On Monday, July 25th , McAlister’s Deli celebrated its Grand Opening of its newest location at 5505 Capital Boulevard in Raleigh, NC ! As a North Raleigh resident, I was happy to learn McAlister’s Deli is now open and serving the community. 

Known for serving “American Regional favorites” with a smile, this restaurant serves good food and great tea to wash it all down with. Did you know there was a cult following of “tea freaks” who love McAlister’s Famous Sweet Tea?! Well, I have a confession..my name is Leslie and I am a tea freak.

Yesterday I went to the new location in Raleigh with my husband and daughter. While I was familiar with their beverage menu, I had never tried their food. Their menu is not your typical deli menu because it offers so much more than just hot/cold sandwiches. For example, McAlister’s serves nachos for starters, entree salads, giant stuffed potatoes known as ‘Spuds’, desserts and they offer a variety of vegetarian options. 
For our almost 5 year old foodie, we ordered from the kids menu. Her choice of mac & cheese included a drink (she loved the strawberry lemonade), a side item (fruit cup was selected) and a treat (graham crackers).  The Just For Kids menu is suitable for kids 12 and under and for $3.59 it’s a great value !

My husband was in the mood for a good sandwich, and by the looks of the menu he came to the right place. Hot Sandwiches, Grilled Sandwiches,Classic Sandwiches, Club Sandwiches..OH MY ! He went with the Spicy Southwest Chicken Griller and opted to substitute the baguette with a croissant. In my opinion, (yes, he thankfully offered me to have a bite ) it was not too spicy but oh so flavorful. It was served with a pickle and a choice of side (he got chips).

Speaking of spice, variety is the spice of life and McAlister’s Deli has a ‘Choose 2’ option for those of us who loves variety! I went with a cup of potato soup and their seasonal pecan berry salad. It was so good, especially once I added gorgonzola cheese to it. And of course with me being a tea freak and all, I ordered a peach sweet tea and wildberry tea. Very refreshing! 

We also enjoyed a sweet ending to our meal by trying two of their desserts: A fresh baked sugar cookie for her (she read the word cookie on the window before we even got in and thought she could have that for dinner, thanks McAlister’s Deli) and a brownie for us. 

Thumbs up for the sugar cookie! 

Some things I learned from our visit (besides how tasty everything is) : 

• McAlister’s Deli does catering 
• Online ordering is available at www.mcalistersdeli.com
• There are 27 locations in North Carolina (lucky me!)
• Tea by the Gallon is on the menu for $8.00 ( tea freaks rejoice! )

From the smiling greeter at the door to the delicious food we were served, our first dining experience with McAlister’s Deli Raleigh/Capital Blvd was enjoyable and filled with tasty memories ! We will definitely be back. 

Cheers and Welcome to the neighborhood!