Pops Grocery & Deli in Baltimore: A Fells Point Sandwich Counter Built on House-Made Meats

Pops Grocery & Deli is a small, counter-service deli in Fells Point that makes its own corned beef, pastrami, and roast beef in-house, selling sandwiches, platters, and cold cuts to walk-in customers and a steady neighborhood crowd. It operates as a working grocery and deli rather than a sit-down restaurant, with most business at lunch and a loyal base of people who have been buying from the same cases for decades.

What Pops Actually Is

Pops functions as a neighborhood grocery with a meat counter, not a trendy sandwich shop or a full-service deli restaurant. The storefront is narrow, the counter is worn, and the operation is straightforward: you order at the window, watch them slice, and take your sandwich wrapped in paper. The corned beef and pastrami are brined and smoked in-house, a process that requires space, time, and knowledge most casual sandwich spots do not commit to. This is the kind of place where the owner knows regulars by name and has made the same items the same way for years.

Sandwiches, Platters, and Pricing

A corned beef or pastrami sandwich runs $13 to $15, depending on size and whether you want it on rye, wheat, or roll. Roast beef sandwiches fall in the same range. Hot platters with two sides (typically potatoes and a vegetable) cost $16 to $19. Cold cuts sold by the pound at the deli counter range from $12 to $16 per pound, with discounts available on larger orders. Prices are subject to market fluctuation for beef; confirm current pricing before visiting, as commodity costs shift seasonally.

The sandwiches are thick and unapologetic. A corned beef on rye comes stacked high enough to require two hands, not trimmed thin or fussed with. Sides are simple: potato salad, coleslaw, or baked beans. The house mustard is spicy brown, not the yellow condiment you find elsewhere.

How Pops Compares to Other Baltimore Delis

Baltimore has lost most of its traditional Jewish delis over the past two decades. The closest operational comparison is Attman's Delicatessen in Lombard, which also makes pastrami in-house and serves it at similar price points ($13 to $15 for a sandwich). Attman's is larger, more polished, and located on a busier commercial strip; it caters to tourists and business lunches. Pops is smaller, less decorated, and purely neighborhood-focused. Attman's has more seating and a longer menu. Pops prioritizes the core meats and does not try to be anything else. Both smoke their pastrami traditionally; the main difference is scale and foot traffic.

Delilah's Deli on The Avenue offers sandwiches and cold cuts in a similar traditional style but leans more heavily into prepared foods and a broader grocery selection. It is not primarily a deli in the way Pops is.

Choose Pops if you want high-quality corned beef or pastrami from a no-frills, owner-run operation. Choose Attman's if you prefer a larger menu, more seating, and a location easier to reach from outside Fells Point.

Who Pops Suits and Who It Does Not

Pops is ideal for people who know what they want, value hand-made meat products, and do not mind eating standing up or taking their sandwich to eat elsewhere. Neighborhood residents, people with roots in Baltimore, and anyone seeking an authentic, unglamorous deli experience will find what they are looking for.

Pops does not work for anyone seeking a full sit-down meal, a broad menu, or a destination dining experience. It is not vegetarian-friendly beyond basic sides. Large groups cannot be accommodated easily. It is not Instagram-friendly in any intentional way.

What a First Visit Involves

Walk in, look at the menu posted on or behind the counter, and order directly from the person working. There is no table service or ordering system. You will be asked how thick you want your meat sliced and what bread you prefer. Wait while they slice and assemble your sandwich, typically 5 to 10 minutes if there is a line. Pay in cash or card, take your wrapped sandwich, and leave. There are very few seats; most people eat outside or take their order home.

Hours, Parking, and Logistics

Pops is open Monday through Saturday, typically 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Sundays. Hours can shift seasonally or for holidays; call ahead to confirm. Street parking in Fells Point is metered and often tight, especially at lunch. The nearest paid lot is two blocks away. Public transit access via the Charm City Circulator (Purple Line) is minutes away.

Pops has operated in Fells Point long enough that many Baltimoreans remember it from childhood. A deli that still cures its own meat in a neighborhood that has otherwise gentrified toward bars and boutiques is not common.