Despite all the rumors I hear about yellow deli, I have no intentions of discontinuing my visits here. Yellow deli is one of the best restaurants in Chattanooga in terms of tourist experience due to it being truly once of the first yellow delis. Although the staff might be a bit off putting at times, they are very kind and respectful of the customers that come in--all of them are very gentle and soft spoken. If you are in a rush this is not the place to go because their service time is respectfully slower than most. The interior of yellow deli is so beautiful, very much old cottage/pub like style--the whole place has intricate woodwork, warm/soft lighting, and giant murals on the wall. I am vegetarian, and get the veggie burger a majority of my visits, and it is TO DIE FOR in terms of flavor. I have been aching to get my hands on the recipe because it really is that good. On that note, it is difficult to eat at times because the patty comes apart, I would ask for a fork and I'm sure you will receive. Before I went vegetarian my go to was the deli rose and the saltiness of the deli meat with the sweetness of the sauce is unbelievable. The bread is house made and is undoubtedly fresh and delicious. There is not one time I have been that the quality of food they serve has slacked. I definitely recommend! read more

I can't brag enough about everything! The service was excellent they checked in on us constantly. It was the middle of the week so we got a lot of attention as there was only a few other guests downstairs. I love the decor. This is the third location I have been to! The location is different menu items than the ones I've been to in california. The sweet potato pound cake is probably the best thing I have ever eaten. I also had one of their lattes and it was a phenomenal mix. I highly recommend stopping and enjoying this little spot. read more

Yellow Deli - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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I didn't enjoy what I purchased this time. Over 25 years, I ate at this restaurant and knew whatever I ordered it would be consistent. I've loved their chili and cornbread as well as deli rose sandwich. The chili was ok but the cornbread wasn't the usual. The cornbread was always on point. I was disappointed this time. read more

Food is awesome. Such friendly staff and service right on. On a rainy day this place has the right ambiance

I wanted to give 3 stars so bad but their root beer is just that good. The food is always amazing here, they have nothing to improve on in that regard. Our waitress was incredibly slow for us. She took a while to give us our check, and forgot to bring me a root beer refill when she said she would. I mean, I get it, nobody there is getting paid, but come on, I want my root beer! All in all, if you desire to step into a hobbit shire and vibe with hand carved wooden everything, this is your spot. Just don't expect to go anywhere anytime fast. read more

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Quality VS. Quantity You had the best of both worlds Ate here for the first time, didn't know anything about it, read all the review and decided to try it. What a great choice! I love, LOVE the ambience a whole lot of wood, very cozy, very homie. It's a mix between a treehouse and a tavern. i didn't feel rushed to get out of there. And they encouraged you to stay and visit. The servers were very helpful, friendly and very attentive. It took us 20 minutes after we ordered all four of us to get out food. After getting our food, the only conversation we, 4, had was, How good and fresh and flavorful our sandwiches were. Tell your friends highly recommend read more

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I haven't been here in a couple years, I think the last time I've been was like 6 years ago. It's been a long while and I loved it back then. I also know from friends that it hasn't changed and it's been just as good. I don't come through this area often, but my friends wanted to meet up and have dinner here. Also the ambiance is so cozy and home-y! It felt like something out of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, some kind of fantasy tale. They were quick to seat us, because we were a group of 5 we had the bigger booth upstairs in the back corner. Though we were seated quickly and our group trickled in after a few minutes, it took a long time for us to put our orders in. I feel like part of it is the booth placement in the corner. We spent a couple minutes trying to look at a server for eye contact haha. I ordered the Veggie Burger, which I loved as a college student years ago, and a cup of the Butternut Squash Soup. Everything was absolutely delicious. The Veggie Burger was so tasty, it came with a side of chips and a pickle slice. The burger was hearty, flavorful, and had veggies like sprouts and avocado that tasted very fresh. For me, it was a hit back then and it still is a hit now. And I wasn't planning on getting the soup, but I saw on the menu that if it was the soup of the day then the Salmon Chowder would be priced differently. And Salmon Chowder is probably my favorite soup of all time. However when we asked, the soup was Butternut Squash which was a good one too. We got a round of 4 Butternut Squash soups for the table lol. I just got the cup and I loved it. And the bread too! I wish I had another slice because I finished that in a couple bites. Anyways the soup was so delightful, it was so cozy and great. I loved the added nuts sprinkled on top, it gave a nice texture with the soup. I feel like with Butternut Squash, people have their preferences about savory and sweet soups and sometimes Butternut Squash tends to be more sweet. But I feel like Yellow Deli nailed the balance between the two. Also I had a bite of my friend's waffle ... and I have to say that was definitely a Top 5 Waffle I've ever had in my life. It was just one bite but it was extraordinary. I'm not trying to exaggerate, it was just that good. They have great quality food here and nice service. I had to dock off a star because we were waiting for a good 25-30 minutes just to order when we were ready. Other than that, we had a wonderful time. read more

