Chef Miguel’s Deli

Great atmosphere
Music is perfect!
Awesome customer service
Delicious, made to order sandwiches and smoothies.
You feel like coming back!
They have wheatgrass! !!!
My new spot for sure.
Great job Miguel!

A no nonsense café. Just plain good food, fresh made in front of you. I love that you pay at the counter and there is no tipping or waiting for a bill and paper involved. Chef Miguel is super accommodating, when we asked for some milk to add to the coffee, he said he did not have any but instead brought us his almond and soya milk. The spinach tortilla wraps are the best. Big Windows on two sides make the place more bright and alive. Skip the places around the corner and go to this gem of a café.

Great atmosphere. The service here is great and friendly. I ordered a Turkey Sandwich. Something quite simple. It came with turkey, lettuce, avocado, bean sprouts, and mustard. The meat was thinly sliced similar to how deli meats at the grocery store look. Interestingly, this place is decorated with tropical themed pictorials as if I was making a trip over to Cancún. I also received a side of fruit with honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon. They toast their sandwiches. Overall, great food for less than $ 10.00.

Love this place! Doesn’t seem like a spot that should be downtown based on its prices and very mom n pop type of feel.
The owner was there and was incredibly friendly. The breakfast croissant I ordered tasted super fresh and tasty. Great option if you’re nearby.

We had a smoothie the other day that was really good so we thought we would try the food since it was so reasonably priced. Got the breakfast wrap which had egg, bacon, avocado and spinach. The wrap was surprisingly under par. Loaded with spinach and not much else. Took it apart when we got home and the eggs looked microwaved and for such a large wrap there was a small amount of egg. Maybe if u get a sandwich it will be better distributed. I only counted 1 piece of bacon and a sliver of an avocado. Will give it 1 more try since the smoothie was so good. Maybe the breakfast isn’t the thing to get here. I definitely recommend the smoothie tho!

I’ve been working downtown for a little over a year now and though everyone keeps telling me how great the food is down here… I haven’t really experienced much that has excited me… until I started coming to Chef Miguel’s!
+PROS+
Healthy, flavorful sandwiches, salads, wraps, & of course, the smoothies! Great selection, fresh ingredients, and creative menu! Finally… a place where one can get a green smoothie and a freshly made sandwich! Good, simple sandwiches w/​high quality ingredients!
ORDER A SMOOTHIE!
Pricing is very reasonable. About $ 3 for a smoothie, as opposed to like $ 5 at Robek’s a block over & the smoothies here are 10x better than Robek’s anyway. Sandwiches, salads & wraps also very reasonable. A $ 10 meal here will include fruit, sandwich, & smoothie.
Chef Miguel is legit. He is a friendly guy who always smiles and asks you how everything is going. And yes, I must agree with Unilocaler Noe R… Chef Miguel is definitely a local celebrity! Look at the wall of fame! He also has an inspiring story! Working in the food industry, he was surrounded by foods high in sodium, fat, cholesterol, etc. and so he created a healthy eatery for the lunch rush so that we can eat cleaner & feel better! Thanks, Chef Miguel! So cool.
So far, I’ve liked everything I’ve had here,
–CONS–
… except the wedge salad. However– that might have been my fault too, as I got it to-​go and so it didn’t look like much of a wedge salad at that point. Lol.
The only thing I’d like to see improve is the cleanliness and perhaps have some A/​C so that the doors can remain closed.
OVERALL– worth a visit if you work local and need a quick bite for lunch! WAAYYY BETTER THAN GRAB N GO OR ROBEKS.

Just moved into downtown and very pleased that this gem of a store is located just one block away from my residence. It is very non pretentious and welcoming to everyone, which is a huge plus for me — I want to feel comfortable when I walk into a store, and all of the staff, including chef Miguel himself, is always very friendly and accommodating — this place serves extremely healthy, simple food at a very very reasonable price. I always leave here feeling refreshed and happy — can you ask for anything more? Gracias chef!

This place is awesome because they have a half sandwhich and smoothie (or fresh fruit or another side) for $ 5! & it’s all healthy and fresh. Where else could you find that? AND downtown?! It’s in a very convenient location as well. I would recommend checking out their other menu that they post below the cashier’s desk as well to make sure you have read ALL their options: p.

