Monday 12 March 2012

Macy's, Headingley, Leeds

Macy's is the new coffee shop that opened in the unit vacated by Starbuck's in Headingley. An independent replacing a chain is always good to see, so I thought I'd try it out for lunch on Saturday.


The good points first. It's not Starbuck's. The coffee tasted good but wasn't very well made, it wouldn't trouble the best in Leeds but was certainly better than Starbuck's though. The room has been done out nicely, modern with lots of stools to perch on but also some comfier corners with proper seats. I liked it. They are also stocking sausage rolls and cakes from the Sunshine Bakery, so full marks for that too. Did I mention that it's not Starbuck's. That's the main selling point for me really.

Moving onto the not so good points. Aside from the delectable Sunshine Bakery goodies they are doing 'New York deli style sandwiches'. Wonderful I thought. I fancy a great big meat-stuffed sandwich. Because meat-stuffed is what you expect with 'New York deli style sandwiches' right? Do a Google images search with the phrase 'New York deli style sandwiches' and you'll find meat rather prominently displayed.

Perhaps the most famous purveyor of such sandwiches is Katz's Deli. Here's a photo of their legendary pastrami sandwich.

Photo credit: followmefoodie

Now here's a photo of the pastrami sandwich at Macy's.


Spot the difference? I wasn't expecting New York-esque quantities of meat, I really wasn't. Not for the £3.95 charged at Macy's. But I was expecting something with maybe a moderate, even a fairly generous quantity of meat in it. A few paltry slivers of low quality wafer thin pastrami do not a 'New York deli style sandwich' make. Apart from that it was a fairly inoffensive salad-y sandwich that turned up on the wrong bread. I'd asked for white but received tomato. Rye bread isn't an option so if we're being picky that's another thing that makes it nothing like a 'New York deli style sandwich'.

To sum up, it's not Starbuck's which is a good thing. You can buy Sunshine Bakery sausage rolls there which is also a good thing. They're serving mediocre sandwiches described as 'New York deli style' which are nothing of the sort.

4/10

6a Otley Road
Headingley
Leeds
LS6 2AA

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Macys-Headingley/280372635357807

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've eaten that pastrami sandwich from Katz's Deli. Well I say eaten - half way through I began to sweat!

Dave said...

I haven't, but would very much like too!

Sal said...

4/10? Really? That's harsh. I called in today for a coffee and a sit down and I liked the place. There was a nice relaxed vibe, the surroundings were very comfortable, the coffee was perfectly fine and the lass sat behind me was a 10 (and that's a London 10, not a shaky Leeds 10).

I didn't eat anything, but the sarnies looked a cut above and the Sunshine Bakery goods, in my experience, are top notch. (The 10, by the way, was tucking into a sausage roll - she just gets better and better.)

All in all, I think there's a lot to recommend it.

Dave said...

Hi Sal, thanks for commenting. I also liked the place, and also love Sunshine bakery goods. But my coffee was average and the sandwich was poor. Very stingy with the filling and crap quality meat at that. That, combined with the fact they're calling them 'New York deli style' means I'm sticking to the 4!

Anonymous said...

What a pity - the owner's of Macy's have ruined a good cafe by turning into some sort of Grill.
Tried to go for a coffee this morning and walked out with a full refund after waiting 30mins for it to arrive. Other customers had waited over 50 mins for their breakfasts.

Unfortunately greed for profit has ruined a promising cafe.

Dave said...

Anon - sounds bad. I thought it was a bit crap in the first place.

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