Somebody once called this Reuben the sandwich that has launched a thousand road trips. I believe that line, mostly because the menu lists a Baked Salmon Reuben too.
The deli behind it sits in a plain shopping plaza in Connecticut. It has served Jewish deli classics since 1972, and the pickles hit your table free.
I like how the menu refuses to stop at one Reuben. Corned beef, pastrami, turkey, brisket, roast beef, and even a veggie version all get their turn.
Each one comes grilled with melted Swiss and sauerkraut.
Travelers pull off the highway for it between Boston and New York. Families meet here before big events.
So what makes one sandwich worth planning a whole drive around?
So Many Reubens, So Little Room In Your Stomach
Most delis offer one Reuben and call it a day. Rein’s New York Style Deli Restaurant treats the Reuben like a whole family tree.
The classic Corned Beef Reuben leads the lineup. It’s grilled with traditional corned beef, melted cheese, and sauerkraut, the way the sandwich was meant to be.
Then the branches spread out fast. You can pick pastrami, 1st cut pastrami, turkey, brisket, roast beef, or a turkey-pastrami combo.
Vegetarians aren’t left staring at the menu, either. A Veggie Reuben gets its own spot on the list.
And yes, there’s a Baked Salmon Reuben. That one sounds wild until you remember how well fish and rye already get along at a deli.
Prefer coleslaw over sauerkraut? Ask for a Rachael instead.
The deli builds those in the same wide range of fillings.
My advice is simple. Go with the Pastrami Reuben on your first trip, since it’s one of the most frequently ordered items in the house.
Save the experiments for round two. Because once you see that list, you’ll already be planning a return visit to try another one.
Good Ingredients Are The Real Secret Sauce
Great sandwiches start long before the grill heats up. At this deli, the building blocks are chosen with care.
The corned beef and pastrami come from Hebrew National. That’s a name many deli fans already trust for steady, familiar flavor.
The cheese gets serious attention too. Rein’s uses genuine Switzerland Swiss, not a generic slice pretending to be fancy.
Pastrami here is steamed and then sliced thin on a slicer. That method keeps each bite tender instead of tough or stringy.
The kitchen also dry-rubs and roasts its own roast beef. Brisket gets roasted in-house as well, with a milder seasoning that lets the beef speak.
Want an extra move? Ask for a side of brisket gravy.
It’s made from the drippings, much like Thanksgiving turkey gravy, and it’s great for dipping.
Soups, salads, and baked goods are made from scratch on the premises. White Albacore Tuna shows up on the menu, and locally grown produce gets used whenever possible.
None of that sounds flashy. But stacked together, those small choices explain why a simple grilled sandwich can taste so carefully put together.
Size Up With A Sandwich Called The Fresser
Here’s a fun word to learn before you order. In Yiddish, a fresser is someone who loves to eat big.
At Rein’s, the Fresser is the larger version of a sandwich. Regular sandwiches come with 4 ounces of meat, while a Fresser packs in 7 ounces.
That difference matters more than it sounds. Three extra ounces turns a nice lunch into a sandwich you’ll be talking about on the drive home.
Adding cheese brings another 2 ounces to the pile. So a Fresser Reuben is a fairly serious commitment.
You can get the Fresser treatment on Reubens and Rachaels too. A Big Pastrami Rachael, for example, is the pastrami Rachael in Fresser form.
So how do you choose? If you plan to add soup, fries, or a side salad, the regular size might be the smarter play.
If the sandwich is the whole event, go big. Just know that the dessert case will be waiting for you afterward.
Either way, the name alone makes ordering more fun. Saying it out loud to your server is half the reward.
Free Pickles Hit The Table Before You Even Order
Few restaurants hand you a snack just for sitting down. Dine-in guests here get a complimentary bowl of pickles at the table.
The star is the half-sour pickle. It’s crunchy and fresh, with less sharp tang than a full sour.
Fans of a stronger bite aren’t forgotten. The deli also carries a full sour pickle for people who want more pucker.
These pickles aren’t made in the kitchen, though. They’re produced to Rein’s own specifications, which frees up kitchen space for other homemade foods.
The numbers are honestly kind of amazing. The deli goes through roughly 200,000 pounds of pickles each year.
Most of that gets sold to take home. You can buy pickles by the pound, the quart, or the whole bucket.
The pickle love even spills into snacks. Pickle cotton candy and pickle-flavored chocolate-covered pretzels have shown up on the shelves.
So go ahead and grab a quart on the way out. Your fridge back home deserves a little deli energy too.
