Square Rootz Deli

Bold, different, memorable, endearing.
This place is comfy. I like that they went outside of the box and really did their own thing thematically and with the décor. Everything was good (I ate the vegan fare, of course).
It leaned a little more on convenience foods than I would usually care for, but my overall impressions were that the food was yummy if not bursting with natural flavors or health benefits. They love vegans here, and every vegan should try this place out.
The amazing service staff here let us stay quite a bit after closing time, and when we realized that we were holding them up and started to shuffle out, they nearly insisted that we stay as long as we please.
It’s very homey here.

Square Rootz Deli is EVERYWHERE! The advertisements and interviews with owners litter all of the local publications, the Unilocal reviews have been positive, and everyone seems to enjoy visiting this old school cafeteria in Fountain Square. So how can it be struggling? What is going on here? Good food? Check! Good location? Check! Friendly staff? Check! Something unique? Absolutely! Yet, during our recent stop in for lunch, the owner disclosed that Square Rootz may not be able to remain open much longer. But, but, but, you just got here??? What about the meatloaf? And the desserts? And the sodas in the glass bottles? Who will serve us our comfort food?
The bottom line… if you haven’t been to Square Rootz, you have to check this place out and you better do it sooner rather than later. I highly recommend the Hoshi melt!

Stopped in for the first time and had the Spinach Melt sandwich, an all veggie sandwich with a spread for $ 7.50 is a little ridiculous but it’s a local place with a good vibe and it’s better to support that then going somewhere corporate. Heard they have some tofu options, I didn’t see them, maybe next time!

I love this place; the people (Jeff & Thom) are great, the «retro» drinks, the vinyl section (yep, you heard me write, vinyl records just inside the door!).
Oh, and the food. Comfort food, and I mean that as a compliment. Food that you grew up with (meatloaf being one tasty example), and didn’t realize you missed.
Lastly, the desserts. The cakes and pies are very, very, VERY good! Probably good I don’t live in Indiana anymore, otherwise I would be around 300lbs or so because of the desserts. :)
When (not if, but when) you stop in, tell Jeff & Thom that Brad and Jayelynn sent you.

Let me first say that I love supporting locally owned restaurants. And I love Fountain Square. But I can’t give this place a good review based on those two criteria alone — my opinion is based on the food. I came here for lunch on a weekday and had soup and salad. I was hoping for a great, home-​cooked soup and tasty greens. Instead, I got Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup from a can and a pretty average plate of iceberg lettuce with a couple carrot pieces thrown on the top. The «house» dressing was weird, too; cold oil and vinaigrette. I shudder to recall.
I would probably give this place a second chance based on friends’ recommendations and other positive reviews. And, the staff was super nice. But, if you can’t get a basic staple like soup and salad right, that doesn’t leave much hope for much else. Besides, if you’re hungry in FS, there are several other yummy spots (Siam Square, Santorini, Red Lion, just to name a few) that never fail to please.

I can’t say enough about this place. The meatloaf is life-​changing. The sides are great as well. I had the mac ‘n cheese and cole slaw. Jeff, the owner, is amazing and dedicated to promote and help the others business in Fountain Square.
I’ll be back to try some of the desserts they had! Highly recommend!

Great food, friendly fast service. How can you go wrong. This is my new favorite sandwich place — so move out of the way subway.

It was funny. I had recently read a review about this place, and really didn’t think much else of it. I live far away and don’t make it down to this area often. However, we were downtown for the home and garden show, and we needed to eat before we went. I suggested this place to my husband and in we went.
The first thing you notice when you walk in is the walls of records that they have. Actual LP’s! It was really cool. If you want to buy some, make sure you have cash on hand.
We go up to order and my husband and I get the same thing: a reuben. He has his with their pasta salad, and I have mine with some chips. He gets coffee, and I get an old fashioned black cherry soda.
Our food comes quickly and is served to us by the owners. Let me say, I loved this sandwich. A lot of times when you go to get a reuben one of two things generally happens; the meat is often so tough that when you bite into it, everything pulls out with it, or, the sandwich is so large that you barely have any bread and everything falls out of it. Not so with this sandwich. It was the perfect size and when I bit into it, everything stayed in place. It was delicious. My only (and very small) complaint is that it could have used more dressing.
My husband’s pasta salad was tangy and creamy, It was everything he loves in pasta salad.
I really want to get back to this place. It was funky and eclectic, the owners totally sweet.

I went here with a group of friends during the week. There was a table of 8 of us and the restaurant only had about 4 other people in it. You go up to place your order and then they bring it to you. I tried the meatloaf, which was a very generous serving, and very good. I had the mac and cheese and baked beans on the side. The mac and cheese was scalding hot and the baked beans were cold. Not sure if that is how the beans were supposed to be served. I also tried the Buttermilk pie, which is similar to a sugar crème pie. It was a nice end to the meal. They ran out of meatloaf when we were there so some of group couldn’t get it if they wanted it. The service was nice, I liked that they had a bin out for recycling and water from the tap was what you got if you wanted water. A great atmosphere and not expensive.

