New deli opens in time for St. Patrick's Day

JG’s Island Deli serving Grand Island

By Alice Gerard and Karen Keefe

Senior Contributing Writers

JG’s Island Deli’s new owner, Jordan Garrow, was excited about the enthusiastic response from customers at the deli’s soft opening this past Sunday.

“It’s very busy here,” she said, over the buzz of the crowd.

The deli, at 2092 Grand Island Blvd., is reopening under new ownership, following its closure in October of 2021. The business previously had four owners over a 17-year period.

Garrow said one of its specialty offerings, the Polish Reuben, was a big hit on St. Patrick’s Day, having a kinship with the traditional corned beef and cabbage. The signature Island Deli sandwich features fresh Wardynski’s sausage, kraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing on marble rye.

A sampling from the Island Deli menu also includes “Sweet Maple Chicken Breakfast Sammi,” “Baked Potato Salad,” and a “Create Your Own” section for sandwiches served with a pickle spear and chips.

Island Deli co-owner Jordan Garrow joins her uncle, Mike Nicometi of Williamsville, at the newly reopened business at 2092 Grand Island Blvd. (Photo by Karen Carr Keefe)

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Garrow said her intentions are to provide a variety of foods for her customers: “We’re doing breakfast and lunch, so we’re going to be serving some lunch specials every day and do some kinds of different things – whatever our cooks decide to chef up in the back – to keep it interesting and to change it up. Do different specials every day.

“We sell deli meat by the pound or half-pound or however you’d like to order it. We’re starting small right now, just to see how it goes.”

Jordan Garrow, who has been in the restaurant business for about eight years, co-owns the deli with her mother, Lisa Garrow. This is Jordan’s first experience as a business owner.

“I kind of decided that I wanted to run my own business, and cooking is a passion of mine,” she said. “It was a good idea to do a deli with my mom.”

“We always wanted to start something, as far as a kitchen-type deal or a bakery or something like that,” Lisa Garrow explained. “And this opportunity came up. I’d been working for a deli for the past 10 years. It was time to get out of there and to start a new venture.”

Both Jordan and Lisa have a vision for the future of the deli.

“We definitely want to turn it into a smoothie bar, too,” Lisa said. “In the summer, we want more of a smoothie bar because we have protein coffees. We have iced coffees, so we definitely want to go more into that. I myself just like having a smoothie sometimes for lunch.”

Jordan said her hopes are “just to meet new customers and new people and serve them good food.”

She added that she wanted to say “thank you to all my friends and family, who have come to support me through it all and helped to get to where I am.”

“I’m from North Tonawanda – but I’m an Islander now,” Jordan said.

As a business owner, she said feels she’s a part of the community.

Island Deli co-owners Jordan and Lisa Garrow, with heir crew at the new deli on Grand Island. From left: Jordan Garrow, Hailey Cacciatore, Bryana Turnbull, Hannah Cacciatore, Lisa Garrow and Corinne Duzy. (Photo by Alice Gerard)