Beach Hut Deli sandwich chain says it has the best bathrooms on drive to Tahoe

Beach Hut Deli’s retro Volkswagen bus parked outside its location in Folsom, Calif. I’ve probably made the more than a hundred times in my life. Two things I’ll never turn down on the drive up: tasty sandwiches and clean bathrooms. Beach Hut Deli takes equal pride in both. A surf themed chain of sandwich shops, Beach Hut has dozens of locations across the state, but its delis in the foothills off Interstate 80 and U.S.

50 make for perfect stops en route to the Sierra Nevada. The restaurants’ beach theme, including a branded , may seem out of place in an area far more known for snowboarding than surfing. But that’s just part of Beach Hut’s charm. Advertisement Article continues below this ad With an easy smile and carefree demeanor, founder and CEO Troy Feist, who grew up boogie boarding on the Southern California coast, embodies the surfer vibe.

“I’ve worn flip flops and shorts, ever since I lived in Southern California,” Feist said, “even in Northern California.” But don’t be fooled. Behind the Hawaiian shirt is a calculated businessman. The outside of the Beach Hut Deli in Folsom, Calif. With a $55,000 loan from his father, Feist started the first Beach Hut Deli near Folsom in 1981 when he was 19 years old.

It may be a fledgling sandwich empire now, but Feist worked two jobs to keep the restaurant afloat in the early days. The company didn’t open a second location for 17 years. But when it expanded, it did so quickly, with more than 40 locations and more planned for the near future. The beach theme has even come full circle, with delis opening in actual surf towns like Santa Cruz and Newport Beach.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad | | | | Nevertheless, the Sierra Nevada foothills are still the company’s hub, with 26 locations in the greater Sacramento area. And for the locations along the drive from the Bay Area to Lake Tahoe, travelers make up a massive percentage of the stores’ business.

On popular weekends like MLK Day or July Fourth, Beach Hut Delis on the Tahoe route can have up to 200% more customers than normal. Similar to other , these Beach Hut Delis are busiest when snow forces nearby highways to close. Towns like Colfax and Auburn are often the first places travelers can stop to wait out the storm.

The Surfin’ Bird, a take on a Turkey BLT, is Beach Hut Deli’s biggest seller. Across all their stores, Beach Hut Deli’s biggest seller is the Surfin’ Bird. A turkey BLT, the Surfin’ Bird features avocado and the deli’s signature spread: cream cheese. Feist says creating the Surfin’ Bird felt like when a band writes their first hit single — it completely changed the game.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad I’d never had cream cheese on a deli sandwich before, but when I sampled the Surfin’ Bird at the Colfax Beach Hut Deli, the effect was delicious. Its smooth texture and flavor separated the Surfin’ Bird from other turkey BLT sandwiches without overpowering the rest of the ingredients.

The Santa Cruz, Beach Hut Deli’s take on a pastrami sandwich. Cream cheese is found on the Santa Cruz, the deli’s excellent take on a hot pastrami. I’m no expert, but I’d put the Santa Cruz up against some of the rest of the state’s best . Sandwiches from Beach Hut Deli. Like another on the road to Tahoe, Beach Hut Deli features a secret menu for customers in the know.

The Dark Bite, a chopped pastrami with avocado and plenty of jalapeños, is a cult favorite that you can’t find on the normal menu. For obvious reasons, Feist wasn’t at liberty to divulge too much information about the secret menu options. While customers come for the sandwiches and salads, the delis also offer something even more enticing to drivers who have been behind the wheel for hours: clean, well stocked bathrooms.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad The award winning (according to management) bathroom at Beach Hut Deli’s location in Colfax, Calif. Beach Hut Deli management claims to have won an award for the best bathrooms on the drive to Lake Tahoe (although SFGATE couldn’t find any record of the honor).

The bathrooms seemed perfectly nice to me but nothing special. Although under certain circumstances, there’s no truer oasis than a clean, lineless bathroom. “We have staff on call when [snowstorms] are happening,” Feist said. “You definitely have to be a weatherman for this location.” Feist noted that anyone can use the facilities, customer or not.

“This is the last bathroom stop on the way to Tahoe,” he said of the Colfax location, “and this is the first bathroom stop on the way back from Tahoe.” Whether you’re ordering from the secret menu, the normal one or just desperately need somewhere to pee, Beach Hut Deli has you covered. Advertisement Article continues below this ad — — — —.