The Ithaca Commons is home to many different businesses that showcase the identity of the Tompkins County community. Local stores, restaurants, cafes, bars and shops populate the colorful streets of the Commons and emphasize the town's culture. While I walk past these establishments, there are only so many that I can say I have truly experienced. One Ithaca Commons establishment I have always been intrigued by is the Yellow Deli.
The Yellow Deli is said to be owned by a cult named the Twelve Tribes, which operates in areas around the globe, including Ithaca. Notably, Twelve Tribes has allegations of racism from management and workers at their restaurants. Twelves Tribes has also faced child abuse allegations and openly disapprove of homosexuality.
I was warned by peers to never enter the bathroom, as there are rumors that the restaurant was established to recruit college students. Supposedly, they strike during students’ most vulnerable moments when using the facilities. These rumors have circulated throughout the Yellow Deli’s numerous years calling Ithaca home.
That being said, I also heard the food wasn’t half bad.
I would like to clarify that this article’s purpose is not to scrutinize the group’s actions, summarize the controversy or ponder the ethical concerns of being a patron at the establishment. My goal is simply to provide an impartial analysis of the food itself. I am in no way endorsing the existence or operations of the Twelve Tribes. I merely heard that they have decent sandwiches and wanted to check it out for myself.
Upon entering the building, I was in shock at how beautiful the architecture of the building actually was. It was surprisingly well decorated and had a log cabin aesthetic. The design made it very easy to forget I was still in Ithaca and not in the Appalachian Mountains. There was a functional fireplace that appeared to have open access and an actual wood- burning fire, something I found to be unique. There was a large and impressively detailed mural of a rainforest sprawled across the upper wall of the establishment, obscuring the concrete and brick. The ceiling was also ornate and well-crafted with intricate woodworking patterns and impressive lighting fixtures resting above the dining room. The restaurant also had multiple bar counters, which I found unusual, but also thought complemented the space.
One thing that struck me was just how empty the place was. Sun photographer Howie Wang ’28 and I were the only customers in the restaurant, which surprised me as we went during a fairly popular dining time. At several points, the staff disappeared, leaving my table and me alone in the space. This made things like asking for the check or another drink of water pretty difficult.
The overall design of the menu was pleasantly cartoonish with doodles, drawings, fun fonts and swirly borders scattered across the pages. The waiter arrived, introduced himself and offered us some free samples of tea to try. In general, I am not a big fan of tea, but Wang seemed to enjoy it. He described it as tasting similar to the teas offered at the Temple of Zeus. While we waited for our meals to arrive, we got our drinks. The Yellow Deli had a novelty drink item that pleasantly surprised me: root beer on tap. The root beer was served in a frosty mug. The soda had a slushy-like consistency and was very refreshing and delicious.
We also ordered a cheese melt as an appetizer, which, while tasty, was the least palatable of all the items. It was something that could have been made using a dorm room hot plate and did not warrant a TCAT trip to consume. The sandwiches, however, were absolutely delicious with high-quality tasting ingredients, perfectly toasted bread and considerable portions. In fact, the first thing I noticed while eating my meal was how far the dollar went at the Yellow Deli. Each meal came with a pretty hefty serving of a side dish and a pickle. We also ordered a tray of chips, which were home-made and had a pleasant crunch and crispiness, leaving an insatiable desire for more. The cole slaw was also fantastic, with the perfect ratio of vegetables to dressing.
Once we finished our meal, we asked a few questions to the staff on our way out and learned that the root beer is among their most popular menu items, and that the building was a publishing press before the Yellow Deli took over the space.
Truthfully, the experience was rather nice, and I feel as though I would have enjoyed myself even more if I had no prior knowledge of the alleged ulterior motivations for why this operation serves food to college students. I think there were several aspects of the place that felt uneasy or abnormal simply because I was reading into things based on its reputation. Although I cannot deny that there was something off about the atmosphere during my time spent there.
While I cannot speak to their reputation, scandalous nature or the safety of the establishment itself, I can say that the root beer and sandwiches were off the chain.
Jared Miller is a sophomore in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He can be reached at jmm792@cornell.edu.
