23/02/2026
Last time I went to Donnington Deli and posted a picture of my chicken caesar focaccia sandwich I got a couple of comments from people absolutely convinced that I didn’t eat there. Even though I’d literally posted the photo of my lunch, and a caption saying what it was like, they thought I couldn’t possibly have eaten there because it was amazing and I hadn’t said it was amazing.
It was surreal, and short of posting a picture of the card payment on my bank statement I wasn’t sure what more I could do. It took me back to when I first reviewed Café Yolk in 2013, wasn’t impressed and people lined up in the comments to tell me I was wrong. People who happened to work for Café Yolk, but didn’t declare that.
So I went back this weekend and tried the sandwich everyone said I should have ordered, the pastrami. And it’s still okay, but not amazing. The focaccia is dense and not airy, tough with no crust and couldn’t stand up to the sauerkraut which made it soggier and soggier.
The pastrami was good but there was so much of it and that was all there was - a huge wedge of pastrami, some surprisingly bland sauerkraut and some mustard mayo. I’d have loved pickles, Swiss cheese, Thousand Island, a proper Reuben. This isn’t it. It’s a lot of filling for a lot of money, I personally would rather have something smaller, more affordable and more interesting. I still think not doing coffee is bizarre, though my ginger beer was quite nice.
I really approve of what they’re doing, it’s great to show some entrepreneurial vision and the fit out is lovely. The sandwiches still aren’t quite for me but I hope they find their audience and I will be back some time to try them again. Third time’s the charm?
