9th Avenue Deli Foods (formerly AM-PM Deli)
480 Ninth Avenue@37th Street
New York, NY 10018
(212) 695-6204
Open: Sunday-Saturday 24 Hours
My reviews on TripAdvisor:
*The prices have gone up over the years so the prices
I believe the deli just changed hands hence the name change (it has changed hands about four times).
9 Avenue Gourmet Deli at 480 Ninth Avenue
I came across 9th Avenue Gourmet Deli while working at the Soup Kitchen which is located further down 9th Avenue. Every morning I pass the deli and a legion of construction workers from the buildings going up over the Hudson Railroad Yards fill the place every morning. They always look like they are enjoying their breakfasts and lunches while sitting in the L-shaped bar by the front windows.
The Specials Sign every morning
*Note: these prices are 2019 prices and have gone up in 2024.
The deli’s morning specials are extremely fair priced. Their breakfast platters can run anywhere from $9.99 to $11.99 if you add a breakfast meat. I was in early for a class one morning and decided to have breakfast there. There seemed to be a mix up with what I ordered (I had ordered the pancake special breakfast and I got the Two Egg order with bacon and potatoes. I didn’t even remember telling the guy I wanted them scrambled.
What the placed lacked that morning in service (the guy cooking did look a little flustered) made up in the quality and quantity of the breakfast platter. It was delicious. I had two large scrambled eggs, three nice size pieces of bacon and a mound of hash browns cooked with peppers and onions. The eggs were perfectly cooked in butter and were light and fluffy. The bacon had a meaty smoky flavor and the hash browns were perfectly cooked. I still will have to go back and try those pancakes that the construction workers seem to rave about.
Another morning before I got to Soup Kitchen, I tried their Two Eggs on a roll with Sausage and the guy cooking seemed to be confused again. He ended up giving me a Bacon, Egg and Cheese on a roll so I guess I made up the difference on price between the two orders. The bacon, egg and cheese was a nicely sized sandwich loaded down with all the ingredients on a buttered fresh soft roll. The combination of flavors were perfect and the size of the sandwich was very large. No wonder I always hear the construction workers talking about it.
One morning when I was in the City for an early walking tour, I tried the Pancake Platter Special, which consisted of two scrambled eggs, three slices of bacon and three pancakes that were cooked perfectly, golden and caramelized on the outside and moist on the inside. The eggs were cooked on the grill with clarified butter and did not need any salt or pepper. It was a very generous portion size and you will not have a need for lunch. The pancakes had a nice malted flavor to them and I watched the guys at the griddle bake a smear of butter into each pancake.
The morning of another walking tour, I had the French Toast special with hot tea but only wanted the toast because everything would be too much for me. The French Toast was wonderful. You got four generous slices that were perfectly grilled and caramelized with just a hint of cinnamon.
On my latest trip to 9th Avenue Gourmet Deli, I ordered the He Man Breakfast sandwich, which was a scrambled egg and meat sandwich that contained three scrambled eggs that were cooked perfectly, soft and seasoned nicely, sausage, ham and bacon with hash browns cooked into all that served with mayo on a chewy hoagie roll.
It was a nice combination of flavors and textures and these guys know how to season the food. It was a nice energy booster when I was walking the entire length of Broadway (13 miles) for my latest blog in my site, “MywalkinManhattan.com”. I needed the calories and the protein and this sandwich does the trick of getting you through the day.
Big breakfast sandwiches are the best!
The deli also has a reasonable list of lunch specials for $11.95 including burger platters, hot sandwiches with chips and a chicken finger special. The prices here will not break the bank and the portion sizes will keep you full until the next meal.
I was in the City for a late night function and knowing that the deli was open for 24 hours decided to head down and try it for dinner. I was not disappointed. I had originally wanted to try the Chicken Parmesan Platter but the cook working said that they had run out of sauce so I ordered the Cheeseburger Platter ($11.95). You will not be disappointed.
The hamburger was the size of a small plate. Though it was a frozen patty I could tell by the taste that it had been ground and was not commercial. The platter consisted of the burger with two slices of American cheese on it on a pressed roll with two slices of tomato and a hand full of shredded lettuce and about pound of freshly cooked French fries that finished out this mound of food that I could barely finish.
The Cheeseburger Platter at 9th Avenue Deli.
The whole patter could have fed two people comfortably if it had been split. I have eaten this platter twice and both times it was delicious.
The Cheeseburger Platter with fries is a full meal
The burger was juicy and flavorful and the fries even though they were commercial were blazing hot and had a nice salty flavor to them. The meal was perfectly cooked and the best part was the cook was so happy when I told him how much I enjoyed the meal.
The Cheeseburger was excellent.
On a recent overnight stay for Christmas Eve dinner, I brought another Cheeseburger Platter and a Chicken Fingers Platter for our holiday meal as it was one of the few things open at night in NYC during the COVID era.
The Cheeseburger Platter did not disappoint us and the Chicken Fingers were excellent. Four well deep fried out pieces of chicken breast with a half pound of freshly fried out fries with a side of honey mustard dressing. It was just excellent.
On a recent walk to 9th Avenue Deli, I wanted something that was not deep fried. I tried the Chicken Salad Club sandwich which was a rather large sandwich.
The chicken salad was freshly made of poached chicken breast meat and the salad was full of large chunks of chicken with celery and spices in a light mayo. The sandwich was filled with fresh tomatoes and lettuce and a nice pile of crisp bacon. The sandwich was a mouthful with each bite.
The chunky Chicken Salad Club Sandwich was excellent
I had a flavored sparking soda with blueberry and pomegranate which was fizzy and refreshing. It was a good meal.
The service here is always extremely friendly and helpful. I guess those construction workers know a thing or two about food!
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