Lit’l Pepper

Haven’t been by since my last review in 2010 … but saw that they hold consistent 4.5 star ratings on Unilocal.Decided to give it a try again. The experience was about the same so I’m assigning the same solid 3.5 stars round up.
Ordered the Firework (Turkey breast, capicola ham, spinach-​pesto spread, gouda cheese, with caramelized onions and jalapenos on ciabatta) and hubster got the Roast Beef sandwich on sourdough. Both were tasty. have this homemade feel. very generous helping of meat. but otherwise nothing too special. Prices remain on the higher end (about $ 22 for the two sandwiches, dine in, with 1 bottled drink and 1 chip). and they give you a smidge of salad and a tiny cookie which is nice.
They’re pretty good sized sandwiches so you’ll definitely fill up. but it isn’t something so unique that this place stands out from other mom and pop sandwich establishments. I did like the touch of adding cucumber to the roast beef sandwich. the ingredients (especially the bread) are fresh… huge selection of chips in the store. service is also not too bad (they’re fast and polite) which can be valuable if you’re working in the area.
It’s worth a try. but for me it wasn’t something that I would drive out of my way for. If I were in the area and in need of a good sandwich, I’d consider coming back. but otherwise, with my home base in North County /​Downtown, makes it a hard return. Nothing bad though so I’d still recommend folks give em a try. just nothing special to make me crave coming back (neutral. not good or bad).

This place is SOOO popular! Because of the location it gets a lot of the traffic court and Sheriff’s employees, and believe me… if you want to know where the food is good, talk to a cop! They know!
I don’t get here often, because it’s kind of out of my neighborhood, but the food is GREAT! and fast! Very interesting sandwiches and soups. The owner Hani (hope I spelled that right) is darling and so friendly! A little pricier than most sandwich places, but worth every penny!

Cannot say enough about the joy of seeing Hani every time I go in and get a sandwich or soup — I first heard about Lit’l Pepper through «Jeff & Jer’s Showgram» on KYXY so many years ago. They kept on raving about this place and ironically when I was speaking to my brother about how good the food was that he had catered, he told me it was from Lit’l Pepper Deli.
I am partial to the Tuna Salad Sandwich, the BLT with Avocado and of course the soups. I have personally done catering through Little Pep’r Deli myself for some parties I have thrown. Whether it is him, his wife or son, or one of the girls that helps you there, they will always smile and say hello.

This place is amazing; breakfast and lunch only but man it is awesome. I had the Muffulatta which has turkey, ham, cheese, lettuce, olive tapinade and some other yumminess. The bread is made there and is soft, flavorful. There are good choices, good side salads and you get a cookie! This is a hidden gem but one that you need to find!

The sandwiches are great here and are large enough to split with someone or into two meals. I’ve gotten the Spaniard and the Tuscan chicken. I prefer the Tuscan chicken, which was scrumptious and very filling. The sandwiches come with a small side salad and a baby cookie. The cookies are incredibly soft and the perfect accompaniment to a nice hearty meal.
This place gets very busy during lunch hour because it’s near many business complexes but the line is very efficient and moves quickly. The owner is sweet and flirts with male and female customers alike. Being called «baby» while you pay for your food is a small price to pay for these awesome sandwiches, I think.

To sum it all up… impressive!
A few years ago, I first heard about Lit’l Pepper through «Jeff & Jer’s Showgram» on KYXY. They kept on raving about this place and I finally had to check it out for myself.
When I walked in I was warmly greeted. I didn’t want to look like a noob, so I quickly glanced over their specials and noticed that the jalapeño chicken was one of their specialties. Everything on the sandwich (sun-​dried tomato spread, salami, chicken breast, and jalepeno cream cheese) sounded good to me. And of course, you can’t go wrong with focaccia bread!
Upon first bite, I knew why this was their best selling sandwich. It was flippin’ fantastic! There was so much flavor in every single bite. After eating here, it’s gonna be tough to ever eat at Subway or Togo’s again.
This area is home to many sandwich businesses, but I can see why this one has been around for over 25 years and hopefully many more years to come.

