When visiting Denver, Colorado, be sure to save time (and room) for a trip to Zaidy’s, the deli locals have been feasting at for more than 35 years. Our Hospitality Editor, Ron Stern, tells us what’s on the menu. Please note, this article originally appeared on our sister site, InGoodTasteDenver.com.
Save this article to Pinterest to help plan your trip to Zaidy’s Deli in Denver, Colorado. Photos by Ron Stern, graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.
Most longtime Denver residents are familiar with Zaidy’s Deli. The popular restaurant served Jewish comfort foods to the local community for 35 years – until they had to close in 2020 due to the pandemic. Many locals felt like they had lost a trusted friend.
Three loyal customers came to the rescue, purchasing the restaurant in 2021. You could hear the cheers all the way to the Rocky Mountains!
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.
The popular and comforting Matzo Ball Soup at Zaidy’s Deli.
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.
Zaidy’s has perfected the Reuben Sandwich.
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.
Hungry for more? Read about the L.A. restaurant known for pastrami.
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 images by Ron Stern, “The Global Gumshoe” and RFT’s Hospitality Editor
Please note: Ron was hosted for portions of his visit however, as is Real Food Traveler’s policy, our opinions and impressions are always our own.
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