If you’ve lived in Denver a long time, you know about Zaidy’s. It’s an institution in the world of delicatessens. Even for non-standard deli fair, it has been very popular (they’re oatmeal is the gold standard against which we measure all oatmeal!) Writer Ron Stern got to visit their newest location recently and reports back with what’s old, what’s new, and what you must order.
Zaidy’s: Denver’s Neighborhood Deli and Bakery for the Next 35 Years.
Most longtime Denver residents are familiar with Zaidy’s Deli. Formerly located downtown, and then in Cherry Creek, this popular restaurant served Jewish comfort foods to the local community for 35 years. When they had to close in 2020 due to the pandemic, many felt like they lost a trusted friend.
Thanks, however, to the efforts of three loyal customers who purchased the restaurant, that wasn’t the end. In 2021, Zaidy’s reopened on South Holly Street at Leetsdale and you could hear the cheers all the way to the Rockies!
Max and Joel Appel along with entrepreneur Beth Ginsburg combined their talents to bring Zaidy’s back to life. In so doing, they “upscaled” everything starting with a modern new location with updated fixtures, comfortable seating, and an abundance of natural light. They also added an in-house bakery with freshly made bagels that are boiled and then baked, along with sky-high cakes such as carrot and triple chocolate. They smoke their fish on-site and make most items, like their matzo ball soup, totally from scratch and serve it with a mouth-watering challah roll.
All of the traditional favorites are there such as lox and bagels, egg dishes, pastrami sandwiches, potato latkes, and matzo brei. The menu also includes more contemporary dishes such as avocado toast topped with a colorful and healthy medley of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and radishes.
After being welcomed by Joel Appel, we could hardly get to our table as customers in almost every booth wanted to shake Joel’s hand and exchange greetings. This guy’s a deli rock star I mused. Zaidy, after all, means “grandfather” in Yiddish and here it feels like you’re sharing a meal in a loving relative’s kitchen. They even made sure that the original owner, Gerard Rudofsky was retained as part of the deal. You can see him bopping all around the restaurant talking to diners and making sure everything about their dining experience is just perfect.
Ah, but the real test for me was the iconic Reuben Sandwich. How would it stack up to some of the best I have tried on both coasts? One bite was all it took to convince me that this is the real deal. Mine was perfectly grilled on seeded rye with just the right amount of fat and texture. They layered it with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing, all of which melted in my mouth.
How Is it possible to get top-quality corned beef in the middle of Denver as good as New York or Los Angeles, I wondered? The secret, Joel explained, was sourcing from the same distributor as some of the nation’s top delis. Judging by the majority of comments on Yelp, the public agrees. The result is a sandwich that is their taste-popping best-seller, month after month.
It isn’t an exaggeration to say that everything I tried at Zaidy’s was fantastic. Even the pickles were great with a mild dill taste and a snappy crunch hard to find in other places.
For dessert, go with their classic black and white cookie. I say cookie but it is more of a cake being about six inches wide and around an inch thick. The soft, spongy center is covered with equal amounts of chocolate and vanilla icing creating a sweet harmonious balance. Isn’t that what world peace is all about?
Passion on every level seems to be in play here. The staff is well trained and every entrée must be both pleasing to the eye and palate under Joel’s watchful eye. He also plans to offer full meals (such as for Passover) including wine or spirits for delivery in the local area. As he puts it, “Zaidy’s is your neighborhood deli for the next 35 years.”
To learn more about Zaidy’s, visit their website, here.
-Story and photos by Ron Stern, aka, The Global Gumshoe
Please note: This was a sponsored visit; however, all opinions are based on the author’s honest assessment.
Comments are closed.