My favorite Kansas City deli was dubbed the best in Missouri. Here’s why I love it
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On a recent Friday afternoon, I walked into M & M Bakery and Delicatessen in Kansas City on a mission to satisfy my craving for one of the best deli sandwiches in the metro area: a hulking pork-free hoagie stacked with turkey ham, beef pastrami and other delicious toppings, called the Hook ‘Em Up.
The visit to the eatery at 1721 E. 31st St. wasn’t my first. Nor will it be my last. I’m drawn to the fresh bread and pastries and family atmosphere.
The Hook ‘Em Up ($9.25) is piled high with meat. Standard toppings include lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, American and hot pepper cheeses, Miracle Whip mayonnaise and mustard served on an onion roll. The sammy comes with a small bag of chips — plain or cheddar cheese sour cream.
I usually order my sandwich without mustard and light on mayo. On this day, I told the friendly cashier to slather my Hook ‘Em Up as it comes, sans mustard. I also got two bags of cheddar sour cream chips, a glazed doughnut and a chocolate chip cookie. My heart was full, and my stomach would soon follow.
I left the eatery with my goods and headed straight to The Star’s office to chow. Fifteen minutes later, I was completely stuffed but satisfied. The mouthwatering taste of the onion bun compliments the flavorful turkey ham and pastrami. The combination of the two meats and the crisp snap from the veggies layered throughout the sandwich makes my palate extremely happy. The sweetness of the pickles, the creaminess of the cheeses and the tanginess of the mayo only add to the quality of this amazing hero sandwich.
I didn’t just roll out of bed and decide to write about M&M Bakery for our Let’s Dish series. After prodding from digital food publication LoveFood.com, I wanted to highlight this East Side deli for local readers.
In September, LoveFood.com named M&M Bakery and Delicatessen the best deli in Missouri. I can’t say I disagree. The designation was based on user reviews, accolades and in some cases, the first-hand experience of a writer, according to the publication.
Lovefood.com writer Ella Buchan had this to say about M&M: “From jaw challengingly huge sandwiches to freshly made cinnamon rolls and cookies, M&M Bakery and Deli has Kansas City’s deli cravings covered. Specialties include the Reuben and the Hook ’Em Up, an onion roll filled with pepper beef, turkey, salad, and pickles. The spot also makes occasion cakes to order — and serves some pretty good donuts too.”
The review was spot on. What the write-up failed to mention was how budget-friendly this family-owned business is. Including a standard 15% tip, I paid $15 for lunch. I consider myself a food enthusiast, and there are not many spots in Kansas City that offer the amount of food I ordered for such a low price.
While there, I ran into a familiar face. Years ago, I worked at Harold Pener Man of Fashion store at the Landing, a strip mall at Troost Avenue and 63rd Street in Kansas City. In January 2000, I was hired there as a shoe salesman — my first job out of college at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. Rob Slaughter of Kansas City was one of my co-workers. Slaughter saw me at M&M and yelled out “Toriano.”
We embraced like old friends do. I told him what I was working on and asked him about his order.
“What did you get?” I said.
“The Hook ‘Em Up,” Slaughter said.
I laughed out loud at the coincidence.
“Me, too,” I said.
Slaughter, 65, is a lifelong Kansas Citian. He told me he’s been a M&M customer for as long as he could remember. “About 30 years,” he said.
I wanted to know what kept him coming back.
“The fresh food,” Slaughter said. I nodded in agreement. “The people are pleasant,” he said. “It’s like a home. You keep coming back. They make it easier for me to do that.”
I couldn’t help but agree.