There are like 800 delis and sandwich spots in this area but this one takes the cake. If you work in the area, this is a solid lunch spot to pick up an above average sandwich. It’s quick, the sandwiches are big, there are a bunch of specialty gourmet sandwiches that you don’t normally see, AND each sandwich comes with a cookie.
THE CUBANO. A lot of meat AND it has two slices of cheese. It may come off a bit on the saltier side, but that’s the nature of a Cuban sandwich! I’d definitely get it again, and for the price you pay you definitely get your money’s worth on these sandwiches because they are filling.
TRIPLE DECKER SANDWICHES. I got the turkey and roast beef triple decker on a different day, and it’s also pretty filling. I wanted to mention it because it’s great for a simple sandwich, with a lot of meat, BUT it is a little pricey at $ 8.50 when you can get a gourmet sandwich for $ 0.45 more.
Had to take off a star because:
1. It’s not open on the weekends or when I get off work at 5:30pm. I know I know, better for their business, but sometimes I just want to pick up a sandwich after I get off work!
2. The cookies that they give out with each sandwich appear to have gotten smaller in size. Bummer!
3. The owner guy is kind of a wildcard… sometimes he’ll give you back your credit card and say something like «thank you sexy boy» if you’re a guy and «thank you beautiful» if you’re a woman. Then sometimes he won’t say anything at all. Sometimes it’s funny but sometimes it’s just… awkward haha.

A-​mazing! Had an appt in the area, hit my Unilocal and BAM, LIT’L PEPPER. O.k. i filtered through some other options, but when i saw 4.5stars and 200+ reviews i was almost instantly sold. Then i hit the pics, then i was absolutely sold! OMG Becky, Unilocalers did not disappoint!
So i had «The Comback» Phenomenal!
My Wife had the «California Torpedo» and the «Chicken Pot Pie» soup. Ya that sounded so good she had 2 try it. She ended up tearing up the soup and had to take half a sandwich home. Everything and Everyone was awesome!
Clean, Friendly, top notch food, if you pass this place up, you are really missing something special.

It’s no surprise that Lit’l Pepper has so many great reviews.
Pros:
1. Located in a business park with plenty of parking
2. Large dining area with plenty of tables inside and outside
3. Delicious sandwich made with fresh ingredients. The garlic spread in the Gourmet turkey was very good! It wasn’t too garlicky that it left you with dragon breath for the rest of the day. It was juuuuuust right. :) The french roll was also pillowy soft
4. Free side salad with sandwich (pretty small, maybe 5 bites total but hey, it’s free!)
5. Free cookie with sandwich purchase. Soft-​baked chocolate chip cookie. It hit the spot.
A few gripes:
1. A bit pricey for lunch. Gourmet turkey sandwich + a bag of kettle brand chips = $ 11.61
2. They added dijon mustard to the Gourmet turkey. I’m not a big fan of mustard and it wasn’t mentioned in the menu. Not a huge deal. The sandwich was still very tasty.
Verdict: I will return to try other stuff on their menu.

Wow, are you flipping kidding me? Is this place for reals? Unfortunately, it is for real. Seems I’ve had a streak of bad restaurant reviews lately. Hmmm…
Not that *my* review matters, considering they’ve been around for 20 years. Honestly? If I ever brought anyone here to impress them for lunch I would be sooo embarrassed.
I am NEVER forgiving when it comes to cleanliness and quality. This place is filthy, and I knew it as soon as I walked into their bathroom (sorry, no picture). There was an empty toilet roll on the wall, while a full roll laid on the wet (pee?) and grimy (dirty) floor. Eww, get me outta herrrrr…

This place is GROSS!
I thought because this
is a café the Tuna Melt
should be pretty good
here so we gave it a try.
We stood in line and ordered
and I wanted to know if the
tuna was albacore tuna.
I will not eat tuna unless it is
albacore and they confirmed
verbally it is albacore.
When our lunch came
to our table I immediately knew it
wasn’t albacore tuna and it
smelled a little fishy and
didn’t have the presentation of
good quality tuna.
I can always tell by the look,
smell and taste and it was
confirmed to me that it wasn’t
albacore tuna after a tasting.
I have had enough albacore
tuna in my days to know what
I am talking about.
We didn’t have to
wait long for our food to
get to our table.
You order up at the front counter
and go have a seat anywhere
you’d like and they will bring out
your food to you.
We were starving and I noticed
something wasn’t right as soon
as our food came to our table.
Well, for one thing it was a hot
mess and looked like low quality
tuna from a can mixed with mayo.
This was not albacore tuna that
they say and advertise.
After one bite the tuna kept falling
out of my sandwich and the taste
didn’t make it much better either.
I refused to eat it and set it aside
with a napkin on top of it.
You try and feed me slop I won’t
eat your slop.
We asked for some to-​go boxes
because we were embarrassed
and didn’t want to make the owner
feel bad so we boxed everything up.
We do this as a sign of respect
instead of acting rude and
leaving everything on the table
for them to clean up after us which
is the respectful thing to do.
We make sure everything is in it’s
place and we proceeded to leave
unhappy with the service and the
food we just ate and experienced.
This place is not on my top list of
favorites.
In fact, I won’t return to this place
ever again.