Beyond The Reuben, The Menu Keeps Going
Loyal Reuben fans, don’t skip this part. The rest of the menu is packed with Jewish deli classics worth your attention.
Potato pancakes are a big draw. Brisket served over potato pancakes with rich gravy is a comforting move on a cold New England day.
Knishes and cheese blintzes keep the old-school spirit going. Chopped liver is here too, for those who know exactly what they want.
The soup lineup includes matzo ball soup, a chicken consomme with matzo balls and a small bit of noodle. Mushroom barley soup appears as well.
Breakfast fans have plenty to do. Hand-cut lox and bagels anchor the morning, and pastrami and eggs is a hearty option.
Want the full treatment? The Bagel with the Works pairs nova smoked salmon and cream cheese with onion, tomato, and capers.
Homemade kugel and cucumber salad round out the sides. Fried pickles and coleslaw are also on the table if you’re feeling snacky.
With a menu this deep, nobody leaves hungry. The real problem is choosing only one thing.
Rugelach And Cheesecake Make A Strong Case For Dessert
Some 350 pounds of rugelach leave this deli every week. That figure alone should tell you where to look after your sandwich.
The rugelach is made from scratch on-site. It’s a labor-intensive pastry, with dough that gets carefully handled and rested before baking.
Freshness is part of the appeal. The rugelach is baked every day, so your box isn’t sitting around for long.
Babka is another classic you’ll find. Rice pudding is also on hand for anyone wanting something softer and spoonable.
Cheesecake gets the New York treatment, since it actually comes from New York. That feels fitting for a deli built around a New York style.
Gluten-free shoppers have options too. The freezer holds gluten-free bagels, rolls, bread, cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.
One honest note: the deli no longer offers a strict gluten-free environment. Space changes during Covid removed its dedicated area, so staff will mention cross-contamination risks.
Still, a pastry box makes a fine souvenir. Grab extra rugelach, because sharing becomes very hard once the car ride starts.
A Little Market Lives Right Inside The Door
Not every visit has to end at a table. Rein’s New York Style Deli Restaurant also runs a retail counter for take-home shopping.
You can buy meats and cheeses by the order. That means a Reuben night at home is totally possible.
Prepared salads sit in the case too. Smoked fish is available for anyone building a weekend bagel spread.
The freezer section adds even more options. It holds a selection of frozen foods, handy for stocking up before a long drive.
The space mixes market and restaurant in one room. Baked goods, cold deli items, and packaged desserts share space with the dining area.
Souvenirs are on sale as well. A deli shirt or pickle snack makes a fun gift for the friend who stayed home.
Planning a party? The deli also offers catering, which brings those trays straight to your event.
I can’t imagine leaving empty-handed. Even a small bag of rugelach or a quart of half-sours counts as a smart purchase.
A Fire Couldn’t Stop This Deli For Long
Back in 1972, Bob and Betty Rein opened this deli with Bob’s brother, Bernie. The family came from Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Their goal was bold for the time. They helped bring traditional Jewish deli food to New England, where it wasn’t common.
Bob also coined the deli’s motto that same year. “The Taste of Quality is Long Remembered” still sums up the whole idea.
The first location sat in the El Camino Plaza. Then that plaza burned down, which could have ended the story.
Instead, the deli reopened at its current spot in 1990. It took just over a week to get back up and running.
Today’s owner has deep roots here too. Russell DeBella started around 2000 as a busboy and worked his way to the top.
Recognition keeps coming. Rein’s won best deli in the Best of Hartford in 2021.
Paper placemats share pieces of the deli’s long history. So you can read the backstory while waiting for your Reuben to arrive.
The Easiest Highway Detour In Connecticut
Driving between Boston and New York gets long fast. Luckily, a great sandwich waits just off Interstate 84 in Connecticut.
You’ll find Rein’s at 435 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT 06066. It sits in a strip mall with a shared parking lot.
That setup makes stopping simple. You can pull off, park, eat, and get back on the road without much fuss.
Hours run from 8 AM, so breakfast is fair game. Closing times can shift by day, so check before a late visit.
Inside, the dining room is bright and bustling. It aims to capture a deli experience that harkens back to a bygone era.
Craving a calmer corner? There’s a full bar area in the back that feels a little darker and more relaxed.
Busy meal times can bring a wait for tables. Arriving between the usual lunch and dinner rush is a smart move.
Honestly, the detour costs you very little time. Skipping a Reuben this good on your way through the state feels like the bigger mistake.
