While some of its best-known delis have recently shut down, New York City (and Manhattan in particular) remains one of the best places in the country for Jewish deli food, with such iconic spots as Katz’s, 2nd Ave Deli and Barney Greengrass among the best-known names.
Boston may have some decent delis as well, but heading back on Interstate 84 after overloading with corned beef sandwiches, potato pancakes and the like in The Big Apple can often make travelers want to have just one more memorable deli experience before returning to the Bay State.
I-84 is a mostly dark and deserted highway that seems to go on forever (which makes some wonder how such a small state as Connecticut can seem so big), and at times it seems that there is no hope of finding any kind of dining spot to grab some food, since so many of the roads exiting the highway look as dark as the highway itself.
This is precisely why Rein’s Deli in Vernon has been such a popular place for a long time now, being a beacon of comfort food close to the halfway point between New York and Boston.
Rein’s first came on the scene back in 1972. Its website calls it, “the answer to the search for a good corned beef sandwich,” an authentic New York Style-Jewish deli in the same vein as the Manhattan spots mentioned above.
Back before smartphones and car navigation systems, finding the restaurant could be an experience unto itself – even though it’s only about a minute off the highway, finding it can be tricky, sometimes leading drivers (before GPS) to twisty back roads with no streetlights and seeing signs for such towns as Ellington, Willington or Coventry and thinking that something has gone terribly wrong.
But Rein’s is indeed little more than 500 feet from I-84 as the crow flies, and a good GPS system will show just how easy it is to get to, sitting along a busy road with gas stations, chain restaurants and strip malls. Rein’s itself sits on one end of a strip mall, with its non-descript location giving no indication as to the warm and comfortable atmosphere found inside.
The name hints that Rein’s Deli is more than just a restaurant, and upon entering, you’ll indeed see multiple cases of to-go deli food, with a big chunk of the space dedicated to takeout. But the right side of the space — and the back — is where the restaurant area is, including a spacious open area that abuts the deli section and includes both tables and counter seating, and a smaller room called the “Way-Off Broadway Lounge” behind the main dining area that includes a few more tables and some additional counter/bar seating.
PHOTOS: Sit-down or takeout at Rein’s Deli
The entire space has a kitschy feel to it, with a mini version of the Statue of Liberty sitting in the main dining room, signs welcoming people to the boroughs of New York City, photos of celebrities and NYC-based posters and knickknacks.
The menu at Rein’s has so many options that it can be tough to choose what to order, which is why this is a particularly good place to head to with a large group, so you can all sample various dishes.
A few of the more popular items here include a plate of crunchy half-sour pickles that are about the best you’ll have anywhere; a big bowl of matzo ball soup that is a great option when you’re feeling under the weather; classic corned beef and pastrami sandwiches that have “1st cut” options, where leaner cuts of meat are used; decadent corned beef and pastrami reubens that are loaded with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing; outstanding potato pancakes and equally good potato kugel, with the latter a less common item that is basically a potato casserole and is a tad more creamy and custard-like then the potato pancakes; and an old-fashioned tuna melt with muenster cheese, tomato and onions on grilled and buttered toast.
Other tasty items to consider at Rein’s include a hearty mushroom barley soup, thick and greasy onion rings, basked mac and cheese that uses Vermont cheddar and kosher franks with sauerkraut, and don’t ignore the all-day breakfast dishes such as bagels or bialys and lox, French toast and breakfast sandwiches with salami.
No matter what you order, the drink options should keep everyone happy, with such deli staples as egg cream (which neither has eggs nor cream — they are made with milk, syrup and seltzer), Dr. Brown’s sodas and beer, wine and cocktails.
And for those who have saved room for dessert, the New York cheesecake here is every bit as wonderful as you might expect it to be, while the chocolate rugelach (rolled pastry cookies) also bring to mind the best delis and Jewish markets in Manhattan.
For those looking to purchase food to take home, many of the dishes mentioned above can be found within the deli area, so it’s a good idea to bring a cooler for such options as the aforementioned macaroni and cheese, potato pancakes, potato kugel and so on. The cases also stock such items as knishes, noodle kugel (which is sweet in contrast to the savory taste of the potato kugel), whitefish, egg salad, stuffed cabbage, chili, cheese blintzes, babka and so much more, and you’ll also find many snack items including nuts, old-fashioned candy, potato chips and pretzels — and loaves of bread are available as well.
When it comes to comfort food, it’s really tough to beat what can be found at Jewish delis, and Rein’s pretty much has it all, which should satisfy those who yearn for the delis of New York (or Boston) while pretty much being 100 miles away from both. The place has been feeding hungry travelers for many decades now, and there’s a reason why it continues to do so well after all these years.
If you’ve never been, plug the place into your GPS the next time you find yourself just east of Hartford and craving some Jewish soul food.
Rein’s Deli, 435 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT, 06066. reinsdeli.com
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