It’s not Wawa, but everyone wishes it was.

Gus’s Deli, located next to Looney’s Pub in Bel Air, used to be a Wawa with fantastic subs, mouth-watering macaroni and cheese, and drinks to quench any thirst.

But Gus’s Deli just claims to have the best snack foods:  the best pizza for 50 miles, the best hot dogs for 42.3 miles, and a random concoction of peanuts with a potato chip coating called Nutterz.

Nutterz are from Baltimore, the only city in America that would come up with such a crazy snack idea. After you get used to the crunchy/smooth texture which is similar to the consistency of crunchy peanut butter, they become quite addicting. Nutterz come in flavors of crab, bacon cheddar, jalapeño cheddar, Bloody Mary and Nuclear.

The shelves seemed somewhat empty when I went in around six o’clock p.m.  But this is just the beginning of the day at Gus’s.  Their main business comes from the late night crowd at Looney’s.

For the Looney’s crowd, I suggest the Krackin’ Krab Corn Chowder. It was like heaven in a cup.

The chowder was smooth and rich with a spicy kick from an Old Bay seasoning blend that was sprinkled evenly throughout the crab -filled chowder. The corn was not at all overpowering. It simply brought out the taste of the Krackin’ Krab.

The bread of the tuna melt was toasted to perfection with a crisp bite on the outside and a cushion for the fillings.  However, the tuna was just awful, soggy and bland, with a texture similar to baby food. The cheese and bacon toppings were chewy and only touched a quarter of the sandwich, coming off first when I tried to bite into it.

But if you look past the tuna, the employees were extremely friendly,  suggesting some of the different things their deli offered and making their customers feel right at home with a free sample of their best products, like the chowder.

I would definitely suggest giving Gus’s a try. It’s not Wawa, obviously, but it’s the next best thing.

Sarah Kearby is a Layout Editor for “The Patriot.”