Astoria, Markets Oct 14, 2014 A First Look at Tropical Deli & Grill We were sorry to see Greenline Organic close, since they had so many interesting things on their shelves (the produce was a bit sketch at times), and it was a reasonable (…) Share this Scoop by Meg Cotner total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print We were sorry to see Greenline Organic close, since they had so many interesting things on their shelves (the produce was a bit sketch at times), and it was a reasonable (…) by Meg Cotner Share this Scoop total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print We were sorry to see Greenline Organic close, since they had so many interesting things on their shelves (the produce was a bit sketch at times), and it was a reasonable alternative to dealing with neighboring Key Food sometimes, depending what was on your list. The replacement for Greenline Organic—Tropical Deli & Grill—opened up this weekend and it offers a different kind of consumer experience compared to its predecessor. Outside was a dude giving out menus. The menu shows us we can get breakfast and lunch type things—bagels, coffee, egg and cheese on a roll, omelettes, wraps, panini, salads, and even a create your own salad option like they have in many Midtown delis. They have a bunch of vegetable and meat salads already made. There isn’t much in the way of fresh vegetables for sale; this is certainly no longer a produce market. I noticed a whole shelf of household cleaning products and trash bags on the back left wall, where used to stand a cooler with all sorts of drinks, cheese, and cured meats. Snacks seem to be a big deal here. The place seems extremely clean, at least when I was in there. The transformation is pretty striking, and it is definitely more bland in its look and feel (whether or not that’s a good thing, I’ll leave up to you). I do like these pretty tiles in the floor: They plan to be open 24/7, and this could be another option for those who want to pick up something before heading to work or after coming home at the end of a long day. The people there seemed very nice and I hope the prepared food is good. They deliver, too ($10/minimum). Here’s to the opening of another independently owned business as opposed to another chain store. Tropical Deli & Grill, 22-33 31st St., Astoria, NY 11105 Twitter Facebook Email Print 24/7deliGreenline OrganicsTropical Deli & Grill About Meg Cotner Meg Cotner was trained as a harpsichordist and now works as a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of "Food Lovers' Guide to Queens," and is a skilled and avid home cook, baker, and preserver. 3 Comments mlove October 14th, 2014 Agree! It would have to be amazing prepared food to compete with all of the other outstanding options in the area. Would be smart of them to stock similar items that a trader Joe’s might stock or even whole foods. That’s what’s missing in this area. Reply mlove October 14th, 2014 what’s the point of this place with a grocery store, right next door? Reply megc October 14th, 2014 That’s a good question. It replicates a lot of what is nearby – salads and prepared food at Soho, grocery items at Key Food, snacks at various little neighboring places. I think their prepared food is going to have to be stellar for them to make it. I’m glad it’s an independently owned spot, but even indie shops have to strive for excellence and can’t coast on “we’re not a big bad chain.” I guess we’ll see what happens. Reply Leave a Reply to megc Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
mlove October 14th, 2014 Agree! It would have to be amazing prepared food to compete with all of the other outstanding options in the area. Would be smart of them to stock similar items that a trader Joe’s might stock or even whole foods. That’s what’s missing in this area. Reply
megc October 14th, 2014 That’s a good question. It replicates a lot of what is nearby – salads and prepared food at Soho, grocery items at Key Food, snacks at various little neighboring places. I think their prepared food is going to have to be stellar for them to make it. I’m glad it’s an independently owned spot, but even indie shops have to strive for excellence and can’t coast on “we’re not a big bad chain.” I guess we’ll see what happens. Reply