I've walked past this deli countless times and finally stopped in recently. It's very clean inside and I think the constant construction outside doesn't do them justice. I was immediately greeted by someone behind the counter and it was a super quick turnaround between me ordering my Italian combo and getting it at my table. My sandwich was absolutely huge! I can't remember the last time I've had a sandwich this big and I think it was pretty affordable. I do wish that they had iced coffee and more baked good options though! read more

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I had a really disappointing experience at Corner Stone Restaurant. It was very clear that food was being reheated in a microwave rather than made fresh, which is already a big turn-off. What made it worse is that the kitchen is located in the basement, far away from where the subs are prepared, and I personally saw cooked food being transported upstairs uncovered. On top of that, the staff in the kitchen were not wearing hair nets, which raises serious concerns about cleanliness and food safety. Overall, the lack of proper food handling and hygiene standards completely ruined it for me. I won't be coming back--ever. read more

Stopped by here on a Wednesday right before the lunch rush and it was the perfect rest stop! Service was so quick and the food was great! Deli counter has a sign that gives you a bunch of options, I went for a pastrami roll with lettuce, tomato, chipotle sauce, and provolone. Yummm!! My friends had a turkey avocado smash and a mc nick. We sat down and the sandwiches were devoured so quickly (I think under 20 min!). Lots of seating too. read more

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Excellent deli. You must try the chicken cutlet grinder, local favorite... will be yours too. New owners Jena and Ernie are awesome. With the original crew they are keeping the same delicious menu with new things to come I'm sure. Stop in if you're in the capital area, won't be disappointed. read more

I went for lunch rush on a Thursday and was nervous when I saw the line of 10-15 people. But they serviced everyone pretty quickly and it only took 10 minutes to get my food. I order a meatball grinder and it was amazing. The meatballs are fresh and the sauce was good. This will be a mainstay for my lunches when in Hartford. read more

The Cornerstone - Meatball grinder - Delis Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Great sandwiches. Personal favorite is the ham and salami. Also a close second is the buffalo chicken on a hard roll

First time at cornerstone was 1989 back in the day when you would go out to lunch with coworkers! My favorite then and now is the hot chicken cutlet with marinara sauce and red roasted peppers as show in my pic. Cutlet lightly breaded the way I like it. They have that old school deli feel with order at counter and find an open table to enjoy. Due to COVID there lots of seats and very short lines. Come support this Hartford institution! #supportlocalbusiness read more

The Cornerstone - Chicken cutlet with marinara and red roasted peppers. - Delis Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

One of the best spots in downtown Hartford.. everyone working inside is extremely friendly . I have been going in for about 5 months now at least 2 mornings out of the week before my shift.. I'm greeted by my name Everytime with a short blessed conversation while making my favorite 3 meat grinder or hard roll sandwich that gets me through breakfast and dinner.. I love the lady's in there... read more

I read other reviews stating that they close early without any notice, but figured they couldn't possibly close earlier than then store hours posted on the door at all times. I went there at 2:30pm on the dot and lo and behold, they Were Closed!!! There were few people finishing their lunch and when I tried the door only to find it locked, a lady who works there waved her hand to say that they were closed. So their operating hours are 8am to 3pm which the sign shows on the door but maybe they should be transparent and update their closing time to 2:30pm. I guess they aren't too worried about turning their potential customers away and don't need further business. So instead, I went over to Nevins Pizza on John street and got their tuna grinder which was sooo delicious! I will not be giving Cornerstone my businesses since they must have enough business. read more

The sandwiches are always fresh and the rolls and subs always super fresh and tasty. They give you whatever you want on the sandwiches and are always using gloves. The hot menu is super tasty and cold deli sides very good. Best sandwich's in the downtown area. Very friendly and warm staff. read more

This place had a long line during peak hours during lunchtime. The line did move quickly for the amount of people that were there. There was a large board with lots of different menu options. I ordered the 8 inch chicken cutlet sandwich with all the works (provolone cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, banana peppers, onions, and pickles ($6 or so). I am pretty sure those were all the toppings. I have no clue why I wanted everything. As for the sandwich itself, it was very solid. The bread was ideal and the chicken cutlet was very tender. Will I go back? Easily. read more

The Cornerstone - Chicken Cutlet Sandwich (Sorry for bad photo) - Delis Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Quick service during the lunch hour rush, even when understaffed! Excellent chicken and tuna salad options.

