The lunch box is a flexible contraption, effective for tasks as diverse as toting sandwiches, advertising superheroes, and hiding hastily shrink-rayed school bullies. Avenge yourself of old lunchtime rivalries with today’s Groupon: for $10, you get a three-course lunch box with a Datz chef (a $20 value) at Datz Delicatessen & Foodie’s Market on MacDill Avenue.

At Datz Delicatessen, a deli, wine bar, bakery, and food market are combined to create an exciting establishment of culinary specialties. Today's deal is for a three-course interactive lunch experience ($20) known as The Lunch Box, held from Monday through Friday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and hosted by a Datz chef. Lunch themes change every day, so budding hash slingers and gourmands can choose the most appealing menu option and relax in a fun culinary setting as an experienced chef demonstrates the proper spicing and dough-romancing techniques, all before eating something much tastier than another microwave astronaut meal. Past Lunch Box themes have included classes such as Secrets of Stir-Fry—which paired pork with leeks, eggs with tomato, mushrooms with bok choy, and stirrers with fries—and Bacon-Mania, an admittedly odd name for a class that taught alimentary artists how to make bacon coffee, candied pistachio bacon, and bacon cupcakes.

Datz’s expansive, attractively bricked, and wood-floored interior is filled with canned products, wine bottles galore, and the charming sounds of live music being danced to by customers and pirouetting elephants. Excuse yourself from work with a believable story about Wite-Out pen disasters and take part in a tasty, cooperative lunchtime experience.

Not good with any other offers. Reservations must be booked online.

As of August 31, 2011, The Lunch Box event is no longer available. Groupon customers may now use this Groupon for $20 worth of any items in the restaurant.

Reviews

Reviewers from the Tampa Tribune, St. Petersburg Times, and Creative Loafing all drool over Datz's menu.

• The kitchen elevates the humble, hearty sandwich to new heights, piling thick-sliced epicurean meats on double-baked bread. – Rommie Johnson, Tampa Tribune
• Double dilemma: how to fit the roasted turkey breast, honey ham, Nueske's bacon, Vermont white cheddar, romaine, tomato and grilled whole wheat in mouth without unhinging jaw; how to stop eating the housemade chips (deeply russet, perfectly salted, greaseless, with a drizzle of some kind of aioli) and good-as-Carnegie-Deli half sour pickle. – Laura Reiley, St. Petersburg Times
• The key to enjoying the Datz Deli experience -- and it is immensely enjoyable -- is to ignore that the place is supposed to be a deli. Walk in the front door and you're confronted with racks of well-chosen wine and coolers full of craft brews and imports. Veer to the left and you'll pass refrigerated cases jammed with fresh desserts, from mini-tarts to red velvet cakes. ¬– Brian Ries, Creative Loafing

TripAdvisors give Datz 3.5 stars, Yelpers give four, and 84% of more than 440 Urbanspooners recommend it:

• We tried Roger’s Rockin’ Reuben, The Iron Mike Tate Club & Sara’s Hot ‘N Cole, all definitely more than we could eat in one setting. Their signature blue-cheese and chips are a perfect blend of salty & sweet. – nathansharp, TripAdvisor
• Datz is a gem! The atmosphere is wonderful and great for all occasions and the food is wonderful. I would recommend the burgers, they are served on a sweet sourdough bun that makes the burger and don't forget to add their super yummy bacon. – K Z., Yelp
• Best sandwich I have ever had. Amazing variety of sandwiches beer and wine. Great atmosphere. I eat here every time I come to Tampa – Michael Osborn, Urbanspoon