Looking for a good pastrami sandwich? Check out these South Florida Jewish delis

Pastrami, chopped liver, blintzes, herring in cream sauce: These rich and cholesterol-inducing delicacies that Jews brought to America from Eastern Europe are rarely seen on restaurant menus anymore.

How lucky we are in South Florida to still be able to find these deli delights. Traditional delicatessens have been closing all over the country for the past few decades, but Palm Beach and Broward counties remain a last bastion for these old-school eateries, complete with brusque atmosphere, irritated wait staff, no-sharing rules and freedom to talk with your mouth full.

We’ve rounded up a sampling for you to check out. Although the delis bill themselves as Jewish, most are not kosher and some even sell bacon and other pork products. Many have decided to modernize for the 21st century by providing salads, wraps and paninis. But they still offer the classics, and that includes succulent smoked fish, salty sliced meats on rye bread and exquisite doughy pastries.

No matter where you live in South Florida, these restaurants are worth the schlep.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

3G’s Gourmet Deli & Restaurant, 5869 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-498-3910; 3gsdeli.com

3G’s has the old-fashioned smoked fish items you would expect in a Jewish deli: lox, sturgeon, sable, whitefish and herring in cream sauce with onions ($8.95 for the appetizer). There’s a lengthy list of meaty sandwiches, including the Triple Decker Club ($21.95), which has turkey, ham, cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato on three slices of bread. There are also knishes, bagels, brisket and kasha varnishkes (buckwheat groats with bow-tie pasta). Sharing charge is $7.95 at dinner.

Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen, 9942 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton; 561-470-9963; bensdeli.net

You can find several “overstuffed” deli sandwiches for less than $20 at this Florida outpost of a small New York chain. There’s corned beef, pastrami, brisket, turkey, knockwurst and tongue (“pickled on the premises”), all served with pickles and coleslaw. Fountain sodas and Dr. Brown’s soda are in the $2 to $3 range. Chicken soup with a matzo ball is $6.99, although they will charge you for an extra matzo ball ($2.29).

Flakowitz of Boynton, 7410 W. Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach; 561-742-4144; flakowitzofboynton.com

Smoked fish platters (“cut on the premises”) are $15.75 to $22.95; a corned beef sandwich goes for $17.95. Old-country relics such as Hungarian Goulash ($21.95) and Stuffed Cabbage ($22.95) are on the menu for dinner. There’s also a Flakowitz Bagel Inn in Boca Raton (see flakowitzofbocabagelinn.com).

Jacob’s Restaurant & Delicatessen, 3861 W. Woolbright Road, Boynton Beach; 561-734-9195

All deli sandwiches, which they promise will be “overstuffed,” are $15.95, while combination sandwiches, such as corned beef and tongue, range in price from $14.95 to $19.95. Said one deli connoisseur recently in the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group, “Let’s Eat, South Florida“: “The pastrami was thick-cut (the way I like it), freshly steamed, moist and delicious! The rye bread was absolutely amazing … crunchy/chewy crust and the interior soft as a cloud, but held up under sandwich-holding pressure.”

Ruven’s, 13800 Jog Road, Delray Beach; 561-499-9003; ruvensdeli.com

Billing itself as a “true kosher-style New York delicatessen experience in South Florida,” Ruven’s has more of a 21st-century deli menu, with paninis, create-your-own-salads and Shrimp Salad Wraps ($16.95). Still, there are lots of classic deli options, including Hot Open Corned Beef and Pastrami ($20.95). And what fun to find Matzo Brei ($11.95), the comforting fried matzo dish usually associated with Passover.

Zinger’s Delicatessen, 7132 Beracasa Way, Boca Raton; 561-826-7323; zingersdeli.com

How many restaurants serve knishes anymore, let alone six varieties? Zinger’s offers lots of these vintage treats, including blintzes ($14 for three), fried kreplach ($9.49) and a chopped liver sandwich ($14.48). According to one fan posting on “Let’s Eat, South Florida“: “Zinger’s Deli in West Boca off Palmetto was outstanding. Had turkey Reuben, potato pancakes … Highly recommend. Owner is new. Will definitely go back. P.S. The French fries were amazing too.”

