In recent weeks, the much-anticipated Cornerstone Café and Deli opened its doors to hungry diners at 511 Main Street in St. Adolphe. So far, the business’s outlet is optimistic.
Local resident and restaurant owner Peter Ecker says they’ve seen a steady flow of traffic, both local and Winnipeg-based.
The deli is managed by Ecker’s two grown sons, James and John. It’s open six days a week for breakfast, lunch, and supper.
“We’ve desperately been needing a restaurant here for the longest time,” Ecker says. “We haven’t seen much come and go after the Pic-and-Nic closed. We know that people wanted something, and the timing was good for us.”
The style of dining at Cornerstone is something one might expect to find on the streets of New York—an upscale sandwich and soup deli.
But Ecker says it’s so much more than that.
Stepping inside, you’ll see a vast sandwich bar offering artisan breads, deli meats, many different cheeses, and a selection of gourmet condiments.
The average sandwich, Ecker says, is loaded up with a half-pound of meat before other toppings of the customer’s choosing are added.
“We created a muffaletta filling,” Ecker says. “It’s like an Italian-style salsa. People love that stuff. I’ve got pickled eggplant and baba ganoush, artichokes, and imported olives from Italy. Every sandwich gets a [helping] of imported olive oil and balsamic vinegar.”
If it’s pickled, marinated, or roasted, he says the process was done in house.
If patrons are unsure as to what pairs well with what, Ecker says they are glad to make recommendations. In some respects, he adds, that makes them sandwich coaches.