Be it a sandwich piled high with homemade pastrami, or a plate of eggs benedict with grandma’s English muffins, Old School Deli in Roseville will have you feeling right at home.
“It is a labor of love,” explains Steve Morse, the owner. “You have to enjoy what you’re doing. It’s so rewarding when someone goes ahead and says ‘mmmm, that was good,’ and I hear that.”
Although life took him down a different career path, Steve Morse always loved food. He learned to cook from his grandma, who would frequently pull him into the kitchen to help her cook.
“People don’t stop and listen and learn from older people. It’s something that I was fortunate enough to take time and listen and learn,” says Morse.
About 10 years ago he decided to change careers so he bought a building in Roseville and transformed it into Old School Deli. The diner has a 50s feel with the walls decorated in vintage memorabilia, many of which are from his own personal collection, but many customers brought in several as well.
When it comes to the menu, everything is done the old-school way, as the name implies. It’s printed on newspaper-style paper and has fun sections like “before the bell” for breakfast, “gym class” for salads, and “sing-a-longs” for sides. The dishes he serves are many of his favorites and even include some recipes from Grandma. There is a large selection of deli sandwiches and chief among them is his house-made pastrami. Unique items like the Batman and Robin, a PB&J sandwich with salami that he came up with as a kid, make this menu one of a kind. If it’s homey and old-school, it’s probably on the menu, and if not, he says he’d be happy to make it for you anyway as long as he has the ingredients.
For the full story, watch the video above. Old School Deli is located at 30860 Groesbeck Highway in Roseville.