Yellow Deli - Veggie Burger - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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As soon as we walked in we were greeted. We sat downstairs, but they do have an upstairs as well. I liked the exposed brick and all the wood tables and benches for the booths. It seemed like almost everything was made in house and it was all really good. I definitely recommend the butternut squash soup if it's available. read more

The rumors are true..... .... This place IS that good. The pesto sandwich was fire. The bread is soft and delicious. Service is on their time but who cares. The ambience is adorably distracting. With a gift and everything! read more

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I really wanted to love my experience here because the food was excellent, but the service left a lot to be desired. We came in for a simple meal and ended up spending two hours just to get some sandwiches. I know some people mention that the service runs on its own time, but it wasn't just the length--it was how uncaring and disconnected it all felt. None of the servers seemed happy to be there. No one spoke to us, checked in, or even offered a refill. I had to flag someone down when my sandwich came out wrong, and it took another 40 minutes to get the corrected one. It was unreal how little attention we received. We even had to ask for the bill just to leave. Now, the food itself was outstanding. The chef salad with house vinaigrette was one of the best I've had. My corrected turkey pesto sandwich was absolutely delicious and came with great kettle chips. Nick had the cream of cauliflower soup, which was also excellent. They also have a small market area with teas and homemade honey, which was a nice touch. The only reason this isn't a one-star review is because the food really was that good. But the service was so poor that it overshadowed the experience. Overall, it had a strange religious vibe and I think they could do much better--both for guests and for their mission--if they improved the service. Would I recommend it? Only if you don't mind waiting two hours and being ignored. Otherwise, I'd pass. read more

Food was great! We had the half garden salad, white bean and kale soup, chili, several sandwiches (including the veggie burger which was delicious). Service is very slow so be prepared to wait, and the staff is not friendly. We received our food and never saw our server again. We never received the option to get a drink refill. We had to go to the front to ask for boxes and the check. We wanted dessert but didn't have the option to order it. read more

The food is amazing here. It is a limited menu but delicious! It's like being in the Keebler elf House. The staff are always friendly. Very highly recommend. read more

10/10 most likely cult restaurant cookies are good as well definitely not holding me in a basement while writing this. Visited August 7th 2025 read more

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The service was terrible today. I sat there 20 minutes before my order was taken. 40 minutes before the next shift noticed no one had brought me a drink. I was there over an hour for a lunch cup of soup and salad. I ordered a bowl of soup and was charged a bowl...but served a cup. Soup was great, hibiscus cooler was great. read more

Yellow Deli - Potato soup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Great food. Great ambience. Great service. Yup. I'll be visiting again for sure. And yes the Sweet Potato Pound Cake is epic. Go get it!!

Got to come here for the first time as our friends introduced this restaurant in town! I just love the vibe of this place! So many wooden design and made me feel like I was in the tree house! There are some vegetarian options and vegan/vegetarian friendly restaurants! We got some veggie burgers, spinach sandwiches and waffles! They were all appetizing and delicious We definitely had a great time! One of the staffs showed me around and toured me around! Very nice service! Keep up the good work! Cheers read more

Yellow Deli - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

What an absolutely adorable place. Reminding me of Harry Potter or some kind of Disney restaurant. Extremely charming. I ordered the deli Rose sandwich and it was very very good. I love that they steam the sandwiches instead of grilling them or serving them cold. It makes them very tasty. Their homemade chips were actually like potato chips instead of those thick greasy things you get at some restaurants that call them homemade chips. I also brought home a mini loaf of the sweet potato pound cake for my daughter. It was amazing! Will definitely be back. read more

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What an amazing and unique place! The moment I stepped inside, I felt a warm hug from all the beautiful wooden structures and decor. My first thought was feeling like I was inside a hobbit's house with all the glorious earthen features, but by no means was this place small. It was like a wonderful adventure walking through all the various rooms and levels. A lovely spiral staircase takes you to a second story where you'll find more table seating, a cozy cafe couch, and one of my personal favorite rooms which was the sunroom (also where the restroom is located). Pictures don't depict the true scale of this place and its ambiance. The beautiful building is just the beginning. The atmosphere is relaxed, the staff is very friendly, and the food is delicious and fair priced. There's a dog friendly outdoor patio that's lush with greenery, too. One thing to note is parking; there's only 5 complimentary parking spots for the entire building located at the back. A handful of parking spaces are at the front of the building and are metered parking. For our lunchtime visit, we ordered a Deli Pesto Sandwich with coleslaw side ($10) and a Reuben with chips ($10). Since we were eating on the patio with our dog (no table service on the patio), we were advised to place our order as "to go" at the front register. We did, and it was out in a jiffy, and everything was scrumptious. You can really taste the quality of the ingredients. Another great part? The Yellow Deli is open 24 hours, 5 days of the week! Convenient, relaxing, and good food WITH healthy options - it can't be beat! The Yellow Deli is an absolute MUST visit. read more