This place is always really crowded. They have a pretty extensive sandwich menu and the prices are really good. Its a better value than the chain sandwich shops IMO. Buuuuuut the sandwich's are just ok to me. There's wayyyy too much meat (I took out 75% of my ham and it was still a lot). I've also had the chicken cutlet before and didn't care for it (not really flavorful) but it's very popular so it could just be me. I gave it 3 Stars because while the food is ok (2 Stars) the price bumps it up a star. I got a sandwich, chips, and drinks for like 7.50. Can't beat that. read more

The Cornerstone - Delis Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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This place gets pretty crowded during lunch hours. It is difficult to get in and out of this place because of the long line twisting and curling in side the deli. I had one of there specials - chicken cacciatore grinder. Price was around seven bucks. For that price it was a lot of grinder. It tasted good though I would have preferred it with more flavor and spices. They added hot sauce for me, still felt it mild. Glass display of the proteins was a little difficult to see because of condensation. People were friendly. read more

The Cornerstone - Chicken Cacciatore grinder - Delis Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

My favorite place to have lunch in Hartford. Very friendly staff the food is very consistent and fresh.

1.) Just to warm you up: Just like another place I've been wanting to go to, Corner Stone has very limited hours. I hate that. Finally, I was able to come here and try everything out. 2.) What your eyes may see (Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars): a.) Location (5 out of 5): Down town Hartford. Right across from the Hartford Library and museum, great place to pick up food before, during and after. b.) Inside (4 out of 5): It's actually a pretty big place to sit and eat with a good amount of tables. It looks generally clean. They serve an assortment of chips and beverages. 3.) Food (Overall rating 4 out of 5 stars): a.) Sandwich: I ordered the 8" Pastrami Sandwich with the works (L, T, O, P, Oil, Mayo). Delectable. Friggin awesome! You get a nice heaping portion of meat. I got it with a side of Deep River Sea Salt & Vinegar chips. A sandwich isn't complete without its family - chips, his wife, and soda, his grown up son/daughter. That's what I like from an Italian deli. That's Amore! 4.) Service (Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars): a.) Speed (5 out of 5): It was the afternoon rush. I managed to order my sandwich and had it ready in about 3 minutes. b.) Staff (3 out of 5): I guess I should give it the benefit of the doubt. There was a rush so some of the staff were trying to expedite the process of getting the food out to customers. One kinda gave me a little attitude, but the cashier was a sweetheart. 5.) Impressions: I love my Italian deli sandwiches. My head is in Connecticut, but my soon to be clogged arteries and heart reside in New York. Come here if you'd like to Manja Manja Manja on a great pastrami sandwich. Next time I'll be eating the othe raved about sandwiches. Massaging all those numbers from each component makes me rate them between a 4 or 5 stars. Unfortunately Yelp doesn't do .5 of a star, unless you're looking at the overall distribution. This is my new before work sandwich place! read more

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Best chicken cutlet in the downtown area and everyone knows it. The lunch line is usually wrapped around the small deli so I try to come before 12. Most of the time I'm getting a chicken cutlet on a roll which is pretty filling although if you're really hungry they offer a sub size as well. It's packed with chicken and it's the best when you can catch a fresh batch. Otherwise on certain days they make buffalo chicken and they also offer your standard deli options- turkey, roast beef, pastrami, pepperoni, etc. This is the closest I've seen to a true New York style deli and I love it. read more

I personally think this place is great! But i haven't experienced the entire menu to give it more than 3 stars. My go to is the buffalo chicken sandwich with everything. I do wish they cooked the chicken in the buffalo sauce. They just pour it onto the chicken which is okay i guess but it would be a more savory taste in my opinion if is soaked a little more. Sometimes so pieces of chicken are dry so it just make its weird when you eat it sometimes. The move the lines really fast! Very efficient and great prices! I get my lunch for only $5 and $6 if i get a drink. Not bad at all for a lunch while at work! read more

This deli is pretty popular. It's always packed around lunchtime. It's best to show up before 11:30am or expect to spend most of your lunch hour waiting in line. Don't go late or all the good stuff will be gone! The popularity is justifiable. Service is friendly and their sandwiches are great. I'm a big fan of their chicken cuttlet and their roast beef. But it's their buffalo chicken on Thursdays that most of my coworkers go crazy for. Highly recommended if you work in downtown Hartford. read more

The Cornerstone - Delis Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Great place to eat. Literally the only place I get grinders from but I have 3 stars because they close when they feel like it. They're open until 3 and they close at 230 or sometimes sooner. It's unfair sometimes I can only get there at 230. They don't answer the phone after 230. And they pack up the food starting around 2. So frustrating but they have the best foood ! I went today at 230 and they're closed. They should change there hours of operation on google to 230 if that's the case but then they'd close by 2pm. But again the food is wonderful & the staff is ALWAYS kinddddd read more

Operating during COVID. Had their potato salad (classically delicious) and a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich, which was made freshly to order. Quick and friendly service! read more

