Zaftigs Delicatessen

Zaftigs big claim to fame is that it’s “not your grandmother’s deli.”  They sure got that right.  If you’re looking for a traditional Jewish delicatessen, or a greasy spoon type place, then keep walking.  However if you want unique food combinations, friendly service, and a hip environment, this is the deli for you.  Located at 335 Harvard Street, Zaftigs is the type of place you will always leave satisfied.

Food

When you first sit down you’re presented with bagel chips and schmear to munch on while checking out your options.  But don’t fill up on them, or you’ll regret it!  While Zaftigs has a large menu with plenty of options for lunch or dinner, I would recommend sticking with the breakfast menu, which is unparalleled.

Empire Eggs is, without a doubt, my favorite thing on the menu and one of the best meals I’ve ever had.  While the combination may sound a bit unorthodox, it’s absolutely worth trying.  The base is a crisp potato pancake, with a thick piece of smoked salmon on top.  Then on top of that is leafy spinach and two perfectly poached eggs.  If that weren’t enough, it’s then covered with Hollandaise sauce.  Clearly this item is not diet friendly, but I guarantee you won’t care.

If you’re looking for something a bit more decadent I would suggest any of the three French toast options.  The chocolate French toast comes with raspberry sauce, perfect for someone who really loves sweets.  The challah French toast is thick and fresh.  However the best of the three is the banana stuffed French toast.  It’s the perfect amount of sweetness since it’s cooked a delicious bourbon-vanilla batter.

Two omelettes were suggestted to me by the wait staff, but I would only recommend one of them.  They were the Macintosh Apple and Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese Omelette and the Tomato, Scallion, and Cream Cheese Omelette.  They were dead on with the apple and cheese one, the sweetness and sharpness contrasted nicely.  However the other omelette had far too much cream cheese, essentially taking over the flavors of the tomato and scallion.  If you’re looking for a non-traditional omelette, then definitely go for the apple and cheese one!

Complaints

If you want to go on a weekend either make a reservation a few days in advance, or don’t go hungry.  On any given Saturday or Sunday morning you’re looking at an hour to two hour wait, maybe more.  There’s a reason it’s so popular in Brookline, but that makes for extremely long waits.

My other problem with Zaftigs is they have no liquor license.  So while they can serve beer, wine and champagne, they can’t serve any hard liquor.  That might be ok if you’re looking for a mimosa, however you’re out of luck if you’re craving a bloody mary.

Rating:

3.5 out of 4 forks

If you’re looking for a break from the typical eggs and bacon breakfast joint, this is place for you.  Just don’t forget to bring your appetite (as long as you made a reservation)!