Big Sandwiches and Cheese Counter Finds at Nelson Cheese & Deli

A good deli menu gives you a little time to consider your options, and Nelson Cheese & Deli has plenty to consider. The board runs from classic cold sandwiches to hot, hearty combinations, with wraps, melts, roast beef, meatballs and a long list of house-named choices.

The sandwiches are made to order and built to be substantial. It is a relaxed neighborhood stop where lunch can be a quick takeout pickup, an unhurried meal in the dining area, or the beginning of a browse through cheese, curds, beef sticks and prepared foods.

The Town of Nelson is one of the menu's large, filling sandwiches and a frequent choice when someone asks where to begin. Rick's Special has its own following, too, and is the sort of named order people come back for rather than merely trying once.

There is no need to stay strictly traditional, though the deli covers those bases. A Reuben, a Cheese Maker, the St. Paul Special and the Barn Burner sit alongside choices such as the Smokey Reuben, Kansas City BBQ, Chicken Ranchero, Italian Roast Beef, Mr. T and Big Nellie.

That variety is useful when a lunch group cannot agree on one direction. One person can go for a classic deli combination while somebody else orders a tuna melt, meatball sandwich or roast beef sandwich.

The hot-and-cold split gives the menu a pleasing amount of range. Toasted preparations suit a day when a melt or a warm sandwich sounds right, while cold sandwiches and wraps keep the meal lighter and more portable.

The Nelson wrap is a good example of the latter: meat, cheese, fresh vegetables and sauce gathered into a balanced cold sandwich. Buffalo chicken wraps add another route for diners who want a little more kick.

Ingredient adjustments can be made when ordering. A request as simple as leaving off horseradish does not have to turn into a negotiation at the counter.

Even the pickle gets a practical bit of attention here. It is served pre-cut, which means you can pick up a piece without trying to manage an intact spear alongside a large sandwich—and without sending pickle juice down your hand.

It is a minor thing, certainly. But deli meals are full of minor things, and this is one that makes a crowded lunch plate easier to handle.

Sandwiches have company at Nelson Cheese & Deli in the form of prepared salads and sides. Pasta salad and potato salad give an order the familiar deli-counter accompaniment it needs, especially when you are taking lunch back to work or feeding more than one person.

Bonnie's Best pasta salad is a particular favorite. It is the sort of side that can keep a sandwich order from being just a sandwich order.

The cheese-shop side of the business gives the visit another direction after the order is in. Cheese, cheese curds and beef sticks provide easy browsing material for a snack later, a road-trip bag or a little something to bring home.

There are other treats and prepared foods in the mix as well. The counter can handle lunch, but the retail selection makes it easy to leave with provisions for the rest of the day.

There is an in-store dining area for sitting down with a sandwich, while takeout is a major part of the rhythm here. The atmosphere stays welcoming and informal, with counter staff ready to help sort through a broad, clearly written menu.

At busy lunch periods, a line can form. Orders generally continue moving efficiently, and the wait offers a natural chance to look over the cheese and snack selection rather than stare at the door.

Takeout can be arranged with a little thought for the trip home. Hot sandwich components can be packed separately from lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and sauces, allowing the warm portion to be reheated before the fresh ingredients are added.

Nelson Cheese & Deli also works well when lunch needs to feed a room rather than a single person. Sandwich trays, fruit trays and dessert trays are available for workplace meals, family celebrations and larger gatherings.

Multi-tray orders can be arranged in secure, attractive packaging, so the spread arrives looking organized rather than like a collection of loose boxes. The deli has also accommodated additions when a party count changes close to an event, a useful bit of flexibility for gatherings that refuse to hold still.

Free parking is available in the lot, and free street parking is also an option, although availability can tighten when the deli is busy.