I’m not a huge fan of sandwiches, but this place is DELICIOUS!
Food: I ordered the Italian Torpedo. The bread was fresh and nicely toasted. Good amount of salami, pepperoni and ham. The only complaint I have is putting the cookie on top of the salad with dressing — the dressing seeps through and gets to the cookie.
Service: Not a service-​oriented place. You get in line, order your food and then seat yourself.
Definitely a go-​to spot for lunch! There’s a large selection of sandwiches on their menu to try out or you can just order your usual

Taste– #####
Service– ###
Ambiance– ###
Parking– #####
These are some of the most unique sandwiches I have ever had. «Fireworks», «Thai beef»?! Who does that? These huge and amazingly flavorful sandwiches are packed with quality ingredients, and you can definitely taste the difference. Half would probably be enough for a meal, but I’d find a friend, get two and then split. You can also go for half sandwich and soup for the same price. $ 9 is actually a great price for these because you will have leftovers. Each sandwich also comes with a free cookie, and even those were amazing. I saw lots of happy people there today and I know why. The manager was also really friendly and helpful. Definitely a hidden gem worth visiting.

It was about 9am
A weekday morning
Was hankering for something other than breakfast
Nothing boring
Wifey swore by this place
She ate here often
The folks working the counter were nice
They said something funny, started coughin’
A wide variety of tasty sandwiches, like the «fireworks»
Your drool will be drippin’
Lots of open tables to sit
Food was so good, it was kickin’
I highly recommend this joint
It goes without sayin’
You should stop by and get some grub
And it don’t matter who’s payin’

I got introduced to his place when I worked in Carmel Valley so the drive down asked for a longer lunch. But man, every trip was worth it. Now that I work closer to this place, I frequent here more often. This place delivers great sandwiches and soups. You also can pay individually so bringing a large group is easier to manage. The place is a bit small on the inside but there are tables outside too. The wait is very short because the staff works so quickly. Whatever you want, they can make it.
The Firework — the first sandwich I got here and my god is it good. It is also very large so half of it is a good lunch. Between two ciabtta halves are pesto spread, turkey, jalapeño onions, amazing cheese. This one is always a solid choice. It is spicy though, so if you want to manage the heat, order the jalapeño onions on the side. You may get a jab from Hani if you do so though!
The Gorilla — one of the best sandwiches that I ever had. It is a special that only happens every so often. It contains AMAZING pulled pork, slaw, pepper jack cheese in between a delicious roll that was perfectly toasted. Honestly, I cannot explain how good this sandwich is because there is no equivalent. This is worth calling in and asking if they have it as the special for today.
The Hammer — I am a big fan of half sandwich and soup and it took me a while to figure out what «The Hammer» combo was. Turns out it is a ham sandwich with your choice of the soup of the day. Normally, I’m pretty weary of basic sandwiches because a lot of places focus a lot on their specialty ones and leaving the basic ones to be bland. This one though. OMG. Best ham sandwich I ever had. If anything, it is a little bit refreshing because it isn’t as complex as my other favorites above… It is a good sandwich with quality ingredients. I would expect the other ones, to be of similar quality too. I believe The Big Bird is a turkey.
TIP: I also found out that you can order ANY regular sandwich as a half and order with a soup. BEST. LUNCH. EVER.
This place is a gem honestly. There are too many options to count, amazing specials, quality ingredients and soups. You can go here with a small party or a large one and they will be taken care of quickly and easily. Everyone pays individually making this place very ideal for group lunches. Go here. it is THAT GOOD. I WANT MY GORILLA SANDWICH.

This is the office go to-​for breakfast and/​or lunch. They will deliver if we are too busy to pick it up.
I’ve had several items from the menu and have never been disappointed. Their soups are amazing, especially the lobster bisque. Mmmmmm good! I really like how they have specific soups for each day of the week, we know what are options are going to be.

+
This place was easy to find
plenty of parking
ordering food was pretty standard for to go/​dine in
they had a pretty big menu & lots of chip/​drink options
plenty of seating & outdoor too
free water station
served a complimentary cookie with each of our sandwiches
-
Lots of bread. a little too much on my roll actually, i should have asked them to hollow some out but you cant see how they make your food, kind of like a Togos and you can barely speak to them especially if you are short.
they didn’t label the crab meat as artificial. so i was pretty disappointed with that. It was on the gourmet part of the menu? For 8.50 or 8.25? I forgot
the crab meat sandwich had TOO much mustard. i usually love mustard but that was way too much for me.
This place is very close to where i live, but i don’t count on myself being a regular.

