Visiting from Vancouver, Small restaurant but excellent smoked meat. Not quite like MTL but very close. Service was great.

Extremely slow service waited 45 minutes for one sandwich and a pie. The pie was probably shipped directly from Britain given its speed.

Just a fun, great deli. Stopped by and got the corned beef sandwich with side potato salad. The corned beef was thinly sliced, tender, and had that perfect salty-tastiness to it. The potato salad was nicely chunky. And the spicy mustard stole the show. Bonus points for their super extensive menu that went well beyond standard deli fare. Prices were reasonable. Service was friendly, kitchen was quick. Place was small-ish but bright and welcoming. Given the food and vibe of this place, can see why it was packed. Will definitely be back if I'm in the mood for some good deli. read more

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This place is truly a hidden gem in the heart of midtown. We came here on a Sunday to try their brunch and were pleasantly impressed. The warm and welcoming atmosphere, coupled with the charming decorations and friendly owners, made us feel right at home. The cozy vibes and having many patrons showed us why this spot is so beloved. We ordered "Cobb Salad", "Fully Loaded Pastrami" and "Zelden's Smokey Benedict ". Cobb salad was a healthy starter and it was fresh and perfectly cut. Fully loaded fresh and warm pastrami (made in-house), paired with their homemade spicy mustard was the highlight of our meal. Smoked meat was fresh and a great pairing with egg benny. We would definitely love to come back and enjoy more of their menu. read more

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I forgot to get a photo of my meal, but still wanted to leave a review. I went here for a friend's bday brunch on a Sunday at noon. Service was friendly. We had a short wait for a table of 5. I ordered a small pastrami sandwich and coffee. Everything was great. Sandwich came with coleslaw and pickle. Can't go wrong with pastrami & the coleslaw was perfect. Our server was friendly and attentive, offering coffee refill. I didn't have room for dessert but the cheesecake & carrot cake looked good! Restaurant has a cozy diner vibe. Busy but homey! read more

There are few things I love more than an awesome Jewish Deli and Zelden's is in a nice spot in Midtown just south of Yonge & St. Clair. Overall, it's bouncing between a 2/5 and 3/5 for me... I ordered the Pastrami Deli Sandwich ($13.95) and it was definitely good. The meat wasn't too dry and the serving size was good. The price relative to what you get is about on-par for what a ham on rye would cost in the city nowadays, so it's fair in that regard. The coleslaw and pickle comes free with it. The side of Onion Rings ($4.95) was a pretty big ripoff though. I only got 5 Onion Rings, so it was basically $1 per. Some were tiny too. Did they taste good? Absolutely. Were they fresh? 100%. But the ratio of high price to super tiny serving size is way out of sync. The space inside is nice with plenty of seating on the sides and front. Everything was clean and it has a retro vibe which I liked a lot. Our waitress was friendly, but the service overall was really bad. The was only one other table of diners in the restaurant at the hour we tried it out, but it still took us over 30 minutes to receive our meal. My friend ordered a tea with his that just never came. She never returned for us to have a chance to ask for it, but when we got the bill, of course it was on there. He had to remind her that the tea never came. I get that things can get hectic and accidents happen, but there was basically nothing going on in the restaurant when we were there. Maybe you'd have a better experience! I'd definitely try Zelden's Deli again, but would get something different off of the menu. I'm sure the service issue we had was a one-off thing. read more

Zelden's Deli and Desserts - Large Pastrami Sandwich ($13.95) + a side of Onion Rings ($4.95). - Delicatessen Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

What a cute spot! The borscht soup was so comforting and tasty. I paired it with a pastrami sandwich and it was the softest bread I ever had! Plus it was completely decked out with layers of pastrami. It came with a tangy coleslaw which balanced everything out. And of course, you can't forget the potato latkes. I love that it was not greasy at all like some other places so you definitely don't feel guilty about having too many read more

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Deli is definitely short for delicious and not delicatessen. Zelden's has solidified my long running theory. Thank you. Today I found myself at Yonge and Eglington for an appointment and I knew what I was doing after. I was finding a delicious Jewish deli and getting takeaway for two... for me and myself. I enjoyed a smoked meat sandwich, matzo ball soup and a latke with sour cream. It was all exactly how I hoped it would be. read more

I'd give 3.5 Not an option Only person in store, was really slow... long 80's ROCK conversation came first. Smoked meat Sandwich is GOOD. At $15, doesn't make return visits feasible. read more

