Goldberg Delicatessen and Bagels recently opened in the space that housed many unsuccessful predecessors, each lasting only two years (Santa Lucia, Ruggero’s Ristorante, Brown Dog Eatery, and most recently, Kraft Bistro & Deli).
Marc Goldberg, a third-generation bagel maker, has been hand-rolling dough since 1970 for Goldberg’s Famous Bagels, with 10 shops in New Jersey and the Hamptons. Now, he’s paired with Nick Maltese, a restaurant equipment supplier for what they hope will be the first of many locations in South Florida.
They’ve done a nice job of turning the former bistro into a true deli, with a long display case where the bar once stood. and the fare is exactly what you’d expect from a classic Jewish deli, albeit with a few modern updates to the menu. First and foremost are the bagels. All the flavors you’d expect with only one “exotic” addition, a sunflower bagel. No sun-dried tomatoes, asiago cheese, or blueberries here, just nice chewy NYC-style bagels.
If you’re stopping by for breakfast there are numerous options for bagel sandwiches, from its “Anything on a Bagel” section, all of which include a choice of home fries, fries, or hash browns. Decidedly not standard Jewish deli fare, such as bacon, sausage, ham, or pastrami, and eggs with cheese, or a healthy version with egg whites, turkey and Swiss in a wrap, and of course lox and cream cheese. Fish platters include choices with lox and capers or avocado along with the usual accompaniments and the “Trio”: a choice of any three; nova scotia salmon, white fish salad, baked salmon salad, pickled herring with choice of three cream cheeses, served with three bagels, lettuce, tomato, onions, and capers for $45. That’s $15 a sandwich, about four bucks cheaper than a lox sandwich on its own and the average price of a breakfast bagel.
Omelets are a bit on the pricey side (even for a four-egg version), averaging $17 although they are served with home fries, French fries, hashbrowns, grits, or oatmeal. And a choice of toast, English muffin, or bagel. One of the modern menu items is avocado toast, served with either feta cheese or mozzarella, tomato, basil, and balsamic glaze. Other breakfast classics include waffles, pancakes, French toast, cheese blintzes, potato pancakes, and because Florida is in the South, biscuits and gravy.
Goldberg’s is also open for lunch and that menu also includes all the classics you’d expect, plus a few surprises. Large, over-stuffed sandwiches are served on rye, multi-grain bread, or a bagel and served with coleslaw, macaroni salad, or potato salad, and pickle. The options include warm Carnegie Deli corned beef or pastrami, brisket, roast beef, hard salami, Hebrew National salami, turkey pastrami, or fresh roast turkey.
Sandwiches run about $19, with a soup and half sandwich combo for $16. Soup options include chicken noodle, matzo ball, or the soup of the day. Platters run $14-$22 and offer an extensive array of choices of sandwiches such as the Bayview Dip with roast beef and melted muenster with au jus, a turkey club, a hot open-faced turkey, roast beef, or brisket, served with mashed potatoes or vegetables, and gravy, an Italian combo, BLT, and turkey and corned beef Reubens. There are also burgers (meat and Impossible), Hebrew National hot dogs, and knockwurst.
The selection of salads is vast including Greek, wedge, Cobb, Caesar, chef’s, or chopped all of which can be augmented with avocado, grilled chicken tuna, or egg salad. Knish options include potato, kasha, meat, spinach, and a first, hot dog-filled! Service is friendly and efficient. My coffee (which was delicious) was refilled three times, without me having to ask! It was nearly $50 for breakfast for two, a bit pricey, but quality costs, baby!
Goldberg’s Delicatessen and Bagels
2701 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
954-669-1000