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I can't honestly say I'd recommend this place. They got a very simple order wrong and they forgot half my order as well. It's not your typical deli so to speak. It's more of a hipster deli if you get my drift. I honestly won't be back. Especially because it's next door to a college which should make things even more clear as to why it's hippie oriented. The corned beef seemed like it was from a pack ( frozen or store bought) it was definitely not fresh cut? Can tell by the consistency and the way it was on the sandwich. Won't be back, but if you're into the hippie scene? Try it read more

Yellow Deli - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Great food, service, and unique ambiance. This place was packed on Sunday during lunchtime - luckily, there are multiple levels and ample seating, so my husband and I were seated immediately. It's a quirky place with a lot of natural light coming through the windows and lots of nooks and crannies with seating. Everyone serving was very friendly - our waiter took the time to explain the menu to us and make recommendations. I got the Old Saint Joe to start (good, but too sweet and potentially too caffeinated as it had me feeling very strange after drinking half of it), we shared the broccoli cheddar soup which came with a slice of homemade sourdough bread (so good), and I got the Buffalo Chicken sandwich while my husband got the Reuben. The bread on my sandwich was unreal - sooo soft and delicious and the sandwich was saucy and delicious. We were both really happy with our meals! read more

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I havent had a good solid sandwich (not counting burger/hot chicken) in a while. Been meaning to try this place out but everytime Im passing Chattanooga, this place has been closed (Saturdays). But, alas, I finally tried the salmon sammich with chips and root beer on tap and wow, I am coming back. Food was tasty, fresh and satisfying. Glad the cashier recommended this specific sandwich. The cafe itself is not like any other cafe/restaurant Ive seen. Definitely feels like its out of a storybook. read more

Yellow Deli - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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This is one of my favorite places that has consistent quality food every time! The inside (and outside) of this establishment is beautiful with all of the wood and décor. My absolute favorite sandwich is the deli pesto, but I don't think I have ever been let down by a sandwich here. Their crunchy chips are perfection, and their master blend and banana milk pair very well with anything on the menu. Sometimes, the service is slower than other days, but that and the environment force you to slow down and just adds to the whole experience. Sadly, they are closed a good portion of the weekend, but they actually were the perfect place one New Year's Eve when we didn't have plans because they are open 24 hours during the week (besides Friday). It's a great place to study with it being so close to the UTC campus as well. Please don't let the rumors of this place stop you from going inside (I have been several times over the years and have never been invited to anything but if you are curious, they will definitely share their beliefs with you). read more

The ambience and seating area is AMAZING. They sincerely have such a cool and unique interior design, I recommend stopping by just for the experience. The sandwiches were tasty and the banana milk was truly perfect. My only complaint is that the service can take a while; I wouldn't come here if I was in a rush. read more

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Spouse has heard of the Yellow Deli for years but never tried it. Stayed with some friends who highly recommended it, so we had to go. The deli has two floors and the host said the food always tastes better on the second floor. Can't argue with that. We were seated at a corner table with a view. One thing we noticed was that they don't abide by the "first come first serve" rule. But they are quick, so it didn't really matter. The staff is what one might consider quirky. They have a... certain belief that's a mixture of hippyism and Christianity. They won't talk about it unless you ask, although the cashier did try to guide us in that direction. It didn't bother us since it was just a blip in the entire experience. We instantly decided on The Deli Rose with some changes... only to find out they will not change anything. You have to build your own. The Deli Rose has corned beef, roast beef, pepper jack and provolone cheese, onions, tomato, butter, mustard and their own spicy red sauce served on an onion roll. So we went with the Kaiser roll with everything in the Deli Rose, save the onion and for me, no tomato. We had a side of kettle chips. The Kaiser roll was soft and so tasty! The ingredients were jam packed inside. The kind of food you want to wolf down but on the other hand, savor it for a few hours. We loved it! Then we ordered each a slice of carrot cake. While dense, it was moist and the icing just put it over the top. This entire restaurant is an experience. The food, the ambience, the staff... A must go to. read more

Love the decor and the sandwhiches we had were just delicious. Staff is super friendly. Truly a gem.

