Like any self-respecting human, I love a good sandwich. And Northeast Ohio is just full of great sandwiches, which we're going to chronicle here. Welcome to the Cleveland Sandwich Club.
In the Cleveland Sandwich Club's inaugural journey, we visited Davis Bakery & Deli in Woodmere, located right on Chagrin Boulevard and a staple deli in Northeast Ohio for more than 75 years.
Truth be told, I've been going to Davis for a while. I was working out of the house one day a couple years ago, and found myself in Woodmere, perusing the aisles of books at the Barnes & Noble across the street.
It was lunchtime, so I figured I'd take a stab at the nearby Davis Bakery & Deli, and I was instantly transported to sandwich heaven.
They have so many specialty sandwiches to choose from, but my go-to from the start has been the Cavaliers, a roast beef sandwich on grilled rye with swiss cheese, coleslaw, and bistro sauce. It is... divine.
Just look at this thing:
But if roast beef isn't your jam, there's a little something for everyone, and Davis is always running daily specials on different sandwiches, so really, there's a reason to come back every day if you wanted, especially when you factor in their fresh bread, party trays, and exceptional baked goods and desserts.
The History of Davis Bakery
Davis Bakery was founded in July 1939 by brothers Ben, Julius, and Carl Davis, with their first location on South Taylor Road in Cleveland Heights. According to the Davis site, the brothers were pioneers in that they were the first bakery to include delicatessens in their retail outlets, in addition to being the first bakery in the country to place ovens in their satellite locations, allowing them to offer freshly baked items to customers all over the region on a daily basis.
While at one point in the 1960s Davis Bakery had 39 retail outlets throughout Northeast Ohio, competition from area grocery store chains forced the company to scale back and instead focus on maintaining its emphasis on the quality that sets it apart. Today, there is the Woodmere location, along with another location in Warrensville Heights.
And no matter what kind of sandwich you're trying to hunt down, I can promise you Davis Bakery & Deli won't disappoint.