Love this small, quaint and friendly deli!! Its consistent and delicious everytime!! My recommendation is to get a combo... eggplant parm and chicken cutlet with extra sauce and provolone cheese grinder Mmmmm! read more

Cornerstone is my first choice for lunch when I'm at work and I want a chicken cutlet sub. It gets busy during the lunch rush, but the line moves quickly. It's understandable why this place is so popular - the menu items are generously sized, and the prices are very reasonable. The chicken cutlet is great - both with regular sub toppings like cheese, lettuce, and tomato, and also in chicken parm form. The deli meats are freshly sliced and piled high. I've had a few salads and pasta entrees, but I'd say the sandwiches are the best choices here (salads are kind of weak, and pasta is watery). They also do specials like chicken cordon bleu and buffalo chicken cutlets, and there's a wide variety of sides, chips, and drinks. read more

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Huge portions, always flavorful and great prices! What more can you ask for ? Employees are also very polite, professional and pretty fast. Great place to get a quick bite. read more

Tues & Thurs they have Buffalo Chicken cutlet! This is not advertised, people just know and show! The line is long, but moves fast. The Buffalo chicken is really delicious! Quality cutlet, not heavy, perfectly sauced, spicy but not out of control....my nose started to run a little... I ordered a small buffalo chicken salad, which was less than $6, they take cards, and it was a good sized lunch! I now have the internal battle.....tell everyone about the wonderful Tues/Thurs Buffalo chicken, OR keep it to myself. I'll tell everyone.....I can't keep a secret like this! read more

Note: I'd probably give the place just 3 stars based on taste, but the prices are excellent for the quality of the food. Cornerstone is one of those places that I would pass at least once a week and say "Hey, I should try it." Over the past couple of months I have visited it 3 times, and am glad I did. First, if you're not familiar with the area, parking can be difficult. It's all street parking and is near Hartford City Hall, the federal court and the library. So, the area is busy at all times, and it can be tough to find a close parking spot. Second, if you go around lunch time the line is long. Not just "maybe this will be a few minutes" long, but "wrapping around the interior, will I ever get my food" long. Don't be alarmed - the line actually moves quickly. I've been in a line that goes all the way around the interior of the place, and been in and out in about 10-15 minutes. They are actually very quick with making sandwiches and getting the food. Now, the food - I've tried the chicken cutlet sandwich, the eggplant parm, and the chicken salad. All were very good and tasted fresh. The eggplant and chicken were seasoned nicely. For size, you can choose either a sandwich (hard roll-size) or an 8 inch sub. Pricing runs less than $5 for a sandwich, and $5-6 for the subs. If I were comparing sandwich spots, I would put Franklin Giant Grinder and Maple Ave. Giant Grinder above Cornerstone. However, I would put Cornerstone on par with Max Bibo, and above Max Bibo when it comes to price. Overall it's a solid lunch option if you are in the area. read more

Friendly service, decent prices, good selection of food. I went here for breakfast and as my quick tip says the bacon, egg, and cheese on a hardroll are $3.25. I called ahead and ordered them and when I walked in the place it was much larger than I would've expected due to the small store front. There was a decent sized area of tables and chairs for you to eat at which is nice option for someone like me who lives downtown. I plan on eating here for lunch and expanding on my review, but for now I'll be using them for breakfast since they make a better breakfast sandwich than Max Bibo. read more

The Cornerstone - Delis Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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local here. I have had a lot of grinders in the area and I must say Cornerstones is the BEST sandwich spot in CT. you cant beat the quality or the price. very kind owners and staff as well. all around a great place. they have very specific hours and the lines peak at lunchtime, so if you want to stop by for a sandwich make sure you get there a little before or after lunch hours. read more

A small update to note that they do take credit and debit cards (I noticed a review below that states that they are cash only -- not true!). I still haven't been here for breakfast but I do love finishing my afternoon walk with a great sandwich or salad with the fresh ingredients and super friendly service. read more

The chicken salad (in a roll or wrap) is my new favorite sandwich here. Very good ratio of chicken to mayo in the salad.

