By Bailey Hosfelt
Fordham students must choose allegiance to either Rams Deli or Best Deli — it is a personal and important decision. (Bailey Hosfelt/The Fordham Ram)
Simply put, I love Rams Deli Plus. You can ask anyone close to me, and they will attest to my deep admiration of this 700 square-foot space on East Fordham Road.
A college student walking into Rams is like a little kid entering a Toys R Us in suburban Connecticut for the first time: everything you expected and more. The shelves are stocked from the floor to ceiling, but instead of Polly Pocket sets and Razor scooters, you will find an impressive assortment of snacks, candy, drinks, and things you probably forgot you needed on your last grocery store run.
I patron RDP at least three times per week, sometimes more if the neon sign is especially tempting. Chase Bank probably judges this decision to delegate a decent portion of each paycheck to comically named deli foods, but I’m perfectly content with my choices. Anywhere that I easily can scoop up Ben & Jerrys, a made-to-order sandwich and triple-A batteries without straying too far from my bed is a place I want to be. And Rams does just that.
Whether walking to the library to hit the books or moseying back to campus after a successful night out, I can always count on Rams to provide me with a pick-me-up that won’t put a hole in my wallet. When it comes to hot food, I favor consistency over spontaneity. At Rams, I opt for chicken over rice (extra white sauce, no hot sauce) or the Fat Boy ft. a side of onion rings, depending on my craving.
The Hashtag, Ram’s most popular menu item, although extremely filling with a chicken cutlet, bacon, cheese, eggs and hashbrown all packed between a roll or hero, is a quintessential choice and must try. The Bad Girl and Texan burger are standouts as well.
A short walk west of Rams Deli Plus stands rival Best Deli. But don’t be fooled by this self-assumingly-named establishment. RDP remains the better, frankly best, deli on East Fordham Road.
Rams offers a more substantial menu than its competition. Coupled with the friendliest staff (looking at you, Alli and Mahed) and efficient service, RDP remains on top.
It is also worth mentioning that, seeing as its open 24/7 (as any serious deli does), you can always count on the characters standing to your left and right in line for late-night entertainment. My roommate has been asked to ballroom dance with a stranger in the narrow space next to the counter, and that’s something special.
Following a Friday night out in Brooklyn that ended at seven in the morning Saturday, I found myself back in the Bronx, ordering curly fries at Rams as the sun was rising.
Another friend of mine dragged her suitcase straight off the train and into Rams after winter break because it’s just that good.
The only thing that would make Rams even better than it already is, would be adding a bodega cat to the mix.
Although I am not from New York, I have a significant appreciation for the bodegas, delis and corner stores in the five boroughs, each one a fundamental part of the fabric of the city.
The hundreds of storefronts who temporarily closed their doors in February in response to President Trump’s travel ban and countless customers who stood in solidarity proves that these neighborhood fixtures and the immigrants who own them are integral members of the community.
Rams Deli Plus is, at its core, a microcosm of not only the Belmont community but the city as a whole. Energetic, reliable, and inclusive.
When I die, bury me in Rams Deli Plus. Okay, so don’t actually lay my remains to rest there. But at least memorialize my name in a specialty sandwich and offer complimentary chicken over rice to everyone at the funeral. It’s only right.
The Fordham Ram 
