Brents Deli – The Best Jewish Deli in the San Fernando Valley

In its early days, Brent’s Deli was known for its enormous sandwiches, which were made with generous portions of meat and cheese.Today, Brent’s Deli is still known for its huge sandwiches, as well as its matzo ball soup, latkes, and other traditional Jewish dishes.

The deli has come to be beloved by Angelenos of all backgrounds, who come from all over the city to enjoy its food. Thanks to its popularity, Brent’s Deli has expanded over the years, and now has locations in Northridge and Westlake Village.

And they have a substantial catering business too so you can have their food at your wedding, bris, bar mitzvah or even for a work lunch in your office.

The menu at Brent’s is extensive, and includes all of the classic deli staples like pastrami sandwiches and matzo ball soup. And a full array of Jewish desserts too!

If you’re looking for a delicious deli experience in Los Angeles, and especially in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, Brent’s is definitely the place to go. The restaurants are large relative to most Jewish delis and have a lively atmosphere and buzz that make them stand out.

Brent’s Deli History

Brent’s Deli is a Los Angeles institution that has been in operation since 1967. Brent’s deli was started by Ron Peskin. He had worked at a variety of delis throughout the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles.

He was looking to advance his career and was offered a position to manage an existing deli in Northridge. Mr. Peskin turned down the offer. And then the owner offered to sell him the business.

Mr. Peskin and his wife Patricia purchased Brents and started the business with 11 employees and one delivery truck. They kept the name because they had a son named Brent and it seemed smart to keep the name!

At the beginning, Mr. Peskin was there daily making all the sandwiches. His focus on quality food, a pleasant atmosphere, and a well run restaurant has been a key part of its success.

And this is why it made our list of Top Jewish Delis in the United States!

Today Brent’s is still a family run business with Ron and, son, Brent, daughter-in-law, Dori, and granddaughters, Taylor and Jordan at the helm as part of the restaurant’s management team.

Here’s What You Need to Know For Your Visit to Brents Deli

Brents Deli Address and Hours

Brents has two locations. The original location is older and in Northridge.

The newer location in Westlake village is the one shown in the photos above. It is more updated and also has a nice bar in the back.

Brents – Northridge Location

Address: 19565 Parthenia St, Northridge, CA 91324

Phone: (818) 886-5679

This location is in an office park area so there is ample free parking in the lot.

Address: 2799 Townsgate Rd, Westlake Village, CA 91361

Phone: (805) 557-1882

Brents “Deli Specials” Signs

They have a sandwich board outside that shows the daily specials. This is a nice touch.

As you walk in from the parking lot you can’t miss it and its a great way to let customers know what their daily specials are.

To Go Order Counter

When you walk through the door, immediately to your left you will see a counter to place a to go order. It has a beautiful presentation as you can see salami’s drying out which is rare these days, Brents own merchandise, cookies, and many other products are also for sale in this area.

My Favorite Menu Items at Brents Deli

Now that I’ve shared the experience of walking into the restaurant, let’s get on to the deli food.

Black Pastrami Reuben

This is the #1 item on Brent’s menu and their most popular item.

This features their unique black pastrami which has a deeper seasoning than a regular pastrami.

Black pastrami is often considered to be more of a “New York style” approach to pastrami because it has a slightly different flavor profile. During the process, pastrami is heavily seasoned with some dry herbs and spices before being smoked. This gives it a black exterior ring which makes it visually stand out from regular pastrami and it enhances the savory taste too.

The interior is tender with perfectly matched swiss cheese, coleslaw and a hot cabbage sauerkraut. These provide a near perfect balance to the pastrami and a variety of flavors and textures in every bit.

Finally, it is served with their thick-cut steak French fries and coleslaw on the side. The Coleslaw is very good deli slaw. But to be honest, thick cut steak fries in general are very old at this point and tend to be mushy and lacking flavor. Hopefully they will replace and improve them in the future.

#13 Hot Pastrami and Swiss

This sandwich is one of their best. It is a  tender cut of pastrami, topped with Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Brent’s house Russian dressing. It is all layered between two thick slices of hot, double-baked rye bread. Served with potato salad and Steak French fries

This is one of Brent’s TOP items. It is similar to the #19 at Langer’s Deli. Overall, the sandwich is excellent and if you love pastrami and rye, you will love it!

The pastrami is tender. The swiss is creamy. The coleslaw has bit of tangy and is slightly on the sweeter side. And the rye bread is twice baked so it has the crispy crunch around the edges.

My only critique is that the coleslaw side of the sandwich was a bit moist – the coleslaw is seeping through the bread. It’s not an issue if you eat the sandwich quickly and don’t take photos for your deli site. So you might not even experience this issue, LOL.

The French fries are very basic – the larger, less flavorful steak cut French fries.

Turkey French Dip with Sautéed Onions

This sandwich is Fresh roasted turkey topped with sautéed onions and Pepperjack Cheese. Served on a french roll with a side of au jus. Overall it is quite tasty and I will definitely re-order. My only critique of the sandwich is that the turkey was a bit too salty.

So when you add the saltier French dip, the overall taste had way too much sodium.

In addition to their world-famous pastrami sandwiches, Brent’s Deli also offers a variety of other menu items that are sure to please any appetite. Their matzo ball soup is legendary, and their Reuben sandwich has been voted “Best in Los Angeles” by multiple publications.

Atmosphere and Service

The wait staff is very solid and attentive. At lunchtime, when we went most recently, it was very busy and we had a slight wait. Service was quick and efficient. Because it’s in an office park setting, it doesn’t have the Jewish feel or vibe of a place like Canter’s Deli, but the food is excellent and it is a pleasant atmosphere.

 Video: Brent’s Deli