It’s always nice to find a good restaurant that is kid friendly, and Gateway Deli in Troy is one of the them. The newest member of a mini chain in the Metropolitan Detroit area.
The first point in its favor is the location, at 91 E. Long Lake Road, which is the northeast corner of Long Lake and Livernois. It shares a strip mall with Kroger, a dentist, an optometry office and Kroger. These are the kinds of errands that makes kids bored–and hungry.
Going in the place leads me to the second point: the magic words, “Please seat yourselves.” As anyone with kids knows, getting in and sitting down quickly is half the battle.
Lastly the food and service is quick and generous–the adult portions are generally good for two meals. The place is informal, and there’s good spacing between tables. Almost the entire menu is under $10, which makes it a great deal.
On the adult side of the menu, there is no shortage of choices. One of my favorites is the Pistons Fastbreak sandwich, a delight consisting of grilled salmon, roasted red peppers, Provolone cheese, grilled onions and honey mustard sauce.
On the flip side, although the prices are very reasonable for kids’ meals (all under $5), the selection is small. Parents can make up for this by ordering a cup of soup, a side of potato salad, and bagel and cheese. The egg and cheese sandwich also might make a good choice. Other ideas that would work for breakfast would be the silver dollar pancakes or the bowl of oatmeal.
But, all in all, this remains a good place if you’re in that part of town or a treat after a trip to the dentist.
The hours are Monday through Saturday 7 am to 9 pm, and Sunday 8 am to 2 pm. Cash, Discovery, Visa, American Express and Mastercard are accepted, but no checks.
Karen Pier Hunt lives in Oakland County with her wonderful husband and two children. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Karen has been a stockbroker, freelance writer and substitute teacher. A lifelong Michigander, her French roots in Detroit go back three hundred years. This combination of education, work experience and being an expert about the Detroit area has made her savvy to having fun and style with her family on a budget in Oakland County.
