Photos
    Parmesan Polenta Rosemary, artisan bread made-from-scratch at the co-op!
    Parmesan Polenta Rosemary, artisan bread made-from-scratch at the co-op!
    Whole Wheat Sourdough, artisan bread made-from-scratch at the Co-op.
    Whole Wheat Sourdough, artisan bread made-from-scratch at the Co-op.
    Challah rolls, made-from-scratch at the Co-op,  available with our hot soups!

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    Challah rolls, made-from-scratch at the Co-op, available with our hot soups!
    Pammel Grocery and Deli

    Pammel Grocery and Deli

    4.6
    (94 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $

    10/28/25 1:00 p.m…read more Walk-in/Take Out Food: Our food was delicious! Everything was so full of flavor, and the portion sizes were great for the price. It all tasted so fresh, and the baklava was absolutely to die for! My husband was unsure as to which one he should get, so the gentleman working recommended the selection of baklava that we got. I am so glad that he did because all of it was phenomenal. Service: The service was great. I definitely feel as if they went above what would be considered basic service and were all incredibly friendly and pleasant to interact with. They were quick and efficient and definitely knew what they were talking about. Ambiance: Being a smaller international-type grocery store, it was really pleasant and comfortable to be in. The selection can be overwhelming, but not in a bad way. There is just so much to choose from, and I feel like every time you go in, you will find something new that you didn't see before. The selection of items they have is incredible. It's not overly noisy either, and it smells amazing as soon as you walk in.

    I wanted to guve this place 5 stars but it falls short on communication. The store staff is amazing…read moreand very helpful but I was never told that they kitchen closes at 3 and when I came back for the food I was told the kitchen is closed and I couldn't get my food. I drove 1 hour 15 mins just to come to this place. Other than that items are well stocked and there are alot of options. The prices are fine, some are a little high and some are less than other places.

    Photos
    Chicken Shawarma + fries
    Chicken Shawarma + fries
    Almond baklava, pistachio, baklava, and two others I cannot remember the name of unfortunately.
    Almond baklava, pistachio, baklava, and two others I cannot remember the name of unfortunately.
    Pammel Grocery and Deli

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    Firehouse Subs

    Firehouse Subs

    3.8
    (29 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $

    4/6/26 6:15 p.m…read more Online Order for Pick-up Food: Each time we order, our food is delicious! I know the pictures that I took may not do them justice, but I can assure you, the sandwiches are always amazing. The quality and quantity of the ingredients on the sandwiches is great each time. All of the produce is fresh and has a nice crunch to it, and the meat has never seemed off in any way. Also, the bread that they use is really good in terms of being soft, but not mushy, and it doesn't overpower the inside of the sandwich ingredients. We got a side salad from them as well, and it was quite delicious. Service: Each time we go in, we are greeted politely, and we are able to get our order pretty quickly. There's never really a wait time, and the staff is always working really hard to ensure that everybody is served in a timely fashion. Ambiance: Inside is always kept very clean, and it is decently large. It's definitely good for medium-sized groups or a one-on-one dine-in experience. It also always smells amazing! The theme inside is very fitting, and it's quite nice to look at while you eat.

    Huge difference! Get the app-they have some good deals. This place is usually just a bit more…read moreexpensive than other sub places. I had a coupon, so today got a sandwich, the loaded potato soup and some garlic bread to dunk into the soup. The steak with carmelized onions was ok. This is the first time I've gotten potato soup that was anything but loaded. There are potato chunks, some bacon and the taste of cheese in it and it's thick. After getting this soup maybe 5+ times over the years, this is the first time I've actually gotten the "loaded" part and it's really good. I think it depends on the workers. Mix it up and scoop from the bottom. My previous entries about this soup essentially said "where's the loaded part?" Staff was very friendly. Place was clean. And today, I'm glad I got the soup.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Side Salad
    Side Salad
    Tuna

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    Tuna
    Jimmy John's

    Jimmy John's

    2.8
    (17 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $

    Food: While the ingredients were fresh, the flavor just wasn't there. The ratio of ingredients to…read morebread/tortilla is pretty off as well. The entire inside of the sandwich would fall out with every bite; it was pretty frustrating. Same goes for the wrap. It was overstuffed (normally not a bad thing), so each bite resulted in the inside falling out as well as the torn tortilla, which made it almost impossible to hold to eat. The meat was dry (chicken and roast beef), so both items could've done with a bit more sauce/flavor and the sandwich was supposed to be toasted; they didn't toast it :/ The price point for the quality of food just isn't there. It's overpriced for subpar food. Service: Possibly all of the employees said "Welcome to Jimmy John's" as we entered. One employee in particular (a slightly older gentleman) was really welcoming and said hello as we approached the counter. The other employees didn't really look up much, besides one young lady (possibly a trainee), who seemed really irritated with our presence. Every time she made eye contact, she looked annoyed with us. Our food came out quickly though. It came out wrong, but quick. Ambiance: Overall, it was loud. No matter the spot inside, it was loud in there. The seating areas weren't really cleaned well (if at all?) with food debris scattered about; we wiped a booth down to sit and eat. We didn't get any pictures of our food because we really just wanted to leave. It was uncomfortable eating there.

    20 min wait in the drive thru then got the wrong sandwich. JJ's on Duff - please do betterread more

    Photos
    Lettuce from unwich
    Lettuce from unwich
    Jimmy John's
    Jimmy John's

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    Downtown Deli - delis - Updated June 2026

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