The Local Palate - by Lisa

05/21/2026

Some places are popular because they are trendy, while others are popular because they have fed people well for years. Today's Budget Bites pick, Old Tyme Deli & Meat Shop , definitely holds a solid spot in the second category.

***Highlights at a glance: hearty meat-forward lasagna, buttery garlic bread, giant soft cookies, fast friendly service, and a solid lunch value.***

I walked in a little after 11 AM last Thursday to find a packed lunch crowd, a line nearly out the door, and almost everyone ahead of me ordering the lasagna plate lunch, which I'm told is their most popular item during the week. I've also been told to go early, because there is a real danger of the lasagna selling out.

The plate lunch came with lasagna, garlic bread, and a side salad (with choice of Italian, ranch, or french dressing)for $8. I added the giant chocolate chunk cookie, though it was a tough choice with all of the other options sitting there.

This is not fancy restaurant lasagna, and honestly, that’s part of the appeal. It’s thick, hearty, and very meat-sauce heavy with a rich tomato-forward sauce, soft noodles, bits of onion, and pockets of ricotta layered throughout. Its not overly sweet or overloaded with cheese... it's just simple, filling comfort food.

The garlic bread was soft, buttery, and great for soaking up extra sauce. The cookie turned out to be one of those dangerous soft cookies that would be very easy to absentmindedly finish at your desk after lunch break is over(oops 😬 )

One thing that really stood out to me was the service. The lunch rush was basically being run by two guys (the owner preparing the containers, and a cashier), but the line moved quickly, and despite the crowd, they were friendly, patient, and welcoming to a first-time customer.

Honestly, this visit was a nice reminder that food does not always have to be trendy or elevated to be enjoyable. Sometimes food’s job is simply to nourish people, bring people together, and get them through the middle of their day.

It also doesn't have to be expensive. For $8, this is a solid Budget Bites value at lunchtime, and I will definitely be back for more lunch items.

📍 Old Tyme Deli & Meat Shop
307 N First Ave, Evansville, IN

🕒 Mon–Fri 8 AM–6 PM
Sat 9 AM–1 PM
Sun Closed

05/16/2026

Friday night vibes...

What are your plans for the weekend?

05/15/2026

If someone needs a last minute cake for a weekend event, this one is a great deal from Piece of Cake and it's still available as of this post.

ETA: looks like it might be $30 now.

What do you do if you forget to put a filling in a cake you already have done… Mark it half price and put it in the case to sell! This beautiful confetti cake with brown buttercream icing is just $50. Call the Bakery at 812-424-2253 to claim this scrumptious Cake. Open until 2 PM today.

05/14/2026

Food truck catering day at work.

We had breakfast and lunch options with several different trucks, so I chose the breakfast slot. I decided to switch up from my usual favorite truck (Acropolis),and try some of the BBQ breakfast options from Miller’s Catering Barbecue Weddings . I was told I was the first person to ever order this from the truck, so there's a fun bit of trivia now! 😆

Great way to start the day!

05/13/2026

If you haven't seen my review from last week about Bodine’s Newsstand , please check that out. Today is their burger special! Good option.

It's only available at The Chipper location (900 N Main, Evansville IN, inside Main Street Food & Beverage).

05/12/2026

People get weird about pineapple on pizza, but what about a burger?

I don't write about the food trucks in the area very often. It isn't intentional; i just find myself trying to get around to various restaurants and I don't end up showing food trucks enough love. Today’s Budget Bites pick, Keto-licious 812 , has been on my to-try list for awhile now, though.

Budget Bites criteria recap:
Lunch - $15 or less (including tax and tip)
Dinner - $40 or less
Date night/Dinner for 2 - $75 - $100 or less

I tried the pineapple jalapeno double smash combo. It included the double smash burger, a side of loaded fries, and a beverage, normally priced for $13. However, today was a 20% special on all menu items.

***Highlights at a glance: crispy smash patties with sweet pineapple and mild jalapeño heat loaded fries, and a great value for the price.***

Ketolicious 812 focuses heavily on keto and low carb options, including keto buns and substitutions, while still offering regular versions of menu items too, including vegan options. One detail that stood out to me was seeing owner Terry Layne's own transformation and fitness photos displayed on the truck, which made the whole concept feel a little more personal. He is very warm and welcoming...just a genuinely nice person.

