Photo by Emily Featherston.
Diplomat Deli combines two iconic sandwiches into one for a tailgate treat.
Alabama’s favorite season — tailgate season — is in full swing. Fall might be best known for its pumpkin-spiced delights, but every weekend, the turkey takes at least second place.
For new Diplomat Deli co-owner Justin Gober, nothing goes better with a game of football than a pimento cheese sandwich and a cold beer.
Gober and Joseph Hoskin took over Diplomat Deli on July 1 and have kept things pretty much the same.
“We weren’t going to change anything,” he said, but admitted they have tried to add a few new things, such as a draft door for local beers as well as growler service.
Gober said he has been in the kitchen for most of his life and recently left an eight-year stint at Bottega Café downtown.
He said he and Hoskin had been eating at Diplomat Deli for years, and when the opportunity arose to take over, they were thrilled. “[We said], ‘Yeah, let’s do that,’” Gober said.
He said he likes being in the restaurant business because every day is different, and he enjoys meeting people from all over the community and making new friends.
When it comes to tailgating with those friends, Gober said a go-to they serve at the deli would be the Pimento Cheese BLT.
“It travels really well; it doesn’t get soggy,” he said.
Gober also said it reminds him of his dad, who always made a batch for game day and other events.
He said he hated to admit it, but he thinks the longtime pimento cheese recipe at the Diplomat Deli might be better than his dad’s and decided to keep it a secret.
“It’s just a really good pimento cheese,” Gober said.
Diplomat Deli is at 1425 Montgomery Highway. For menu information, go to diplomatdeli.com.
Recipe:
► Pimento cheese (homemade or store-bought)
► Two slices of bread (Diplomat Deli toasts theirs)
► Two strips of bacon
► Two to three slices of tomato
► One or two leaves of lettuce
► A spoonful of mayonnaise
Steps:
1. “I mean, it’s a sandwich,” Gober said.