Zelden's Deli and Desserts - Delicatessen Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I had lunch today at Zelden's Deli and Desserts. Apparently they opened about eight weeks ago. I ordered a corned beef sandwich, minus the coleslaw (it was $11.95) and it was a good sandwich. It was served on light rye bread. There were two bottles of mustard on the table (regular and dijon) so you can put as much or as little as you want. The bread was soft and fresh and the meat was warm and tasty. I felt like something sweet and saw lemon meringue tarts in the fridge and couldn't resist (it was $6.95). It was a good tart. The lemon wasn't too sweet. It arrived showier than I expected. The ice cream and strawberry were a nice surprise and the jam was a bit too sweet. Taylor was the server. She was nice and friendly. I'd stop in again if I'm in the area and wanting a deli sandwich ... there were lots to choose from. read more

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The food was good, lots of choices, service very friendly and efficient and the atmosphere is typical for a small deli

Cute and cozy spot and the smoked meat sandwich did not disappoint! We were helped by the owner who was super friendly and helpful. She also sells little jars of her homemade spicy mustard if you want to buy some to take home. Be sure to ask for extra sauce on your sandwich! read more

Zelden's Deli and Desserts - Smoked meat sandwich with homemade spicy mustard. - Delicatessen Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I live a few blocks from Zelden's, and its one of my favourite places to go for a little treat or celebration. I have had several items off their menu and enjoyed all of them! The staff is always friendly, and the music is usually feel-good oldies, but at a good volume for talking. I went last week when I was in the middle of a pretty bad day. I was coming back from an errand, but it was wet and rainy so I decided to stop in to warm up and get a pick me up. I had a cup of tea some Oreo cheesecake, (it was my first time trying their deserts, I never have enough room at the end of my meal!), and it was delicious. My server was a young man named Liam, and he was very kind and thoughtful. The restaurant really does have a classic small diner feel. I sat, had my tea and cheesecake, listened to the music, chatted with Liam when things were slow, and by the time I left I felt much better. Stopping by Zelden's really brightened by crappy day. Thank you so much to all the staff who work hard to make it a pleasant and friendly place! read more

Zelden's is a favourite of mine, and I make sure to go whenever I'm in town to visit my mom. This time a took a couple friends with me and we had a lovely lunch. The homemade spicy mustard and tartar sauce were both very good! We were served by a very nice gentleman named Corey who made sure we had a great afternoon! This time I got the fish and chips, but I've also had the chicken and waffles, the Ruben on onion bread, onion rings, and the orange creamsicle milkshake. My friends had the Palo Alto wrap and the hotdog, and they both really enjoyed them! The food is great, the staff is friendly, and they sell some snacks sodas that are hard to find in other places. I will definitely be going back :) read more

A decent deli located in the heart of midtown. The service was very friendly and the waitress recommended pastrami as a bit spicier than the smoked meat. I had the pastrami sandwich with a side of pickles. It was decent. Deli is hard to do and quite expensive. The portions here are generous though. I'm wishing Zelden's the best and will return to try the Nathan's Dog with the sides on a day when I need a pick me up. read more

Very friendly staff, I stopped here for a cherry cheesecake and it was very, very smooth, creamy and delicious. The Sandwiches also look good and I will definetly be back to try them out. read more

I live in the neighborhood. The foods are very good. The price is not so cheap, but by considering the amount of foods, it is not bad. The place is spacious and the seats are comfortable. They have varieties of selections in their menu, but I do not think they have exciting desserts. The service is okay. We will never have bad experience. read more

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I've had a lot of deli in my time, Zelden's definitely ranks amongst the best. Their pastrami is homemade, as is all of their food, which is rare to find. This place is a must try. read more

Zelden's Deli and Desserts - Delicatessen Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I live near a Pickle Barrel, so I'm always on the hunt for good deli food. Zelden's had been garnering almost nothing but positive word of mouth since it opened in 2017, which meant that it was just a matter of time before I found myself sitting down for a meal there. We knew we wanted to try their deli sandwiches, but we weren't sure what they were best known for, so we asked. Brisket and pastrami, we were told, so I went with the latter. It arrived a short time later and it's good. Really good. The meat is spiced quite well and there's certainly a good amount of it. Certain pieces were a little rubbery and hard to chew, though. There's regular yellow mustard at the table and also their homemade concoction, which is super spicy and very tasty. I meant to ask if they sell bottles of it to take home. The accompanying coleslaw and pickle are also quite good, while the fries, ordered separately, are definitely a cut above. read more

