Whoo Deli

Stepped up to the plate. Folks behind the counter were friendly. I ordered a marinated tofu sandwich with avocado and hummus. The guy making my sammie told me the curried chickpea soup was tasty and vegan.
SCORE.
Great food and great service!

Best lunch on Rice campus and a truly hidden gem in the Texas Medical Center that’s within walking distance from Baylor, MD Anderson, Methodist, the BRC, etc. Anyone is welcome, and I also see an even mix of students, staff, and visitors. I believe the prices were raised a bit in the past year, but it’s still very reasonable at around $ 6 – 8, comparable to a meal in the Rice serveries, which is why I preferred to eat here rather than in the serveries after I moved off campus.
You can either make your own sandwich (cold) or get the hot sandwich of the day, which changes Monday-​Friday. All the sandwiches are made with fresh ingredients, and are all very good. Custom made sandwiches come with a large variety of options (including avocado spread!), but they aren’t toasted like the hot sandwiches of the day.
Check the menu to see each day’s sandwich specials:
All of the daily sandwiches specials are really good, but my favorites are the California Club (turkey + avocado spread on a kaiser roll) and the Peach Gobbler (ham + peach butter on ciabatta). These two sandwiches are by far the top reasons why I keep coming back. Then the Vermont Devonshire and Banh Mi, which is actually pretty legit compared with some of the Vietnamese sandwich shops in Chinatown. And lastly, the Cuban Sandwich which I found decent but not spectacular.
Also available every day is the Margherita, a hot vegetarian sandwich packed with juicy mushrooms and other veggies. A great option as well, even if you’re not vegetarian.
The sides are also all mostly very good and occasionally a reason for coming here itself. The soups here rotate daily and you can always ask for samples beforehand. i believe the chef (Chris) decides and makes the soups every day. They’re similar to the soups you might find in the serveries, but usually much better. They make their own potato chips with «Owl Seasoning», which are thick, crunchy, and flavorful.
The potato salad is the best potato salad I’ve eaten, honestly, and beats the crap out of any store bought stuff you’ve ever tried. It’s a bit different and not as thick as the usual potato salad, but all the ingredients just taste really fresh.
I never got the salad, but it looks great as you can custom make it just like you can a sandwich.
And then you can also get pizza by the slice, which isn’t bad but nowhere near as good as pizza in the serveries. I mean it is a sandwich shop, but you do have this option if you really want.

The Whoo Deli is a gem on Rice University’s campus as far as dining is concerned. Yes, the whoo is for the Rice Owls. If you ask, I’m sure their energetic staff will even do an owl call for you — let me know how that works out. Let’s get down to business though. It’s a small café located next to Hanzsen College Commons … the only indication a business exists there is a yard sign out front. It’s a walk up and order type venue. The staff is really friendly and will work with you to make the perfect sandwich or tell you the specials of the day.
My personal favorite is the Margherita Sandwhich (vegetarian) and soooo good. I’ve had my fair share of veggie sandwiches but this … this is spectacular. THANKFULLY it’s also a constant on the menu. You get a large sandwich and a soup or side. My favorite side is the house chips. Baked Lays, there’s no room for you in here. You can check out their daily specials via the website (and they actually keep it updated). If you’re a meat lover, they’ve got you covered. The Peach Gobbler sandwich is quite heavenly. All of their breads are fresh and have a way of just melting in your mouth. Expect to pay around $ 6.50 — $ 7.50, not including drink. Very reasonably priced given the quality.
If you’re more of a pizza guy, have no fear. They serve pizza by the slice for $ 1.25. In the med center and can’t afford to park let alone eat? Then come over here for this option. Quite tasty as well. Overall thumbs up for this place. If you’re on campus or even in the med center, I recommend you stop by and give it a chance.
P. S. this isn’t a student dining hall, it’s geared towards visitors and staff.