{cincinnati ROCKS}: melt eclectic deli

Cincinnati ROCKS are regular posts to share with y'all, the lovely blogosphere, some of the local bits of wonderful that make Cincinnati, not Cleveland, well... rock. Sit back, pop open a can of Mt. Dew and start thinking about moving here. :)

Have I mentioned before how much I looooooove my nieces and nephew? Maybe a few times? ;) Well, they're pretty great and definitely my favorite little people on earth! Every few weeks they come to my office, spin around in my chair...

then we go to lunch at Melt Eclectic Deli in Northside.

Melt is a fantastic restaurant (there's no way this is just a deli) that serves lots of yummy food, including many vegan and vegetarian options.

The girls and I call The Rachel our favorite! It's a yummy sandwich with applewood smoked turkey, rubykraut (red cabbage and apples), swiss cheese and tangy sauce melted on Shadeau Bread's sourdough rye. Just typing that made my mouth water a little. :)

You can get a variety of side dishes but sun chips and homemade hummus are definitely the best way to go!

Though The Rachel is our favorite, there are lots of other ridiculously good menu items to choose from including:

Tuscan Chicken
Pesto, Caramelized Onions, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Chicken and Romaine melted on Foccaccia. (Vegan and Gluten-Free Options Available)

Muffaletta
Applewood smoked Turkey, Olive Tapenade, Roasted Red Peppers and Provolone melted on Foccaccia. (Vegetarian and Gluten-Free Options Available)

And, even though I'm a meat eater from way back (other than that one ill fated month...), I LOVE the cheesesteak made dairy free.

Veggie Cheesesteak
Housemade Seasoned Seitan, roasted Onions and Peppers and Provolone melted on Shadeau’s Whole Wheat Hoagie. (Vegetarian, Vegan Options Available)

Seriously- HELLA good.

There's also a wide variety of locally made desserts at the counter to choose from, including the yummies from Sweet Peace Bakery, and... hold onto your seats... COKE IN A BOTTLE.

The kids love this place, as do my sister and I! If you're in the Cincinnati area looking for some great food and a local business to support, Melt in Northside is the place to go. :)

Are there any restaurants around town you've heard of but haven't tried? Let me know and I'll do the dirty work for you and report back here with a review! :)