This is basically Druxys with a new name but worse service. The price of a sandwich averages at $18.00 and is skimpy and not that good. They have the nerve to call them overstuffed and they are like a bad cafeteria sandwich. The owner is rude when you have questions. Sadly, when Yitz's closed, this sad clone tried to pick up the business. Reco: hard pass and go to Centre Street Deli. read more

My wife and I took our grandson for lunch today and the whole experience was a disaster.My wife and I both ordered eggs and onions and they were terrible.You needed a microscope to find the onions and the eggs were cold and dried out.They also forgot our cutlery and had to ask for them twice.Both of the waitresses were either from outer space or the fourth dimension.Our grandson's hotdog was huge and the bun was stale and it cost $9 for a four year old!OutrageousIAll in all it was an experience for the ages and if you are ever in the area close to zeldin's just walk on by. read more

In his book "Save the Deli", David Sax discusses the rise and fall of delicatessen culture in North America and beyond. He points to the challenges in defining a 'real deli', and the increasingly high economic barriers to sustained success. Mr. Sax describes several delis which have stood the test of time; those that have been lost to history, and some which have tried against the odds to resurrect what seems like a dying approach to food. Since he wrote his book, some of his examples have thrived, while others blossomed only to wither and ultimately fail. Zelden's is a funny example. It began life decades ago, as "Zeli's Deli" up in the wilds of Thornhill. Facing intense competition from several similar restaurants, it eventually closed. The food was fine; the ambiance typical for a deli; the space outfitted in diner kitsch. If there was a public outcry, I missed it since I was likely eating at Centre Street (sorry), which offered a closer rendition of the Montreal Deli my family preferred. Zeli's is not name-checked by Mr. Sax, although Centre Street, the now-Closed Caplansky's and the Pickle Barrel (which has undergone the worst conversion since Bob Dylan went Born-Again) do. And yet, ten years post Save the Deli, the family that owned Zelis has returned to the fray, at Yonge and St Clair of all places. For me, deli belongs to a category of food that I associate with childhood. It's tough to review on that basis since 1) anything I eat competes with my memories, and 2) my palate was different then. Was the Apollo 12" hot dog at the Pickle Barrel really that good, or does it benefit from a slathering of nostalgia and the fact that I've eaten a much greater variety of stuff since I was a kid? That said, familiar flavours in comfy settings often lead me to give the benefit of the doubt over things I might raise: machine-slicing, for instance, which produces a thinner, more uniform cut (and can help out with a tougher cut of brisket since the fibres are cut shorter) but somehow makes for a less substantial sandwich if the meat is great. i visit over lunch hour. The place enjoys a steady stream of customers, plus a busy takeaway trade. A pair of meatniks work the aforementioned slicers almost constantly. I'm directed to seat myself and choose a booth towards the back. It's hot outside, and the air conditioning fights a losing battle, especially with the door swinging open constantly. My waitress is part of the original family. She provides some detail. She knows her stuff, and can speak to the different menu options, which are legion. Perhaps in response to some of the concerns raised in Sax's book, Zelden's tries to re-brand itself as "the evolution of deli". Smoked meats find their way into burgers and poutines and wontons and tacos and spaghetti, or are offset with avocados and Asian sauces. I'm sure they're good, but I eschew them in favour of an old school pastrami sandwich on rye bread, with French fries and cole slaw. A full sour pickle rides along. My dining companions order a brisket sandwich and a salad with turkey. The brisket is good. A normally dry cut is moist and meaty, filling the requested Kaiser nicely. The salad (normally a sad, dietetic affair at most delis) is a huge plate of greens and fresh veg. The turkey is smoked in house. It is also fresh and deeply flavoured. And there's lots. My sandwich is a solid fress. A good amount of nicely spicy meat on textbook Jewish rye. It's salty and fatty and just slightly chewy where perfect hand-slicing might have yielded that buttery meltiness that defines outstanding smoked meat. hot mustard improves things. French fries are clearly home-made. Skinny and fried amber-brown. They're served in a metal cup alongside my sandwich, which lots of restaurants do these days; it's artsy presentation in a place that should be devoid of artifice, and it allows the crunch to steam right out of my potatoes. Coleslaw is properly vinegary but mostly cabbage. My Proustian ideal for coleslaw involves more carrot, green onion and parsley, and a closer balance between sweet and sour. But these are minor quibbles. I want Zelden's to succeed, and provide an option for deli fans. I think about my kids and the places and tastes that they will remember, and I hope good smoked meat makes the list. Zeli's used to sponsor a softball team in my old neighbourhood. So that's a thing, too. read more

