JJ International Delicatessen

Variety of meat and cheese selection, gluten free bread. Best sandwich I ever had! The establishment has mini European market with all kinds of goodies. It’s a must stop!

This place (JJ International Delicatessen) is proof that good quality food and respect for customers doesn’t have to mean four-dollar signs! If this review looks familiar, it’s probably because I made sure I posted it across all the platforms where JJ International Delicatessen is rated. JJ’s is THAT good! My mom and I were nearby from out of the area and found JJ International Delicatessen on the app “Find Me Gluten Free”. I’m allergic to sesame seeds and tree nuts, while my mom can’t have gluten. Suffice it to say, finding a place where we can both eat, let alone enjoy what we’re eating can be tricky. But this is where JJ’s earns its first gold star: not only did JJ’s have a sandwich bread that was safe for both of us, but it was a GF bread made out of buckwheat, flax, and quinoa as opposed to potato, rice, and corn! Uh, all whole grains without any fillers – yes please!! (Also, a great option for anyone who is diabetic!!) After we placed our order, we waited about ten minutes or so, during which time the woman who took our order apologized for the wait. She explained to us that they were getting out all new materials (e.g., knives, boards, etc.) and giving their workstation a thorough cleaning to avoid any cross contamination – say hello to gold star #2 ;-) Their third gold star comes from the people. When we were there, there were three women working – each nicer than the last – and one man, who was the owner. Anyone with food-related health issues knows the importance of self-advocacy when ordering food, but having to repeatedly second guess your server or ask for exceptions can be tiring, if not downright stressful. The woman who took our order anticipated our needs and took all necessary precautions without our asking. For example: in addition to the points I’ve already mentioned, she pointed out the side salads we could have; without us asking, prompted us to make substitutions where necessary and informed us of our options; and since she heard we were sharing the sandwich, asked us if we wanted different toppings on each half and gave us an extra pickle half and cole slaw because we were two. For a sense of what her personality was like, the customer after us ordered a cookie, to which she responded “it’s your lucky day. The next cookie is broken and since we can’t ‘sell’ a broken cookie, you get two!” But all the women working there tried to help us and the owner came out to say hello after he finished with our sandwich. The fourth gold star is JJ’s ingredients. The turkey we ordered for our sandwich was herb roasted and made in house. Not to mention that the store was chock full of items from around the world in some of the best brands, like “D’Arbo All Natural”. Their fifth star? Cleanliness. Always a concern, but obviously since COVID, it’s more so. Everything was spotless and they were taking all the right precautions. Honestly, Port Jervis is so lucky to be home to this treasure trove! Go to JJ Delicatessen International and you’re sure to have good food with good people. And really, is there anything better than that?