Great lunch: Three visits to Rhino Market & Deli
I meant to go to Rhino Market & Deli long before I did. Due to his constant wanderings around Charlotte in search of new places to eat, my brother-in-law, Mark, is pretty much the Vasco da Gama of lunch places. He talked about it so much that my wife and I had to go there.
But since I made it to Rhino Market, I have become a frequent regular. The deli is located off of West Morehead Street, just a couple minutes from uptown. You’ll know you’re close when you see a tall brick chimney. Once inside, you’ll have about a million choices for beverages. Tall glass refrigerators filled with both typical and unusual drink choices line the right side of the wall, near a few aisles of wine if you’re looking to loosen up a bit.
I recommend eating on the fantastic little patio to the left of the main entrance. It has ceiling fans to cut the heat if it’s hot out, and live music if you’re lucky. It’s a cool and relaxing spot where the staff is calm and delightful even when it’s busy.
The first time I went, I had the hot roast beef sandwich and it was astoundingly good. It’s so good that I had to go back and try it again because I thought that perhaps my palate was a little off due to being over-served at a bar the night before. When I’m in that condition, I will eat a large amount of anything as long as there’s cheese.
Fortunately during my second visit, I realized I was right the first time. The hot roast beef sandwich has roast beef, cheddar, caramelized onions, horseradish mayo and banana peppers on a ciabatta bun. Damn it was good, and it only cost $7.49.
After I had been twice, Vasco de Lunch proclaimed that I had completely missed out on ordering the best item on the menu. On my third return, I ordered the chicken torta. It’s pulled chicken with provolone, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato and mayo on a ciabatta bun.
My wife is a vegetarian and she had the chaud legumes, with piles of delicious grilled vegetables and mozzarella and garlic aioli. She also enjoyed the Healthy Hummus, livened by sweet peppers.
As if all that weren’t enough, Rhino Market has Zapp’s potato chips. The Voodoo is the best kind, and if you don’t like them, just tweet me and I’ll come finish the bag for you.
The total price for each lunch ranged between $11 and $13 and completely worth it all three times.
Rhino Market & Deli: 1500 W. Morehead St. Ste. E
Photos: Clayton Hanson
This story was originally published July 14, 2016 at 10:00 PM.