Absolutely worst customer service I have ever experienced. Called about 45min before close for a pick up order. Spoke to the lady that I believe owns the restaurant. Abhorrent behavior. Snaps at me that she is closing soon...45min is not soon. If it is too big an inconvenience for you to make food dueing your own listed hours of operation then get out of the service industry. Will NEVER order from here again. read more

Came here for brunch a few days ago. I was debating between getting the Breakfast Nest and the Eggs Madeleine but chose the latter (I'm a sucker for smoked salmon). It was pretty good and filling! My partner tried it and said he preferred Sunny Morning Breakfast down the street. He ordered the Chicken and Waffles Benedict, and that was delicious! Next time we come back, I'd order that or try some of their deli meat. read more

Zelden's Deli and Desserts - Delicatessen Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great place along Yonge and St Clair. I went there with my fiance for brunch. Great place. Amazing service. Fast service as well. I ordered the waffle and chicken. Originally I was shocked to see it was chicken tenders instead of a whole wing or quarter chicken. But wow. Mind blown. Chicken tenders were cooked to perfection and as well as the waffle. I want more!!! Craving it so much read more

Zelden's Deli and Desserts - Delicatessen Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Tried a few more places that can't even make pastrami, raised the value of my score from 3 to 4 based on lack of decent pastrami places in the city. Their fries and smoked meat poutine was awesome for delivery. read more

Best sandwich ever. If you don't want the whole world Macdonaldized, support your local eatery.

I just went to Zelden's Deli at 1446 Yonge St for lunch. The Entertainment Coupon book says that I can receive a 20% discount, up to a maximum of $25.00. When I showed the owners the code, they said that they stopped doing it back in the 80's. The female owner then called the validation hotline (877-453-3898) and entered the REDEMPTION ID: 31153513. She said the IVR says it was invalid. She offered me a 15% discount instead. The problem is that I was already overcharged because the waitress entered my sandwich as a large instead of small. Small is $9.95, when I told the owner, she said you already paid for it, and it's been made. So I was charged $12.25 for the sandwich instead of $9.95. When I got back to the office, I called the validation number myself, and the IVR said it was valid, and that the coupon is now marked as redeemed. My total bill should have been $24.68 before taxes, $27.89 after taxes. Instead my bill was $28.18 before taxes, $32.49 after taxes, a difference of $4.60. I've already contact customer service for the Entertainment Coupon company and I'm awaiting their reply. Its a shame this happened, as the food was good. I had the Japanese Salad 5/5 Beef Brisket Sandwich 4/5 and Motzo Ball Soup 2/5. read more

When you are more expensive than delica, and your food is on par with druxy's; that's a problem.

Fabulous food, great value. So excited to have a proper deli in the area. Beautiful retro decor, 50's dinner look. Wait staff are friendly and energetic. Definitely order the onion rings!!! Fresh made with a crispy batter. Pastrami made in-house too!!! read more

Zelden's Deli and Desserts - Delicatessen Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Solid deli north of downtown, their fries are pretty lit. Sometimes find it hard though to justify spending 20 bucks on a sandwich for lunch. read more

We are a family of three who ordered a sandwich, hotdog and Greek salad. The sandwich came out after 15 minutes and the hotdog and salad never arrived. After waiting for another thirty minutes we asked what was happening to the missing meals. The cook said he was too busy to have started them although the diner only had one couple in it! We paid for the meals we didn't get and left. Would not recommend for a family dinner. read more

Place has the best sweet potato fries ever. Smoked meat sandwich was also off the charts. I also had a half pastrami but the smoked meat topped everything. Thanks for a great meal! read more

Reasonably priced new deli at yonge and st Clair. The smoked meat and pastrami are pretty good but not the best I've had. Every time I've eaten here, the service has been good and I've been satisfied with my meal. The Latkas are super tasty but I've noticed they've gotten smaller each time I've been there. However, one thing thing that drives me crazy is they refuse to put lox on an eggs Benedict. They have a smoked meat eggs Benedict and they have smoked salmon dishes. When I asked if I could substitute lox for smoked meat (happy to pay more) the waitress was adamant that the owner/chef would not allow it. It seemed like others had asked by her response. I've avoided going here for brunch since then because 9/10 times I'm craving smoked salmon eggs Benedict! I don't understand their problem with this!!!! read more

