There are some things in the food world that just seem to be made to hit big on social media. The CEO of Corn is one adorable example, or the seemingly limitless food hacks you can find online.
Now, it seems that Long Island’s own Yaphank Deli has a viral hit on its hands and it’s the perfect blend of strange yet sensical, different yet delicious and the “why didn’t I think of that!” moments that make some of the best things blow up online: The Pickle Sandwich.
The simplest way to explain it is to take your favorite sandwich – turkey club for example – but replace the bread with a pickle. That’s pretty much all there is to it but the pickle makes all the difference.
“People are looking for a non-bread alternative,” said Christine Roach, co-owner of the Yaphank Deli, explaining why this phenomenon has taken off. “It’s refreshing and completely interesting.”
Interesting for sure but how does it taste? We went to Yaphank Deli to try one after seeing it pop up all over our Facebook and TikTok foodie feeds recently. We had a turkey club, one of our favorites, and we can safely say it is a crispy, delightful, refreshing surprise. And by scooping out some of the inside of the pickle and affixing it with toothpicks, everything stays in place really well.
Since videos of the Pickle Sandwich went viral on TikTok, orders have increased exponentially.
“We had been selling about one per week before,” said Roach.
Now they’re selling at least five a day, sometimes more.
“We probably made about 12 just today,” said Alaina Reilly – a cashier and sandwich maker at the deli – on the Friday afternoon we went in for a taste test.
They also said that people are coming from over an hour away to get one because they read about it online.
Yaphank is a quaint little town with a lot of history and one of the least likely places to inspire a viral foodie phenomenon. The deli has a classic Long Island deli vibe with a very loyal customer base made up of many of the blue collar workers and police from the precinct down the road who stop in for breakfast or lunch. It’s also the perfect place to stop on the way to and from Smith Point.
“A lot of people come in on the way home from the beach,” said Roach.
They even cater a local rodeo.
According to Roach’s niece, Jennifer Flynn, who is co-owner of the deli, many of the recipes came to them handed down from her grandfather (who is Roach’s father.) He owned a deli himself on Long Island.
“It’s something we take such pride in,” said Flynn.
And those recipes actually came from his mother, so it’s a family tradition passed down through the generations.
Since the pickle sandwich blew up online, both owners said the tight knit community around Yaphank has embraced their success.
“The community has really welcomed us and they rooted us on,” said Roach.
So how did the pickle sandwich come about? According to the owners, a customer walked in out of the blue a few years ago and asked if they could make one. At first, the idea kind of laid low. It was on the menu but suddenly through word of mouth on social media the pickle sandwich got very popular.
“It kind of fell into our laps and we’re making the most of it,” said Roach. “We think we’re the only ones on Long Island doing it right now.”
Want to try one for yourself? Head over to Yaphank Deli at 908 East Main Street in Yaphank. We promise, you won’t regret it!
Check out our Insta post here to see our turkey club pickle sandwich being made.