BROWARD COUNTY

Myron’s Delicatessen & Cafe inside Harrah’s Casino, 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Pompano Beach; 954-972-2000; caesars.com/harrahs-pompano-beach/restaurants

The deli is named after Myron Cohen, a comedian and nightclub entertainer once popular in the Catskills Borscht Belt. A hot pastrami sandwich here is $17.99; a Nathan’s hot dog with sauerkraut is $10.99. Get an all-day breakfast with an assortment of eggs, pancakes and french toast for $7.99 to $14.99.

Goldberg’s Delicatessen and Bagels, 2701 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-669-1000; goldbergsbagelsfl.com

The first Florida outpost of Goldberg’s Famous Bagels, which has shops in New Jersey and the Hamptons, this Goldberg’s offers not only pastrami and corned-beef sandwiches and Carnegie Deli and Hebrew National meats by the pound, but also house-made knishes, breakfast platters and appetizing cases packed with whitefish, smoked salmon and tuna salads. The N.Y.-style water bagels, which are kettle-boiled then baked, feel like comfort food for the many Northeasterners who make Florida home. Co-owner Marc Goldberg uses the same bagel recipe at Grampa’s Cafe Bagels Bakery & Deli in Dania Beach (eatatgrampas.com), the landmark 66-year-old diner off North Federal Highway that he revived in 2021 with Big Apple restaurant vet Mark Fried.

Mo’s Bagels & Deli, 800 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd., Hallandale Beach; 954-833-0080; link.me/mosbagels

Mo’s serves traditional Jewish comfort foods, including noodle pudding, fresh-baked challah, Hebrew National hot dogs, blintzes and stuffed cabbage. But in an interview with the Sun Sentinel in 2020, owner Hussin “Mo” Mohamed emphasized the importance of modernizing to attract youthful crowds, so he also offers contemporary menu items such as Gorgonzola salads ($20.99). Six styles of matzo brei ($12.99 to $18.99) and a Hot Dog/Potato Knish combo ($14.99) balance out the vegetarian items, which include a Veggie Tuna Salad Wrap ($18.99). Mo’s also has a location in Aventura, which Mohamed opened in 1995.

Pomperdale Famous New York Deli, 3055 E. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-771-9830; pomperdalenydeli.com

How often do you see a slice of noodle kugel on a menu ($5.49)? Or stuffed derma with gravy ($8.99)? Pomperdale’s sells these venerable Eastern European Jewish specialties along with some contemporary offerings, such as a Turkey Avocado Wrap ($13.99) and, for those who prefer light tastes, the I’ll Just Pick, a soup/half-sandwich combo for $13.99. “Let’s Eat, South Florida” foodies rave about this stalwart of more than 50 years: “It’s like a slice of a corner New York deli in Fort Lauderdale,” one reviewer wrote recently.

Van Horne Bagel & Deli, 5463 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek; 954-418-7100; vanhornebagel.com

You gotta love a deli where you can get breakfast and lunch all day long. A cheese omelet goes for $9.99; a lox platter is $15.99. A bowl of homemade chicken noodle or matzo ball soup is $5.49. Van Horne was founded in Montreal by Hyman Weiss in 1942 and still makes water-based bagels Weiss’ way ($1.50 each).

Bagel Snack, 1237 S. Powerline Road, Pompano Beach; 954-974-4564; bagelsnack.com

A hot corned beef sandwich goes for $16.99; an Open Faced Sandwich of brisket, turkey or roast beef for $17.99. According to one devoted patron who posted in “Let’s Eat, South Florida“: “Been going to Bagel Snack in Pompano Beach for many years for bagels, herring, onions and cream sauce, kasha knishes, bright green pickles and more. Yesterday I decided to sit and have breakfast. $10 for this amazing plate. It was incredible and I’ll be back for sure. Also included an everything bagel. Bottomless coffee was also great.”

Do you have a favorite kosher or kosher-style deli not on this list? Send to AskLois@sunsentinel.com.