ANDOVER TOWNSHIP – A popular Andover restaurant forced to close in January reopened its doors at a new location on Sunday, June 7.
West Side Deli closed its doors Friday, Jan. 23, after owner Rick Brest was told it would cost around $60,000 to install a vent hood system to cook inside the converted covered bridge the restaurant was operating from.
The deli reopened at 6497 State Route 85, just east of the village Square at the former Bella’s Restaurant.
West Side Deli was a popular spot in Andover and won hearts when staff served about 250 people during a free community Thanksgiving dinner. The restaurant also offered a free lunch program Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. for children during the 2025 summer break.
The former Bella’s Lakehouse is just a half mile down the street from the covered bridge where West Side Deli worked before.
At the old location, staff were working out of a converted covered bridge and cooks at West Side Deli worked under a temporary permit, cooking outside the restaurant in a tent until Brest could secure the proper permitting to move inside.
During the permitting process, Brest learned he would need to install a vent hood and fire-suppression system, with all bids coming in at about $60,000, which he said was not a workable figure for the restaurant’s budget.
The single most-popular menu item West Side Deli sells is its Philly cheesesteak – which requires a grill – which requires a vent hood to draw out smoke and a fire-suppression system in case of an emergency – which required a prohibitive capital investment, according to Brest.
