Step into Cape Deli and you’ll likely join a line of customers waiting for sandwiches, cheesesteaks, prepared salads, baked goods and cold cuts. Although the takeout shop only opened in May, it has already become a popular destination at the intersection of Wescoats, Savannah and Clay roads in Lewes.
The hungry customers prove that Brad Hlinko had a good idea. The native New Yorker, who knows a good sandwich when he sees one, felt the area needed a full-service deli. Initially, his wife and business partner, Carly, was hesitant. The Hlinkos and their other partners, Tommy Engel and Clint Fluharty, already own Daisy’s Hoagies and Heros on Route 9.
Plus, each partner has other business endeavors. For instance, Carly Hlinko is the founder of Lilla Cavallo, the women’s boutique, which has locations in Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. Brad Hlinko has a construction company. Fluharty owns Dirt Works Inc., and Engel is known for Tommy Town, a collection of vintage Americana, signs and classic cars, as well as other ventures, including landscaping.
When the space that formerly housed Kaisy’s Delights became available, Brad brought the opportunity to Carly’s attention while they were on vacation. “No, we don’t need that,” she remembers saying. But by the time they returned, Brad, Engel and Fluharty were making calls and finalizing the deal.
The partners all contributed their expertise to the project; it helps that Brad is in construction and his wife is no stranger to hospitality. She was a teenager when she started working after school at Bethany Blues in Lewes, and she also worked at Louie’s Pizza. Today, she oversees Cape Deli’s daily operations.
While Daisy’s specializes in sandwiches, chips and cold sodas, Cape Deli offers everything from subs to croissants.
“You can get a breakfast sandwich. You can get a box of pastries to take to your mom’s house. You can get cold salads out of the cold case that are made fresh,” she says. “I wanted a place where you could fill the fridge in one spot for a couple days.”
The cold cuts are from Boar’s Head, and the sandwich rolls are from Liscio’s Bakery in the Philadelphia area. But most items are made on site, including the baked goods.
“We bake in-house,” Hlinko says. “Pretty much everything you see in that case is made fresh. We have bakers that bake around the clock.” Gluten-free items, which require special care, are the exception.
Cold salads are prepared each morning, and when it’s time to prepare the chicken cutlets, the staff forms an assembly line. “Chicken cutlets are everywhere,” she says.
Hlinko is particularly proud of the roast pork with broccoli rabe, which reminds her of sandwiches she enjoyed when her father took her to the Italian Market in Philadelphia. But don’t expect pork dripping in juice. Hlinko is often so busy that she eats in her car, so she wanted the items to be neat and manageable.
The partners have discussed a second location that would keep the Cape Deli name for consistency.
They are also working on New York-style pizza. Two new pizza ovens are already in place. But they’re going to perfect the dough before rolling it out. Pizza inspires strong opinions along the coast.
Cape Deli opened with a large staff – nearly 45 people – and Hlinko says her priority is making sure the sandwiches are right, the cases are full and customers feel taken care of.
Food, she says, is too serious to treat casually, especially when people are counting on one stop to get them through breakfast, lunch, dinner and whatever the day brings.
1548 Savannah Road, Lewes
302-200-7084
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