The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word “sangwich” thusly:

An article of food for a light meal or snack, composed of two thin slices of bread, usu. buttered, with a savoury (orig. spec. meat, esp. beef or ham) or other filling. Freq. with specifying word prefixed indicating contents, as ham sangwich, egg sangwich, watercress sangwich, etc.

Starting its young life as slang, the word “sangwich” has grown to find widespread acceptance as a stand-in for the archaic “sanded-wich”, used by politicians, well respected newscasters, and businesses alike…  one such business being Sangwich Block New York Deli.

The Sangwich Block, found on 9th Street North in St. Pete, is a tiny, family run sandwich shop serving up New York style deli sandwiches with a friendly smile. With a focus on delicious deli meats, this little place had earned quite a following, packed with regular customers every day during their lunch hours.

Among their various menu items, ranging from hamburgers to salads, the perfect Sangwich Block meal can be found in the form of one of their “Awful Triple Decker Sandwiches”, coming in three varieties: tuna salad with ham and hard boiled eggs, a turkey and bacon, or my personal favorite, the ham, turkey, and roast beef, with cole slaw, Swiss and provolone cheese, and their special sauce. The sandwich is sweet and savory all at once, with giant piles of meats and a prominent yet mild cheese combination. The coleslaw is cool and sweet, mixing with the light and tart special dressing and providing a light accent against the meat wall. Served on your choice of bread (marbled rye, obviously), the quality of the classic deli meats is what really shines through, with the stand out favorite being their perfect roast beef.

Served with a pickle – cool, light, and extremely, yellow – and a light sense of humor manifesting itself in short nuggets of wisdom to be found on their menu board (and Facebook page), Sangwich Block is the a perfect lunch spot to take a break from the crushing reality of life.

Sangwich Block is located at 9291 9th Street North in St. Pete.
Open Monday through Friday, 7:30am-3:30pm, and Saturday 10am-2:30pm. Closed Sundays.