I had fallen in love with the Hoshi Melt when I visited the J. S. Reutz Café on 10^th Street, and I was hoping The Square Rootz Deli was owned by the same people. I was so happy when I walked in and saw the menu boards above the counter were the same ones that had hung on the wall on 10^th Street.
I think they will get a lot more business in Fountain Square, and a lot more fans.
I think I make a killer meatloaf, and I’m hesitant to order it out because I’m often disappointed. But not here. It’s very, very good. But my absolute favorite is the Hoshi Melt. I’m usually stuffed to the gills by the time I walk out of this place, but that’s not a bad thing. Everything I’ve had here is so good.
The owner and the staff are very nice. They check on you often and really seem to care that you are having a great dining experience. It’s quickly becoming a favorite dining destination!

Awesome food & baked goods! Staff is wonderful. I had the Hoshi Melt and it was fabulous!!! The Buttermilk pie was out of this world.
Love the old sodas that they have. took me back to my childhood. This will be a place I will visit often.

Some guys step up to the plate and hit a grand slam. This is exactly what happened with Square Rootz.
The staff are as friendly as can be, and the décor is fun and funky.
Of course, that would amount to nothing if the food wasn’t excellent… which it is here.
If you’re like me, you’ll look at the menu and have a hard time deciding what you want. I was steered towards the Hoshi Melt, and I’m glad I was. This sandwich was warm, filling, and satisfying. I’ve had a couple of other items from the menu, but this is my favorite. It’s unique. something you won’t find anywhere else, and you won’t be sorry.
The desserts are splendid, and the old time sodas are a nice touch.
It’s a long way from home to Fountain Square for us… but Square Rootz is certainly worth the drive!

We met friends here for dinner after they raved about the place. They were right! The atmosphere was fun, the food was delicious and made-​to-​order (even accommodating our picky 8-​yr-​old son), and the owner/​hosts were very friendly. We loved the old-​fashioned sodas available, and the owner said there would be even more selections coming.
This will be a regular stop for us when we’re in Fountain Square from now on. And be sure to leave room for the almond cake… it is to die for!

As reflected in my reviews and many food conversations with friends, I have always been a big fan of comfort food and those who prepare it. There’s something so special in this genre of cooking, as preparing a certain dish, inhaling its aroma or taking a couple bites of it can instantaneously reawaken happy memories of days gone by. It’s such a means of sharing a bit of your own life and memories to cook comfort food for other people. And, that’s why I like places like Square Rootz Deli and chefs/​restaurant owners like Jeff Reutz.
I first got to sample Reutz’s cooking when he catered for one of my wife’s work events that I was fortunate enough to attend. It was a good thing I showed up with an empty stomach, as I was treated to hearty portions of moist, flavorful meatloaf, creamy macaroni & cheese and — the biggest star of the show — a slice of Reutz’s renowned buttermilk pie. Now, at first thought, you may think of «buttermilk» and «pie» as two things that should never have a meeting of minds. But, that would only mean that you’ve never tried one. Think of a sweet and buttery chess pie without the lemon flavoring, and you’ll be on the right track. If you haven’t tried either pie, well, get busy. You’ve got some fulfilling work ahead of you! So, needless to say, I was a fan of Reutz’s food right from the start.
My wife and I unfortunately never made it over to his former J.S. Reutz Café on East 10^th before it closed, so we were thrilled when we heard he would be setting up shop in Fountain Square a little closer to us. We stopped in a couple weeks after it opened, and were really happy with what we saw and ate. The hearty portions of good, home-​style food still exist in a contemporary, artsy interior well suited for the trendy Fountain Square District. Another great feature as Square Rootz Deli is the wall of soda, with all kinds of hard to find soda pops from all over the country. Cheerwine goes mighty well with a good sandwich.
What I like Square Rootz Deli’s food is that Reutz is taking the comfort food a lot of us grew up with and experimenting with new twists for our grown adult foodie tastebuds. Try the the Hoshi Sandwich for example – a generous slab of meatloaf on good bread topped with bacon, Swiss cheese and spinach dip. Yes, it sounds like a heart-​stopper, but just wait for one of those cold, rainy or snowy days to eat one and see if it isn’t a one-​way ticket to Happytown. And, don’t — I mean don’t — forget to save room for the buttermilk pie.

Great homemade food, friendly service, and locally owned. This is a great addition to Fountain Square. Very reasonably priced as well. Definitely worth a visit. You’ll be back if you do.

I’m glad to see Square Rootz as an addition to the Fountain Square dining scene. The owner and staff create a welcoming environment with friendly service and fun décor! Great sandwiches and home-​style comfort food. The meatloaf is great as well as the macaroni and cheese! Love their sandwiches as well. I’ve been several times since they opened and have always had a tasty meal.
Welcome to the neighborhood!

every wednesday i look forward to eating lunch here. everything is always delicious, from the sandwiches to the sides (which are always changing!). and what a great beverage selection!
square rootz is definitely a welcome addition to the diverse selection of restaurants in fountain square, offering good taste & fresh, healthy selections at a reasonable price.
and even better… they’re going to start offering a weekly vegetarian special! other restaurants… take note!