Do you know the history behind the “Million Dollar Deli” tag? Some believe its originated from Nelson Demille’s “The Gold Coast”, while others attribute it to the geographical location alone – Locust Valley isn’t cheap! The latter might hold some truth; yet, both do not wholeheartedly account for the name. 

The story, as Artie Stein Jr. would often recall, was when a long-time customer ordered a sandwich and, after being rung up, looked at Artie and exclaimed, “What is it!? A million dollars for a sandwich?!” That might have been a slight exaggeration, yet – the quip was funny, no doubt embraced, and quickly well-spread throughout Locust Valley.

Today, this diminutive lives on, while simultaneously taking on a new meaning. As said best by one customer, “the Million Dollar Deli moniker has [now] become…an acknowledgment of excellence to its patrons.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.