He mentioned the pineapple jalapeño smash burger used to be on the menu before he removed it because it wasn’t selling well. A few customers kept asking for it though, so he brought it back as a special and apparently sold more than 50 the first day it returned. It's been popular ever since.

Speaking of the burger..

It was topped with pineapple, jalapeños, onions, tomato, and lettuce. The jalapeño were mixed into the mayo, so instead of one overpowering pineapple bite, it was sweet and spicy bursts throughout the burger that actually worked very well with the smoky bacon and crispy burger edges.

The loaded fries were huge and piled with cheese sauce, bacon, green onions, and sour cream. Between the burger and fries, this was an extremely filling meal and was easily split for two full meals for me.

💵 Budget Bites Breakdown:
Double smash burger combo with loaded fries + drink
(20% off special pricing today): $10.40

What’s your stance on pineapple in savory food? Pizza only, or are burgers fair game too?

Be sure to check their FB page for the weekly schedule and specials!

05/11/2026

If you could bring back ONE discontinued snack, fast food item, or drink permanently.

What are you choosing?

05/10/2026

Throwback post from before The Local Palate existed:

I saw Meals in a Snap post about Jacobs Pub today and it reminded me that I never transferred my Italian Beef review that I wrote in the review groups to this page, so this feels like a good excuse to revisit it. I’ll link his post in the comments so you can check it out too.

I see questions about Italian Beef nearly every other week in other local review groups. A couple of weeks ago I posted elsewhere about the one from Cleavers. Since I am apparently making it my personal mission to review every Italian Beef in town, the spotlight today is on the Jacobs Pub version!

These are available both for lunch and dinner, and come with their house made chips (which was my choice) or steak fries for a $2.99 upcharge online (I'm not sure if it's different in the restaurant). You can get it Baptized (fully dipped in the au jus), Dipped (partially dunked), or dry/gravy on the side. I opted for dry/on the side since I didn’t want to take home a mess (I just know I'd be wearing it! 😆)

This is my favorite Italian Beef in town so far. The house made chips are crunchy without being greasy, perfectly salted and flavorful. I'm a potato girl, so that's very important to me! When I opened the container and immediately smelled those fried potatoes, I couldn't wait to dive in. This sandwich was generously stuffed with tender, well seasoned, good quality beef and paired with a flavorful au jus. My only critique would be that I wish there was a hotter version of the giardiniera, as this one is mild. (Although I was told the hot version will be back soon!! 👀)

My total, minus tip, was around $16 50. The staff are very friendly and welcoming - every single person greeted me warmly when I walked in. I will definitely keep going back and encourage all of you to give them a try if you haven't yet!

📍607 N Main, Evansville IN 47711
812-990-5253
⏰️ Tuesday - Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Friday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
CLOSED Sunday - Monday

05/10/2026

Happy Mothers Day to all of the moms, grandmas, bonus moms, and mother figures out there today! 💐

I hope your day is filled with good food, good company, and a little time to relax and feel appreciated.

05/09/2026

One of the latest viral dessert trends has made its way to Evansville, so I wanted to see why people are going nuts for these.

These fruit shaped pastries from Lily’s Mediterranean Express are basically tiny mousse cakes disguised as realistic looking fruit. The mango was definitely the standout visually, especially once I cracked through the shell and cut into it. The outer layer has that thin white chocolate snap to it, while the inside is soft and mousse-like with a thick mango filling in the center.

The mini set included blueberry, strawberry, lemon, and raspberry flavors. They're still mousse, but seem a little more cake-like compared to the mango, with fruit filling in the middle. They’re definitely more about presentation and texture than huge portions.

I also included the quarter for scale because I couldn't quite tell in the various photos popping up on my feed lately.

Have you guys tried these viral fruit pastries yet, or is this your first time seeing them? Where have you gotten them if you have tried them?

📍 Lily’s Mediterranean Express
4120 N First Ave, Evansville, IN
⏰️ Monday - Saturday: 11:00 a.m. -12:00 a.m.
Sunday: 1200 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.