Jewish food has become incredibly popular over the years and has won the hearts of British foodies. Therefore, it is no surprise that London, which is called the melting pot of cuisines from all around the world, has wholeheartedly embraced Jewish eateries. If you have tried Jewish delis in the US and are looking to try something unique in the UK, we recommend visiting the following Jewish delis in London.
These Jewish delis offer Jewish cuisine that can be quite familiar or exotic, depending on your taste and food influences. The food offered at these delis has an Eastern European influence as well as some influence from Middle Eastern ad Sephardi traditions. This is the reason why you can find amazing Jewish dishes such as Brisket Hash, Chicken Liver, Ox-tail Falafel, etc., in these delis.
Here Are Some of the Best Jewish Deli London Spots
Monty’s Deli
Monty’s Deli is a nostalgic location for many New Yorkers in London who can’t enjoy their favorite Reuben and Pastrami sandwiches in their hometown.
Monty’s Deli serves many Jewish-style foods to customers who are fond of salty pastrami, along with tart pickles and freshly made rye bread. You can find delicious babka, fresh bagels, and the most amazing Reuben sandwich in London at Monty’s Deli.
If you visit the deli in the evening, you can try out their chopped egg, challah, lokshen, and chicken soup to satisfy your cravings.
Monty’s is the best place to go if you are craving comfort Jewish food or Jewish soul food. The dishes may seem simple at first glance, but they are prepared with great care and love.
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Zobler’s Deli & Diner
Zobler’s Deli & Diner is one of the swankiest Jewish delis you will come across in London. It is situated at the same location where Midlands Banks headquarters used to be and is set by the amazing members club called the Ned.
Although you might feel intimidated entering the Jewish deli with its brass-brushed and marble décor, you can find some heartwarming chicken soup here, along with delicious salmon towers that can make you wide-eyed in wonder.
If you are looking for a good place to visit for lunch or brunch with a friend, be sure to bring them here for a quick snack or a delicious meal. The cheesecake from Zobler’s is a must-try and comes highly recommended to first-time visitors.
Reubens
Reubens is another top-notch spot for Jewish-style deli food and comes second to none regarding quality. The deli was started in 1973 under the guidance of the Sephardi Kashrut Authority and still continues to offer great food at reasonable prices. They take pride in its fresh meat, which is supplied by London’s best kosher butchers.
Similar to the meat, the fish is also delivered fresh so that all seafood dishes carry a distinctly delicious taste. The salt beef or corned beef at the deli is also steamed with a special recipe, making it one of the best Jewish offerings in London.
All the vegetables and sides are prepared fresh for each dish so patrons can easily appreciate the flavor of each ingredient.
Beigel Bake
Newcomers and Americans visiting the deli do not have high expectations of the food since they wonder how good a bagel can be in London. Nevertheless, when you order their offerings from the menu, you’ll be surprised by the quality and taste of Beigel Bake’s bagels.
You might have to stand in line for your turn at the deli, but the wait is more than worth it since you can choose from various bagel toppings and bagels. Aside from the bagels, the deli also offers delicious salt beef/ corned beef, which can be paired with their bagels or fresh bread.
The deli is a little small, but it is clean, and the staff is quite friendly and helpful. Although it isn’t on par with bagels in the US, it is a league apart from other bagels in London!
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The Barbary
If you want to enjoy some delicious Jewish food, we recommend visiting the Barbary, which is a restaurant related to the well-acclaimed Palomar.
This restaurant is famous for serving some of the most delicious Israeli food in London. You can find this small eatery tucked in Covent Garden’s Neal’s Yard, which allows only 24 guests to be seated at a time. If you don’t have a reservation at this location, you can expect to wait with many others in line but with some delicious treats to nosh on.
While waiting, you can try out their delicious Moroccan cigars and lamb parcels that are mouth-wateringly juicy. The eatery offers foods influenced by Jerusalem and the Barbary coast and delicacies like Octopus Mashawsha and Cauliflower Jaffa that will keep you coming back for more.
B & K Salt Beef Bar
B & K Salt Beef Bar is an unpretentious Jewish deli and diner which serves some amazing Jewish dishes in London. It is situated in Edgeware in the North of London and offers some of the best beef in London.
Customers who are regulars of the deli will tell you that their salt beef is on par with the corned beef found in Jewish delis in New York. You can find other Jewish deli classics here too, such as dumplings, salads, gefilte fish, and more.
If you are in a hurry, you can quickly visit the deli and ask them for a salt beef on rye with mustard, and that delicious sandwich will have you sold with the first bite.
Many people get cravings for their salt beef sandwich even days after they’ve tried it, so you can understand how well-seasoned the deli’s meat might be. The staff is quite helpful at the deli and can easily make a first-time visitor feel welcome.
Beigel Shop
Beigel Shop is a great spot in London that makes some incredible quality bagels that can give any other Jewish bakery a run for its money. The deli is a small space that serves great Jewish food you can find in all of London. They claim to be the first place to bring bagels to the UK, back in 1855. And yes, they use an alternative spelling to bagel that is commonly used in the United States.
As soon as you enter, you will see a variety of desserts to your left which can tempt you to try dessert before the mains. If you can overcome the temptation, be sure to order a hot salt pork beigel as the main. This is obviously not kosher.
The sandwich comes in a hefty portion and contains red-colored salt pork that melts in your mouth as soon as you bite into it. Although you would expect the meat to be quite salty, it is reasonably seasoned and is served in a beigel that is light, chewy, and slightly sweet.
The Good Egg
If you are looking for a tasty and comforting Jewish dish, you must visit The Good Egg in Soho and Stoke-Newington. You can find comforting Tel-Avivian food along with classic Jewish dishes that can please anyone’s palate.
You can also enjoy a thick slice of challah French toast, Hannukah-style brisket, or a mouth-watering sabich sandwich. The deli also offers a great variety of bagels and ingredients that you can purchase for making Jewish-style dishes at home.
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Beigel Bake’s Salt Beef is the Katz’s Pastrami of London — Dining on a Dime
Lucas Peterson is loose on the streets of London, and he’s looking for a hearty snack. This episode of Dining on a Dime takes him down Brick Lane to try beigels (not to be confused with bagels) and salt beef from Beigel Bake, an old-school Jewish-style Cafe that serves sandwiches 24 hours a day.
Best Jewish Deli London – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the most famous Jewish restaurant in London?
Bloom’s restaurant is known to be one of the most famous Jewish restaurants in London.
What is the most popular Jewish deli dish in London?
Salt beef or corned beef is London’s most popular Jewish deli-style dish. You can easily find salt beef at Jewish delis in London and even try it with mustard and rye bread.
What are some great Jewish delis in London?
Some of the most popular Jewish delis in London are The Good Egg, B & K Salt Beef Bar, Reubens, and Monty’s deli.
Summary
Jewish delis in Chicago, LA, or Seattle may offer customers a larger variety of Jewish delicacies, but some might argue that the quality of Jewish food in London is much better.
The bagels found in Jewish delis in London are much lighter and fresher, while salt beef does not contain as much sodium as is found in pastrami or corned beef.
If you are exploring the Jewish food scene in London, be sure to try out some specialties mentioned above and see if they live up to your expectations.
My name is Jay and I started this website to share my love of Deli Food. I am Jewish with Italian ancestry and grandparents who emigrated to the US from Poland, Russia and Turkey. This website is my celebration of the delicious flavors of international deli culture. Please feel free to send me your suggestions and feedback through the contact form.
