If New York City was a car, then a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese would be its fuel tank- thanks to the thousands of delis all around the city serving fresh made sandwiches daily.
Three of these bodegas are located across the street from John Dewey High School- all on Stillwell Avenue, directly across the street from John Dewey High School.
John’s Deli, Habibi’s, and Bagels & Grill on the corner serve food and beverages daily for the students and staff of Dewey and the surrounding neighborhood of Gravesend, providing snacks and sandwiches this school runs on.
Dewey’s Algebra II teacher Mr. Sibol says: “it’s just an easy, quick way to snack. You know, I don’t eat at home, I’d rather sleep than eat at home. ”
John’s Deli, the oldest deli of the three, serves primarily sandwiches and a limited selection of drinks.
“I don’t mind John’s Deli, the food is good even though the chicken cutlet i get there is a little too messy to eat. After eating food at Johns I feel a little off. The customer service is good. My favorite thing to get there is cheese fries,” said Dewey senior and loyal John’s Deli customer Hakim Boev.
Only some school staff may remember that in pre-COVID times, in the building on the corner of Stillwell and Harway that currently houses HOYT Transportation office, there was a Subway location, where students used to often go.
Ming, one of the cooks of John’s Deli, has worked there since 2012- serving iconic fresh sandwiches to customers for over 13 years including the COVID era.
“Customers just like this place,” said Ming, one of the cooks of John’s Deli.
Even when a nearby subway was forced to close during the pandemic, John’s Deli has survived- confirming the significance of John’s Deli in the JDHS and Gravesend communities.
A neighboring deli, Habibi’s, opened in 2025. In addition to their deli, Habibi’s offers the largest variety of drinks compared to its two neighbors, as well as sweets and snacks.
The interior and sanitary condition of the business has improved dramatically compared to it’s predecessor. However, still, one can spot soda cans and other products with a layer of dust on top.
The menu selection at Bagels and Grill, located at 9 Bay 50th Street.
The newly renovated Bagels & Grill on the corner of the block opened only at the end of 2025, but already became the favorite one for many Dewey students and staff.
Mr. Sibol said, “The reason I go to the one on the corner versus the one right across the street is because of prices. It’s $1 cheaper at the corner.”
Boev also likes this spot, saying that “It’s clean, the customer service is good, the food is nice and high quality”. He also added, “I like getting the chicken cutlet sandwich, it’s juicy, fresh, and the bread rolls are also good quality.”
To compare the food quality across the three delis we have purchased the sample Bacon Egg and Cheese sandwich from each deli. We did not inform the delis that the sandwiches are going to be compared to keep the results unbiased. Here are the pictures of each sample side by side.
The main vendor of ingredients such as eggs, cheese, cutlets and other products in John’s Deli and Habibi’s Deli is a company named “Restaurant Depot” with the nearest warehouse in Canarsie, meanwhile the Bagels and Grill on the corner orders their ingredients form the “Boar’s Head”, known for their premium meat and cheese selection.