I tried the sandwich shop taking Leeds by storm that is now up for the Uber Eats Restaurant of the Year Awards

Taking over a small corner in Bramley, Silver’s Deli opened with a bang in November 2023. 

Named after the owner Chris’ four-year-old daughter, the deli has quickly become a foodie hotspot in the city. And like many others, it’s all I have been hearing about for months.

Friends, food bloggers and even Rate My Takeaway star Danny Malin have all tried and loved it.

Its popularity has led it to be shortlisted for the Uber Eats Restaurant of the Year Awards 2024. It’s competing against some other loved Leeds businesses including a personal favourite of mine: Sqew in Duncan Street.

And on a rather bleak Wednesday, much in need for a pick-me-up, I decided it was finally time to try it.

I had my UberEats app ready from 9am, when the shop opens, and scanned through the breakfast items. Its ‘everything’ sandwich, which includes double sausage patty and smoked streaky bacon, is a hit among its customers. 

The egg and cheese sandwich, made with soft scrambled egg, cheddar, caramelised onion and spiced mayo, for just £4.50 was also a tempting choice. 

But I decided to hold out until lunch to get my Silver’s Deli fix.

The lunchtime menu includes a sandwich stuffed with cold cuts such as salami, cured ham and prosciutto and priced at just £9.50.

A vegetarian option - the caprese - is available too alongside a vegan bacon and chicken sandwich, which I was keen to try after only hearing good things.

At bang on 11:30am, I opened the UberEats app again and selected my order. I had my sandwich - which was much larger and cheaper than I had expected it to be - within half an hour. 

For £8.50, the sandwich came overflowing with sliced chicken, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and vegan aioli. 

The first thing I did was half the sandwich and save some for later; I wanted something good to eat, but I also needed to get work done after my lunch break.

I find it’s very hard to compliment a sandwich and far easier to find flaws when it’s a bad one - but Silver’s Deli impressed. 

What first caught me by surprise was how soft, airy and light the freshly baked sub roll was. The next was the imitation meat - we all know vegan alternatives can be hit or miss but this small deli has nailed the recipes.

The bacon was unexpectedly realistic and had a good texture. It was also subtle in flavour - as you’d expect in a simple sandwich like this - and therefore paired wonderfully with the chewy chicken and fresh salad. 

Ensuring the sandwich was far from dry, the heavy amount of aioli that oozed out of the sandwich with each bite was the perfect addition. 

Part of me wished I had some Sriracha hot chilli sauce to add to the mix, but the sandwich was complete without it too.  

Finishing my half, I understood the appeal that has people queuing down the street for a sandwich. A good value for money sandwich shop with fresh ingredients and quick service is hard to come by.

It’s also hard to find a sandwich shop that is constantly trying something new. In the past few weeks, Silver’s Deli has been teaming up with some of the city’s finest restaurants and businesses to make sure lunches are never dull.

In July, the deli worked with Stuzzi and Homeboy Pizza Co on a new sandwich. People queued around the venue and up the street for folded pizza breads stuffed with slow braised beef shin and nduja deep fried lasagne, Isle Of Wight heritage tomatoes, cacio e pepe aioli, nduja ketchup and finished with freshly grated aged parmesan.

And just last weekend, the tem behind the Cheesy Living Co brought their expertise - and fondue - to the Bramley shop.

Much more exciting things are to come for the business. Owner Chris has teased a new project on the brand’s official Instagram account, which he said will start out from the existing shop while the business “finds the right location in Bramley”.

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