Being a native Philadelphian living in Baton Rouge, there’s one thing I truly miss when it comes to food: a good northeast-style deli.
My wishes were answered when downtown’s new hotel, The Watermark Baton Rouge, opened its own New York-style deli, Milford’s on Third. The eatery is named after Milford Wampold, who once owned his own grocery store in northern Louisiana. Now, his grandson, developer Mike Wampold, is paying homage to Milford’s legacy with some authentic deli lunch fare for breakfast and lunch along with pre-made, grab-and-go options in the afternoon.
Its breakfast menu includes the requisite bagels with “schmears” like lemon dill or boursin caper and extras like smoked salmon, whitefish salad or bacon. There are also plenty of baked goods and breakfast sandwiches, like the Green, Eggs & Ham Croissant.
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The lunch menu includes a variety of sandwiches and salads, including the classic corned beef sandwich or The Milford with hot pastrami or corned beef, Swiss cheese, spicy mustard and rye bread. Of course, there’s the option to pair it with a warm bowl of matzo ball soup.
I popped in to the new deli in the late afternoon, when the grab-and-go items were being served. I tried the Smoked Salmon Bagel, which had a hearty amount of salmon, cream cheese and spinach in between an onion bagel. (It’s also on the lunch menu with capers instead of spinach.)
The sandwich was perfect for fulfilling my smoked salmon craving, and the thick, doughy bagel combined with the cream cheese tasted like heaven. I could eat this sandwich any time of the day.
I also tried the Sicilian salad. On top of a bed of greens, the grab-and-go version included garbanzo beans, onions, tomatoes, chopped olives, red peppers, salami, provolone and an asiago vinaigrette. The lunch menu version also includes capicola.
It was a delicious combination of flavors, but what stood out to me the most was the salami. Imagining that smoky, spicy flavor on a sandwich, I was tempted to head back the next afternoon to try it.
Overall, it feels like Milford’s could be a little slice of home right in the middle of downtown Baton Rouge. With the restaurant’s happy interior adorned with bright tiles in green, gold and white colors accented by family photos on the walls, The Watermark is providing a space for the city’s visitors to come together—all over a freshly prepared sandwich and a pickle.
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Milford’s on Third is at 150 Third St. The deli is open 6 a.m.-10:30 a.m. for breakfast, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for lunch and 3-6 p.m. for its grab-and-go pre-made options.