I love the food and the deeply committed staff. They are very kind and friendly. They have a great batch of gifts too. I love this one and the one in Pulaski. read more

Delicious good and good portions. Service is not the greatest and took a reaaaally long time, though this is to be expected since the staff are not trained employees, but they are friendly and earnest. read more

The food, the service, the ambiance I really enjoyed myself at the Yellow Deli. Def a new go to when I'm in Chatt! Yellow Deli for the win, the pesto sandwich phenomenal! read more

What a cool place! The hostess and our server were both very kind and personable. They took time to talk with our group and make us feel welcome. The decor is very cool as well: it's like you're eating in a treehouse. The location is prime right next to UTC so there were a ton of college students around giving the place a great energy. Finally, the food was great. I had the waffle with fruit and really loved it. I'd gladly go back any time. Ps. the prices were great too. read more

Yellow Deli - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Amazing Sandwiches. Love this Hippie place. Feels like another world. Great Ambiance like a Fairy forest. Food is great service is great. read more

Yellow Deli - 2nd floor - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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This is literally the cutest place I've ever dined at. The vibes are off the wall, the staff is so friendly, and the food is DELICIOUS! The prices are also so reasonable. Could not recommend more ! read more

A hipster spot with a cool vibe, warm decor, and good food. I ordered the deli pesto sandwich with coleslaw and a cup of chili. I enjoyed the sandwich, especially the pesto, the kaiser roll, and the sprouts. The chili was hearty yet refreshing. You could tell it was homemade. You could actually taste the tomatoes as it wasn't overly salty like a lot of processed chili mixes that some restaurants use. The small cornbread muffin was a pleasant surprise. I also appreciated the all-day breakfast menu and the smoothie options. If I lived in town, I could easily see myself stopping here occasionally for breakfast or lunch. Other notes. My friend had the cream cheese cake covered in a blueberry sauce - he said it was really good. Lastly, I ordered a kombucha, and it was a Health-ade brand. I'd highly recommend sourcing some kombucha from a local place. Surely with all the cool, hip people in Chattanooga, there exists a kombucha operation to partner with. Overall, a unique spot that I would return to. read more

Yellow Deli - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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This is a very fancy treehouse. I loved the aesthetics and how kind and friendly the staff are. I went there with my wife and we loved the food. Plenty of vegetariand vegan options. and then when we found out it was open 24/5 we decided to come back the next morning for breakfast. If I was a nearby student I would use this place a my study spot. What a cool experience. Can't wait to return. read more

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If you're in Chattanooga and looking for a lunch spot, stop here. Don't keep reading more Yelp reviews or asking your friends on FB. Eat here. Now. The ambiance can't be described. At least not easily. It's warm, inviting, unique, whimsical. The food meets the atmosphere in terms of greatness. My wife had the veggie burger and said it was the best she ever had. I had the Deli Rose sandwich, one of their famous steamed sandwiches, it was was great, full of flavor, and covered in a zesty red dressing. I'm told they make their own bread in house and I believe it. The onion roll was fresh and chewy. The only knock keeping this from 5* is the service. Our waiter was slow and inattentive. Didn't get our drinks for 30 minutes, only got them right before our food. As for the owners being Christian, couldn't care less. They don't force their beliefs on you, and frankly they could worship an armadillo and I would still go here. Just don't be in a hurry. read more

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This is an eclectic vibe restaurant. You have to go there to appreciate it. The food is amazing. The interior atmosphere is one of a kind. The folks running it are quirky but really kind, sweet and friendly. My roommate and I love eating here and have been twice already. We'll be back. read more

Sandwich and tea was really good. I loved eating upstairs, the whole place had a cute atmosphere. I look forward to going back and trying the soup and desserts. read more

This restaurant is full of charm! Probably one of the most well-decorated ones I've been to, with plants and macrame all throughout. Our server, Boaz, was very warm. From the time we sat down to the time the food arrived, it took about 45 minutes. I had the Deli Rose which I saw recommended from other reviews. It was very saucy, full of flavor, and filling even though the sandwich wasn't that big. Chips were good too - not homemade but they said they were fresh from a local source. The carrot cake was moist and not too sweet. We arrived shortly before noon (opening) on Sunday, and there was already a line. Within 30 minutes of opening, all the tables were full. You get to seat yourself, and there are booths downstairs as well as upstairs and in a patio-like room in the back of the upstairs. If you have a party of more than 4, it may be difficult to find seating. There isn't a designated parking lot, but street parking was free when we went. Even the bathroom (Shrek-themed) was cute! read more

Yellow Deli - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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A friend of ours recommended, this place, and boy are we happy we stopped by to check them out!! From the moment you walk in, the decor is incredible. It's very whimsical and so many details you could spend hours just looking at the building itself! The service was great, prompt, and very friendly staff members. The portions of food were good and taste was excellent. Prices were very reasonable and would definitely be visiting this place again. Highly recommend visiting this cute restaurant if you ever have a chance! read more

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Start to finish, delish!! Service with a smile and the cutest outdoor dining space on the second floor. read more

Yellow Deli - Sweet Potato Pound Cake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Fantastic food made by beautiful people. I eat here every week and haven't had a bad meal yet. Great service and a crazy schedule. Need a salad at 3am? A slice of cream cheese cake in the middle of the night? These great people have got you. read more