Legit sandwich shop located in a business park area.
Ample parking, worth a try.
I was hankering for a Lena’s sub her seafood salad sandwich was soo soo soo good! But alas they are closed for at least 10 years, but native San Diegans might remember… sigh… point is, I am looking for a seafood sandwich for the last forever years to match Lena’s and I still haven’t found one… and that day Lit’l Pepper was up to bat.
Can’t say they have a crab sandwich to rival Lena’s but it was good. You get a lot of sandwich and a cookie. I think the guy at the register was having a good day or sensed that I wasn’t and a newbie give me two… :) I got lucky and it made my day, I have to say! Way to get me to come back… I won’t expect two cookies, but I’m happy it was my ‘lucky’ day that day.
Another plus about these guys is that even though they close at 2pm, they STILL serve you if you come in at 155pm. Oh yes, they really have my loyalty now! I’ll go back and try another sandwich with less expectation (Lena’s is a hard one to forget).

EARTHQUAKE! Lit’l Pepper put the PEP back in my step. My lunch hour is trembling with sensational spicy flavors. Why didn’t I find Lit’l Pepper sooner? This deli has been open for 20 years, making creative spicy sandwiches on breads baked in house… fresh focaccia bread and baguettes! They owners are so friendly that they spoiled me with freshly baked complimentary cookies on my second visit. Mmmm snickerdoodle, chocolate chip, and Caramel chocolate chip!
RUN to this little deli in Kearny Mesa and order the Jurassic Pork sandwich before they take it off the menu! After 2 visits, I’ve shared 4 different sandwiches with family, and the Jurassic Pork stands out as being one of the most flavorful and unique sandwiches in San Diego! It tastes like a fusion sandwich, combining tender roasted pork, arugula, chimichuri sauce, cilantro-​lime slaw, fried onions and ranch. The fillings spill deliciously out on your plate. Mine was a little too spicy, as they accidentally put extra jalapenos on it, and they skipped the jalapenos on The Firehouse sandwich. But I’ve forgiven them for that. I like it hot, and the Jurassic Pork was still good even with too many jalapenos.
The owners are in the kitchen, creating a new sandwich every few weeks, in addition to their excellent regular menu. They make the focaccia bread, the baguettes, the soups, and the cookies in house! If you eat in, your gourmet sandwich comes with a little salad and a small homemade cookie for $ 6.99 to $ 8.50.
The Tuscan was supposed to have spinach-​artichoke spread, which we were really craving… but they put spinach-​pesto spread on it instead, or some other green sauce. No spinach-​artichoke. I’ll try this one again, and emphasize that I’d really like to try the spinach-​artichoke spread.
The Jalapeño chicken sandwich on fresh focaccia was tasty, with chicken breast, salami, jalapeño cream cheese and sun-​dried tomato. I’d like to try the Thai Beef sandwich, which sounds tempting.
The homemade soups are wonderful as well. I loved the White Cheddar Poblano soup. The spicy chicken tortilla soup was flavorful, and the owner offered me this one to try for free. The Lobster Bisque was a little too bland for me, but it’s a matter of personal taste. The list of homemade soups varies each day.
There was adequate parking during the lunch hour, and they are located in Kearny Mesa area. The staff was very efficient in getting me in and out quickly.
I’ll definitely be returning, since we’ve been hunting for a 5-​star sandwich place, and this is it. Highly recommended!

Legit sandwich shop, but you already knew that.
It’s wasn’t nearly as crowded when I visited towards 1:30pm, after the usual lunch crowd eased up, but most of the inside tables were occupied and only a few folks ahead of me in line.
They’re quite efficient with getting sandwiches started. Several people are behind the counter ready for your order. I wish they brought down that wall so we could see the sandwich magic happening. What’s hiding back there? I appreciate the open kitchen concept which adds to an otherwise pedestrian experience. Maybe I’m just too short to see over the Great Wall that is their sandwich station.
Today’s lunch is their vegetarian grilled eggplant and zucchini with all the other veggies in the sandwich family piled into a wheat roll. Loved it. The sundried tomato spread and feta crumbles really makes the sandwich pop, otherwise it would be pretty bland. Next time I’m gonna ask for an extra shmear of hummus that another Unilocaler posted. The sandwich is satisfying and filling without being too heavy for when that afternoon lethargy kicks in. I don’t need a case of food coma at the workplace.
If you have the time to swing by on a weekday, then consider calling ahead or ordering online to minimize the wait. Lit’l Peppers is worth a visit if it fits your breakfast or lunchtime macro.