City Centre Market & Deli

• 125 S. Kalamazoo Mall
• Kalamazoo, MI 49007
• (269)
• Website
• Menu Changes Daily

This is blog is really going to resonate with downtown workers.  The rest of you will think I’m crazy, but not having a deli downtown has been torture for the last six months.

You see, I used to walk to Irving’s Market & Deli almost daily.  If not for lunch then definitely to pick up a couple of Pepsi’s and maybe a bag of chips.  My office doesn’t have a vending machine so if I forget to bring something with me, Irving’s was my go to.

Then, Irving’s closed.  They claimed they were relocating but if that’s still happening, it hasn’t yet..and it’s been over six months.

A new market was announced to be moving into the Irving’s space a month after they closed….and that market FINALLY opened a few weeks ago.

City Centre Market & Deli is in the City Centre building in downtown Kalamazoo.  The building is on the first open section of the Kalamazoo Mall south of the Exchange Place alley.

The deli is in the back of the building in the same space Irving’s was.  There is a sign on the front but you have to go past the stairs, past The Union and around the corner to find your first sign for the market.

If you come in from the Farmer’s Alley side, the entrance to the market is pretty much the first thing you’ll see once you get up the ramp from the doors.

City Centre Market & Deli has undergone a compete remodel yet the layout of the place looks very familiar.  The store goes for a sleek, modern look with a limited color palate on top of grey’s, whites, and blacks.  Wire shelves in the back of the space make up the market part of the store with high end pantry staples.

My beloved Pepsi bottles are in a large cooler along with a large variety of other bottled drinks.  I hate to admit but this is what I missed most about not having a market downtown.  I liked my  little walks to get some air and some of my precious sugar water.

The salad bar is a little bit smaller and a little bit more compact.  They still have a variety of lettuces and toppings for those days the hot bar isn’t what you’re looking for.

The hot bar is just like the salad bar but with a daily rotating selection of hot foods.  The day I stopped in happened to a BBQ like day with ribs, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes among a variety of cooked veggies.

There options for panini sandwiches just like there was at Irving’s.  You can pick from stacks of pre-made sandwiches that can be pressed on demand or create your own from a list of their ingredients.

The deli also includes the typical sliced meats and cheeses as well as pre-made salads, side dishes, and other deli counter staples.

I decided to go for the hot bar and grabbed some ribs and mac & cheese.  I came in a little over a pound on the scales.  With my two drinks, the meal came to right around $15.

I started with the ribs when I got back to the office. They were delicious and tender but had more of a roasted taste than smoked.  There was little to no sauce on the ribs which is the way I like them.  They were cut in to sections of three bones.  I grabbed a whole section and you could almost literally suck the meat right off the bone.

I got a couple big scoops of the Mac & Cheese.  The shell pasta was covered in a thick, creamy, cheesy sauce.  This is the kind of mac & cheese that goes really well with BBQ  and can be served either as a side or as it’s own meal.

I’m sure the new owners won’t like me saying it, but if you were familiar with Irving’s, you will feel very comfortable with City Centre Market & Deli.  At first glance, it just looks like Irving’s got a make over.  I haven’t eaten there much yet as I haven’t been in the office a lot recently, but this meal was delicious.  The owner helped open a number of Mariano’s markets in the Chicagoland area…..and we looooooove Mariano’s.  They have a lot of delicious hot food options in each store so I’m excited to see what he brings her.  Most of all, like a lot of downtown workers, I’m really happy to have this option back within walking distance.