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After two visits to Uncle T’s, the longtime food mart on the corner of Daisy Bates and Martin Luther King, Jr Drive in the heart of Little Rock, I have just one overriding thought.
“Why haven’t I been to this place like 50 times?”
I have driven past it on numerous occasions, seen the iconic green and yellow sign, and even heard the rumors about simple, yet delicious deli sandwiches. Yet, it always slipped through the cracks for me.
No more!
I am happy to report the rumors are true, and that’s good news for me, as there is nothing I love more than a sandwich.
At first glance, Uncle T’s resembles a gas station, sans gas pumps. The interior is small but super clean, and everything is meticulously displayed throughout the store. The deli resides in the far, left corner of the store as you enter the front door. There is no seating. This is strictly a grab-and-go establishment.
Once inside, things move fast. That is because I am guessing 95% of folks who enter the mart are regulars and already know exactly what they want. The other 5%, like me, will soon fall under the “regulars” category.
If you are new to the Uncle T’s deli game, grab a paper menu near the register, step aside, collect your thoughts, and study the sandwich options. There are not many. Your mental anguish comes with trying to decide what combination of meat (ham, roast beef, turkey), cheese (American, cheddar, smoked cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Muenster, Colby Jack, jalapeno, and Gouda), and bread (buns, white, wheat, rye) you desire. Each sandwich comes standard with lettuce, Miracle Whip, and pickles and costs between $5.50-$7.
It is an excellent value, given the plentiful amount of freshly sliced deli meat that comes loaded onto each sandwich. I am particularly fond of the sesame-seeded hoagie roll with ham and American cheese, but the ball of shaved roast beef with Swiss cheese is also a winner. The Cajun turkey is the most popular sandwich. I recommend getting it on wheat bread.
If you are in a rush, call-in orders are definitely encouraged. If you are unable to call ahead, I can’t imagine it will take more than 5-10 minutes to get in and out with a sandwich in hand. The most difficult part will probably be the twenty-second walk from the front door to your car. Good luck with getting out of the parking lot without tearing into your cellophane-wrapped sandwich.
Enjoy it and know that you will probably be back to Uncle T’s Food Mart very soon.
Did You Know?
Uncle T’s does party trays. A small (feeds 10-15 people) costs $39 and the large (feeds 20-25 people) is $49. Also, ask about their boxed lunches.
Uncle T’s Food Mart
1509 W Daisy L Gaston Bates Dr (Little Rock)
Phone: (501) 372-9025 or (501) 372-1934
Sandwiches Served: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
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