Article by Fitz with photography by Robert Owens and Fitz
As a proud Virginian, I spend a considerable amount of time eating ham. Cured hams, after all, are one of Virginia foodways oldest claims to fame. As culture reporter Mikaela Lefrak detailed in a 2019 WAMU article, “English settlers who established Jamestown in the early 1600s brought razorback pigs with them and sold the meat to other parts of colonial America [with] the ham industry set[ting] down its deepest Virginia roots in Isle of Wight County, and in the town of Smithfield […]. Virginia ham was so popular that someone even wrote a song about it in the mid-to-late 19th century. It was called Who Stole the Ham?”
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Reissued in coordination with Black history month, the 012 print edition of Southern Grit Magazine is on sale now HERE, and features multiple articles focusing on the stories of Hampton Roads’ African-American Watermen and foodways.
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Now a key point, sometimes lost on visitors to the commonwealth, those unaffiliated with cured hams, and it seems Lefrek’s colleagues, who tried cured Virginia ham and complained about its saltiness, is it must be sliced thin when served and is often best enjoyed on biscuits or as part of a sandwich. The bread and other components balance the saltiness of the cured ham. That point made, and again as a Virginia ham lover, I often find myself in delis across the state enjoying the staple. And that got me thinking.
In an environment where traditional eats are disappearing and the era of covid has made it harder for restaurants to keep their doors open, I wanted to give some shine to some of my favorite Virginia delis. The following are my top five picks for the best deli sandwiches in Virginia that I tasted in 2021. And despite all of last year’s insanity, for me anyway, it was still twenty twenty yum!
We are leading off with the best deli sandwich to be had in Virginia today. From the mind behind The Shack VA, Chef Ian Boden’s “The Tissy”, served at his store The Staunton Grocery located next door in Staunton, is a decadent sandwich. It is hard to imagine Boden making money off the sale, with Edwards Country Ham, Surryano Ham and mortadella all piled high between Reunion Bakery Ciabatta. Boden’s profits aside, however, his customers are richer for having this sandwich at their fingertips.
For more on The Staunton Grocery, visit facebook.com/thestauntongrocery | @thestauntongrocery
Classic. That is the best way to describe Route 1 Country Store’s sandwiches. This quant grocery and deli, opened in 2018 by Mart Webb and employing members of the local Mennonite community around Dinwiddie, Virginia, features baked goods and a customize it yourself sandwich ordering approach. The VA Ham sandwich is a standout, and for a few extra bucks you can enjoy it filled with Virginia’s prized Edwards Country Ham.
For more on Route 1 Country Store, visit facebook.com/route1countrystore | route1countrystore.com
Padow, how ya like me now! No? Bad dad joke, okay, let me put it this way, the sandwich sang to me. Padow’s corned beef pastrami and swiss sandwich was so juicy, it dripped down my chin on the first bite. Or was that drool? Or both? There is no way of being sure.
This old school grocery and deli with four locations in Richmond has long standing roots in the community. Founder George Padow opened his first grocery and retail outlet in the historic Jackson Ward area all the way back in 1936.
For more on Padow’s Hams & Deli, visit facebook.com/Padows | padows.com
I went with the dilled tuna salad but honestly, multiple sandwiches at Magnolia Foods in Lynchburg are worthy of this list. A beloved delicatessen for many years, longtime Lynchburg service industry couple Scott and Adi McCauley bought it in 2011. Clearly the right people are at the helm.
For more on Magnolia Foods, visit magnoliafoods.com | facebook.com/magnoliafoodslynchburg
Another pastrami sandwich you say? No turkey, chicken salad, roast beef, Italian, ect. on your list? You must understand, the pastrami sando at Clayton’s Counter is rather exceptional, so we are foregoing some diversity. The man behind this sando is Chef Ralph Clayton Anderson III. To gauge how good this sandwich (and other sandwiches) he is slinging in Virginia Beach are, take a second and consider that he opened Clayton’s Counter in the midst of a pandemic and thrived. A house specialty, with vinegar slaw, #44 mustard and on brioche…save room and have two! You know, for the sake of diversity.
For more on Clayton’s Counter Delicatessen, visit facebook.com/claytonscountervb
Concerning the picks and the process, in 2021 Southern Grit Magazine founder Joshua Fitzwater traversed the Old Dominion sampling popular Virginia delis. The process took months and admittedly often leaned towards a taste for Virginia ham. Without any bias, however, the above deli sandwiches are some of the best to be found in Virginia.
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