New owners, same menu at W.D. Deli

Michael Bobo’s and Wayne Beers’ W.D. Deli has been a lunchtime institution and a LGBTQ-friendly icon for more that 30 years. It now belongs to someone else.

Steve Clemens and Kelly Palubiak bought the business, although Bobo and Beers will continue as owners of the property.

“It’s official, Kelly and I are the new owners of WD Deli on Broadway. We are so excited and proud to carry on this well known iconic San Antonio location,” Clemens posted on social media.

For now, the soup- and sandwich-heavy menu has stayed the same. Mike Sutter reviewed the spot in January for the first report in the Express-News’ 52 Weeks of Sandwiches series. He lauded the excellent spinach chicken salad sandwich and a chicken chipotle sandwich served on a ciabatta roll, and deemed W.D. Deli a top-tier, “worth a drive” destination.

W.D. Deli was founded in 1990 in Olmos Park. In 2002, it moved into a Southern-style mansion more than 100 years old on Broadway in Midtown near the Witte Museum. The building has been a family home, a steakhouse, a supper club and a bar called The Arena over the years.

The business and property were listed for sale in 2020.

Beers said he and Bobo have no intention of re-entering the restaurant business and plan to focus on their real estate interests and enjoy semiretirement.

“We loved our employees and everything we did so much, but it was time to move on,” Beers said. “I guess you could call it a bittersweet transition, but we know that Steve and Kelly were the perfect people to take over the business.”

W.D. Deli, 3123 Broadway, 210-828-2322. Online: wddeli.com

Mike Sutter / Staff file photo For now at least, fans of W.D. Deli will find their favorite soups and sandwiches — for example, the chicken chipotle Parmesan sandwich with melted Parmesan and chipotle mayo.