This just isn't Downtown's best effort at a sandwich. Cornerstone's enduring popularity has always baffled me. I think in some ways it might be tradition -- Cornerstone predates most if not all of its rivals. Now, though, there are simply so many other places to grab a higher quality sandwich in Downtown Hartford, there's no need to have Cornerstone in your rotation. I would order a sandwich or salad at Max Bibo's, the Kitchen at Hartford Public Library, or New York Deli and Market ahead of Cornerstone. All are higher priced, but they also feature higher-quality ingredients and cleaner stores. Pros: large tables to sit at after ordering that feel, popular with locals, hot sandwiches (eggplant parm, chicken cutlet) in addition to cold cuts, convenient location. Cons: cash only, long lines, limited hours, not Hartford's cleanest establishment, lower quality ingredients than other local sandwich shops. read more

Great sub or "grinder" as New Englanders say! Thursday is the day for the buffalo chicken! Although I don't partake as buffalo isn't my thing my fellow work peeps swear it is to die for. They sell buffalo chicken everyday but Thursdays they marinate the chicken in the buffalo sauce all day and the same peeps say they can tell the difference and prefer the marinated option. I prefer a nice pastrami or roast beef and both more than satisfied my lunch hunger needs. If you order on the sub for a small person like myself, it will feed me for two lunches no problem! The line for the lunch crowd can be long so go early or late to avoid a long line. If you just HAVE to have it at noon time then rest assured the line does move... Just can take a bit longer at prime time. :) read more

I would like to take a minute and tell you about my experience at the Cornerstone Deli. I work in Htfd and with the state and city in the situation that it is in, there are fewer places to eat. I was told, for a great grinder Go to the Cornerstone Deli. I along with fellow employees ordered six Grinders. I ordered them at 9 am and wanted them for 1015 am. They were all different in size and ingredients. The two women there were awesome, the place was clean and the food was on time. The Grinders were incredible and the price was reasonable. I would not hesitate in recommending them to anyone. I WILL go back again. Thanks ladies for your hard work. DJ. read more

As far as expensive sandwiches go, this place isn't bad. There aren't many delicatessens these days where you can get a solid 8" sandwich for ~$6. I got the (apparently famous) chicken cutlet sandwich, and I was surprised by how filling it was. What made this place stand out for me, though, was its truly friendly service. Most popular deli shops with mile long lunch lines (not literally, but you get the point) often feature grumpy service members frustrated by newbies who don't know how or what to order. Such service, I've found, comes with the territory, as I suspect restaurant owners understand that a seemingly brusque attitude won't affect their popularity much. However, it was quite apparent from the get-go how cheerfully the Cornerstone staff was ready to help, as if they (gasp!) truly enjoyed their work and making their customers happy. I'm not huge into eating out -- my food budget pretty much requires me to make my lunch every day, save for special occasions -- so, I can't promise that I'll go back to Cornerstone in the near future. Yet, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place to a downtown visitor hoping to be satiated by a solid sandwich in a good environment. read more

Best sub/sandwich shop in downtown Hartford. Large, meat filled sub & chips for $7. Great prices, service, food quality. Get there before noon or after 1 to avoid the line. But well worth the wait DAILY SPECIALS TOO! I highly recommend the tortellini salad read more

Deli meat was sliced to order and was amazing. The staff was so friendly even asking about our family vacation. The place was packed so we knew it must be a local favorite but they were very good about getting our order made quickly. read more

While starting a new job, in a new office, in a new neighborhood, has all the excitement of a carny at a world's fair...it can sometimes be daunting when all your support places (i.e., coffee shop, lunch spot, dry cleaners, etc) are no longer anywhere close by. So, this past week I decided that any nice day out, I will try a new lunch spot now that I'm working right downtown. After asking around the office, one name that kept being mentioned was the Cornerstone Deli. Never one to ignore good advice, I took the very multicultural 3-block walk and found myself, even at almost 1pm facing a significant line...not the out the door and around the corner one I'd been warned about...but a solid 10-12 people ahead of me. Must be a good sign! I went for their famous Chicken Cutlet sub...coming in at a whopping $5.75, and loaded with homemade cutlets di pollo (as in I watched the cook carry the piping-hot cutlets out of the oven and up front. Excellent 8" sub on fresh bread, with very thin, hand-pounded cutlets of chicken. You can use your imagination from that point on by adding whatever condiments and/or veggies and cheese you'd like. I'll definitely be making this walk again, and trying other delicacies off of Cornerstone's blackboard of delight. read more

I am glad I finally made it to Cornerstone today! The quality of the food is great for the cost. The subs ran between $5 -$6 and the rolls were less. The staff was friendly and efficient. The line looked like it could take a while, but it moved very fast. I had the 8 inch turkey with lettuce, tomato, and mayonaise and enjoyed it. I had enough to share too! If you are not within walking distance, be aware that parking is not the easiest. If I drove I may have given it less stars just for that, but since I walked I am confident giving it 5. read more

Easy place for lunch. The line moves quickly, so make sure you know what you want.

Awesome lunch spot and very reasonably priced ! Great food and great service - great alternative to the chains nearby. I'm a big fan of the crab/seafood sandwiches. But the standard Deli sandwiches are good as well. It does get busy so you probably want to get there around 11:30 or earlier. The lines get long (good sign). read more