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On Tuesday, Yelp introduced its comprehensive list of the top 100 U.S. restaurants of 2024.
The review website's data science team conducted in-depth analyses of user reviews, and the final rankings were determined by expert Community Managers.
Included on the list are eight Texas-based restaurants.
Gino’s Deli Stop N Buy in San Antonio, Texas was ranked number nine:
"Deep in the heart of Texas, there’s an unassuming mini-mart making award-winning Philly cheesesteaks. Locals line up daily for this fan favorite, featuring 'melt-in-your-mouth' ribeye, Sorrento provolone cheese, jalapenos, bell peppers, and onions sauteed in spices for 24 hours—tucked into 'warm and soft' bread from local Uwe’s bakery. Although Gino’s Deli sells nearly 250 of the 5-star sandwiches daily, accounting for half its business, the rest of the menu is just as popular. The lineup includes mouthwatering deli sandwiches, burgers, and original creations, such as the Smoke Stack (hickory-smoked turkey and bacon crisped on a flat-top grill, then topped with melty, smoked provolone, and drizzled with smoked chipotle). 'These sandwiches are delicious,' says Yelp Elite Susan C. 'I get why they’re rated so highly.'
Owner Aleem Chaudhry perfected his sandwich-making skills at a Brooklyn, New York, deli in the ’90s. '[The chef] showed me that there’s art-making in a sandwich. It’s not just thrown together,' he says. When he opened Gino’s in 2006, he made a few tweaks for Texas tastes. 'When you’re in San Antonio, you can’t get away from jalapenos,' he says. 'We started putting jalapenos on everything.' Once a gas station and convenience store, Gino’s Deli is now a 'hidden gem' with indoor seating."
Others recognized are Burger-chan in Houston, Tacos Doña Lena in Houston, Avesta Persian Grill in Houston, Pappa Gyros in Katy, Mr Max in Irving, Mr. A-Ok’s Kitchen in San Antonio and Southern Yankee Crafthouse in Houston.