Popular food truck The Wedge opens a brick-and-mortar NY-style Deli in West Ashley
by: Hanalei Potempa | Contributing Writer
Charleston’s favorite New York deli-inspired food truck, The Wedge, is opening a brick-and-mortar location this month, bringing its iconic sandwiches and big city cuisine to a permanent space in West Ashley.
Owner Gerry Meehan launched The Wedge food truck three years ago with a mission to introduce authentic New York-style deli food to the Lowcountry. From the start, he says, opening a physical location was always part of the plan.
Meehan, a New York native, grew up working in restaurants and delis from the age of 12. When he moved to Charleston five years ago, he quickly realized how much he missed the unique cuisine of his hometown.
“It’s the kind of deli food that you could get on any corner in New York,” Meehan says. “But when I first moved here, you couldn’t find anything like chicken cutlet or things like that that were so common back in New York. So I definitely just wanted to bring that down here.”
Meehan says that part of the journey has been educating customers about what truly sets New York-style deli food apart.
“A lot of people like to throw the name ‘New York’ on there as a gimmick, but we’re making the food that we grew up on,” Meehan says.
The move to a permanent location brings exciting new opportunities. Meehan plans to expand the menu, add more sides and salads, and introduce catering services for both lunch and dinner.
While the core of The Wedge menu stays true to its New York roots, Meehan still embraces creativity and innovation in the kitchen.
“I’ve been just a foodie my whole life. So honestly, I get inspiration from every day, anything I see,” Meehan says. “As much as I do stick to the roots, I do often venture out and always try to stay creative and keep it fun for myself and my other coworkers and chefs,”
Though the new location marks a major milestone, Meehan confirmed that the food truck isn’t going anywhere. It will continue making regular stops around the Charleston area, including in Mt. Pleasant, downtown, and even Summerville in the near future.
Meehan also expressed deep appreciation for the community that’s embraced The Wedge from the beginning.
“It’s definitely surpassed what I could have wished for. We have a very strong following,” Meehan says. “The people are kind of what makes us want to keep going and keep pushing ourselves to get better.”
Looking ahead, Meehan says one of his goals is to find meaningful ways to give back to the Charleston community.
“We’ve always had a goal of trying to help the homelessness in Charleston, so that’s something that we definitely want to focus on in the new year at the storefront and just really doing the most we can for the community,” Meehan says.
For those looking to sample what The Wedge is all about, customer favorites include the Vodka Parm, the Chicken Caesar Wrap, and the burgers. As for Meehan’s personal pick?
“It changes a lot,” he laughs, “but right now, I’d have to say the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich.”
The Wedge opens to the public on Saturday, Oct. 4. It’s located at 2487 Ashley River Road. For more info, visit thewedgechs.com.
