So much more that just 'that early movie from the director of Amélie', Delicatessen (1991) is, in my not-so-humble opinion, the archetypical Jean-Pierre Jeunet movie - even more so than 'La cité des enfants perdus' (1995). All the elements that define his style in later movies are already here: strange colouring (everything is tinted a yellowish brown, adding to the atmosphere of poverty and general strangeness), great eye for detail, unsuspected plot twists and lots of wonderful, often rather subtle, black humour. All the characters involved are unique - not to call them plainly weird - and Jeunet's favorite actor Dominique Pinon gives a splendid performance as the unlikely, tragicomic hero Louison. It is also wonderfully French: imagine 'Irma La Douce' meets 'Papillon' sometime after world war III.

Both touching and very funny, the movie is also rather gruesome at times. Very visibly made with love. A classic you probably want to see more than once, and if you do, you'll keep making new discoveries.

A short summary of the contents (no real spoilers):
This story takes place in an unspecified, post-apocalypse urban environment. There seems to be a lack of many things, such as any kind of modern technology, but more importantly: food. The landlord of a rather derelict apartment building has a great solution for this problem: he slaughters his unsuspecting new tenants and sells their meat in his butcher shop.
However, that is not the future his latest tenant-and-janitor, former clown Louison, has in mind for himself. Unfortunately, running is not an option, since he is very much in love with the landlord's sweet, but awkward daughter. Add in the ministrations of a rather confused underground resistance group, hiding out in the sewers, and you have all the makings of a great black comedy.

If you are interested: there was a documentary made about this movie, "Charcuterie fine" (1991). You'll find more info on that in the IMDB.