Rafaelito Delis

These are the sorts of little gems that make discovering your city so much fun.
On the surface, this looks like any other convenience store in the area. But one you step inside and smell the delicious aromas of a home cooked meal, it’ll spike your curiosity and make you salivate at the same time.
I was waiting for a spot down the street to open for lunch and decided to get a Sierra Mist for a thirst break. But when I stepped inside to see a line of people in the back of the store — all construction workers — I knew I’d just stumbled on a nice undiscovered find. Cops and construction workers are the unheralded mavens of hole in the hall cuisine in this city.
Sure enough, this place has a secret kitchen that serves stick-​to-​your-​bones comfort food ripe for construction workers with limited time for lunch. They have a rice and meat option daily so I inquired and went with the chicken. For $ 5.50 you get a hearty rice and bean dish with two big pieces of breaded chicken along with root vegetables like steamed carrots and potatoes. The styrofoam container must weigh seven pounds when it’s all said and done, and you can really taste the love in the food.
There’s nowhere inside to sit so you have to grab and go. But despite the décor, this is something you have to experience.