Zelden's is a comfortable deli with a nice selection of usual deli standards. The sandwiches are always fresh and tasty, and the salads look good although I haven't tried one. Service is friendly and attentive. Prices are reasonable considering it's near Yonge and St. Clair. There's lots of seating and there seems to be steady take out orders too. read more

Our search for the perfect deli in midtown Toronto is finally over. If you're looking for in-house made, delicious, and deli-perfect selections, this is the place for you. From the homemade and heartwarming soups, to the classically perfect deli sandwiches (the Montreal Smoked meat with house-made hot mustard was just perfect), you can tell there is pride in everything the folks at Zelden's do. Having had our fair share of deli fare, we can say without reservation that this ranks among the best. We will be back, and we urge anyone looking for great breakfast, lunch or dinner options to throw your support and stomachs behind this place. It's all fresh, so much is in-house made, and it's nice to see a local place keeping the deli tradition so alive and well. read more

Really really rude employee. Will not return here or recommend to anyone. He didn't seem to understand that we left because of how rude and condescending he was. Thought it was because of their menu having a typo and offering something that they "don't do". He spoke to us so rudely. read more

OK to decent food, spectacularly BAD customer service. Where are the owners and who is doing the hiring, training and supervising here? Was looking forward to trying this new deli, so dashed over from a meeting to arrive early enough to order well before closing. We were told abruptly on arrival that they "only do takeout after 8:30 pm". When we pointed out this info wasn't posted anywhere, that closing was listed as 9 pm AND it was only 8:23, they reluctantly agreed to seat us, warning we'd have to "eat fast" since they weren't paid after 9 pm and wouldn't stay "a minute longer. " That line was repeated throughout the (very short!) meal. We rushed our order and food arrived about 8:45 (pastrami spaghetti was dry and extra sauce requested took a while, and looked dumped directly from a can and mega-microwaved. Chicken fingers and rings ok but just deep fried and dumped on a plate. Portions ok but not huge deli style. Price high for a Bathurst St. deli, but in line with the area). A few minutes before 9, we were told we had to leave NOW since "we aren't paid to stay past 9". Tried asking for coffee before they shut, but they would only provide take out "because we aren't paid and don't stay..." etc. Asked for take out boxes for our unfinished dinners, and wax paper for the bread. Boxes came. So asked nicely for the paper again. While still waiting, rhe tall, thin, darker haired server?cook? became agitated that we were still there. Tried to explain we just needed the wax paper, at which point he practically spat "It's always just one more thing for you people, isn't it!!!" So ignorant! Then he reminded us he wasn't being paid to stay, saying he was sure we never do anything without being paid etc. Again, rude and inappropriate. We explained our work requires many unpaid hours, and that adult working life was often like that, whereupon he said "yeah, but you're not paid hourly." (Both of actually do work hourly jobs, but that's not the point.) The tall one continued to protest our "slow" departure as we packed up. Our own waiter who had tried to be helpful originally (shorter fellow with a red cap and boyish face) realized they'd gone too far, apologized and tried to smooth things over. But the cook? fellow never did get it. We were out the door headed for Starbucks by 9:13 pm. Very distasteful end to a rushed and overall disappointing dinner. Yes, servers should be paid for their work, but also need to understand the concept of CUSTOMER SERVICE. If you try this place, expect ok to decent food, poor customer service especially at day's end, and definitely don't risk arriving after 6 pm. Very disappointing! read more

I just discovered Zelden's and so glad that I did! I had the BEST Reuben that I've every had--it was a fusion--reuben served on soft tortillas. The corned beef was lean and so tasty, the sauerkraut was yummy and the taco was not overwhelmed with Russian dressing. It was flavourful, lighter and an incredibly yummy version of the classic. Service was friendly, even for take-out. Definitely worth a return! read more

I ordered the classic Turkey club sandwich on Rye with french fries, and paid nearly $20. The bread was fine, nothing to write home about, as well as the meat. My main surprise however, was that there was absolutely nothing on the sandwich. Classic club apparently means just a shit ton of Turkey on two pieces of bread. For the price, I was shocked that I had to come home, take off half the turkey and add pickles, tomato, mayo and mustard myself. Will not be returning to this establishment. If you want a proper turkey club, go to Union Social for half the price. read more