www.princeshilldeli.com
I fell in love with Prince's Hill Deli while working a temporary job at Barrington High School in March-April of 2005. What I noticed about this place was, aside from their fabulous food, it had a certain kind of "Cheers" feeling when you walked in - everybody knew your name. They even started to know mine after just a few visits. The friendly gentleman behind the counter even made a point to get everyone in the dining room to say goodbye to me as I left with my sandwich. Although dying with embarrassment, I thought it was adorable how everyone got along so well. Oh, and they have some of the most delicious sandwiches I've ever eaten.
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After having been away for so long, I was thrilled to find myself in the Barrington area at around 3 p.m. in search of a great lunch. I figured that if I stopped at Prince's Hill, I could finally present Mom with one of these illustrious sandwiches that I spoke so highly of back in '05. When I pulled into the lot, I saw that every parking spot in front of the deli, which is located in a plaza, was taken. However, I soon found a spot in another lot that wasn't too far from Prince's entrance.
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Wow, this place hadn't changed a bit! With a large dining room to the right of the restaurant, and a large deli counter to the left, the interior brought back happy memories of delicious sandwiches and employment at Barrington High. Since it was after the lunch rush, the place only had a few scattered customers around the dining area and just two in the small wicker chairs which serve as a "waiting area" to people with deli orders. The black and white checkered floor resembles that of a 1950's style diner, but the furniture and draperies resemble a quaint French bistro. I've never seen this place in disarray, and this visit was as spotless as the last.
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As I approached the counter, I was greeted by a friendly girl who promptly took my lunch order. For Mom, I ordered a roast turkey sandwich on marble rye (they were out of wheat) with lettuce, a little bit of mayo, and Provolone cheese ($6.25). For myself, I chose a favorite of mine from the past - the Belvedere ($6.75). This is basically a Greek salad in a wrap, consisting of green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, Feta, Bermuda onion, cucumbers, hot peppers, black olives, and carrots all topped with Greek dressing. Splendid! Although $6.75 is a lot to pay for a wrap, and $6.25 is certainly a lot to pay for a turkey sandwich, I knew we were in for a tasty meal.
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Prince's Hill Deli has several speciality sandwiches, including their signature - the Prince's Hill ($7.25). This sandwich consists of roasted turkey breast, their own baked ham, melted Swiss cheese, slices of bacon, crunchy pickle slices, and honey mustard dressing all served on a bulky roll. Other yummy choices include the 8 Valentine (roast beef), Tee Jay (oven-roasted turkey breast), Katama (their take on Thanksgiving), Hot Corned Beef, Grilled Chicken, and the Popponessett, which is grilled chicken in buffalo sauce with blue cheese dressing, cucumbers, lettuce, and carrots. Prices on these specialities range from $6.25-7.25. You can also make your own sandwich from their sandwich board ($6.25 -extra toppings 30 cents) where you can pick your favorite meat, cheese, spread, bread, and two toppings from their list. All sandwiches (including specialty) come with a sliced half sour pickle and potato chips, which I turned down for both sandwiches when asked by the girl at the counter. They have a children's menu, salads, soups, a soup and sandwich combo, and breakfast is served daily from 8-11 a.m., which includes bagels, coffee cakes, homemade muffins, and fresh brewed coffee. Prince's Hill also has a large variety of ready-made pasta, potato, and chicken salads including dill potato, Greek cucumber, Chinese chicken, Mediterranean, apple and nut chicken, and their own pasta salad. A catering menu is also available with both breakfast and luncheon choices for your wedding, dinner buffet, or Bar Mitzvah! Although prices are high, you are paying for quality food.
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