One of the best places to get lunch outside of the normal, expensive places in the Gaslamp.
Most people I work with in the area near Chef Miguel’s do not frequent the restaurants in the Gaslamp for lunch, as it is expensive and takes too much time on a lunch hour. Therefore, many of us are left scrounging for the best tasting food at a good price. Chef Miguel’s fits the bill.
I can only speak for my regular order: smoked salmon sandwich with a smoothie. The sandwich is made on wheat bread, greens, tomatoes, and avocado. The salmon is flavorful and always tastes good. The sandwich also comes with a small cup of fruit, perfect for that extra boost of energy in the middle of the afternoon, especially when coupled with the avocado. Also, any of the smoothies are good. I have tried many of them.
One of the biggest draws is also the price. Everything is moderately priced and you can get a good, healthy meal, with a smoothie for under $ 10. You just can’t beat their prices for what you get, considering most places in the area you can’t get a full lunch under $ 12-​$ 13.
Lastly, you will frequently see Chef Miguel making the food himself. He’s a nice guy and apparently from the placards on the wall, Chef Miguel a semi local celebrity.
Keep up the great work!

I’m not sure how this place has more than two stars. Lack of general hygiene Infested with FLIES EVERYWHERE. food is bland. I ordered a breakfast wrap. Also found avocado rind in my wrap. Other places nearby that are plenty better.

Best sandwiches and smoothies food in town. We come to eat here every time that we visit San Diego.

I can’t believe I haven’t written a review for Chefs Miguels! Everything I’ve had here has been amazing. Smoothies, fresh squeezed juices, breakfast and lunch wraps, soups, salads and sandwiches. All their ingredients are fresh at a great price. Don’t expect much when you walk in but just know that everything on the menu (at least everything I’ve tried) is incredible. I’ve even gone as far as eating here every day of my visit for at least one meal.
It seems like this is a family owned business that takes pride in what they do. The location is downtown and can get busy during lunchtime but don’t let the long line fool you. Chef Miguel’s service is quick and friendly. They will take time and answer any questions you have about the menu. Their smoothie and juice menu even describes what each drink is good for. For example the watermelon drink is good for your skin etc.
Being from Phoenix, it can be hard to eat somewhat healthy while traveling but this establishment offers delicious yet healthy meals at a great price! My favorite part of this place is their prices which almost seem too good to be true. I spent $ 12 for a wrap and two smoothies. You can’t beat that!
Do yourself a favor and make a stop here but check their times first because I think they close at 3pm. If you love fresh fruits and vegetables I’m sure you’ll find something on their menu to love.

Wonderful find, this is a family owned and run restaurant with a wide and healthy selection of juices, smoothies, salads, wraps and sandwiches. The owner is really a great person who truly seeks to make sure that everyone has a good experience overall.
I will definitely be back and I recommend their pastrami sandwich as well as their juice called New Skin.

AMAZING. They do juices and smoothies made from natural ingredients you can see prepared right in front of you. The prices are absolutely unbeatable, too. This place kicks Jamba Juice in the nuts, to be honest. In this case scenario, you can’t beat a local establishment. Access to public transit and relatively good street parking nearby.
If you don’t live or work anywhere CM, I guess Jamba Juice is okay.

Two stars for the service and the look of the place. The cashier and chef were nice and brought our food to our tables as opposed to calling us up to the counter and the feel was also welcoming.
For the negative side, this place is clearly not a breakfast place. They shouldn’t serve it. I saw all of the positive reviews on here and was very optimistic but they seem to specialize in lunch sandwiches. Ordered a bacon egg and cheese on a bagel as well as 2 of my other friends. The eggs and bacon were clearly microwavable and tasted as though they had been sitting in the fridge for a long time along with the cheese (which was stale and not melted). The eggs also had a sour taste to them as though they had expired (writing this review with a stomach ache unfortunately). It was insulting to be handed those sandwiches. They should’ve just said they ran out.
With that said, I do not recommend this place for breakfast.

Amazing. One of the best delis in town. Great value, delicious fresh food. Order at the counter and your food is up within minutes. Chef Miguel is magnificent. His deli is run right!
This place new favorite for my downtown office and a quick walk so we’ll definitely be back often.

one of my favorite hole in the wall places in SD. Smoothies are super fresh/​amazing and only $ 3 for a 16oz. I also frequently stop by on my way to work for breakfast– you can choose a choice of croissant, sandwich, wrap, or bagel with a side of fresh fruit for only $ 5!
They also have a ½ sandwich $ 5 combo that’s served with your choice of side of soup, 16 oz smoothie, fruit salad, or house salad.
Definitely stop in and check it out if you live/​work in the area!

The Freshest Food Around Downtown. The healthiest alternative. Specializing in wraps and Tortas. You have to try their smoothies also! Affordable! A must try if you are in the Downtown area. On the corner of 7^th Ave. and C St.

This place is absolutely amazing. Fresh food, innovative flavors, and friendly service. A serious joy to find something so rustically delicious downtown!

Prompt service. Super fresh ingredients. Very friendly staff
The food was great too. I had the «chef» wrap.