Zaftigs Delicatessen

617-963-0524

335 Harvard St Brookline, MA 02446

zaftigs.com

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Categories:

Catering Companies, Restaurants, Delicatessens, Traditional American Restaurants

Details:

$, Brunch, Cheap Eats, Family Style Dining, Family-Friendly Dining, Group Dining

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Daily 8am-10pm

Message from Zaftigs Delicatessen

Since 1997, Zaftigs Delicatessen has been offering great meals in a lively atmosphere. Have banana-stuffed French toast, potato pancakes, matzo ball soup or a Reuben sandwich while appreciating jazz and the arts indoors. Our complete menu is available for takeout and most menu items can be prepared to meet your dietary needs. We serve breakfast all day, lunch and dinner. We were voted one of the Ten Best Delis in the World by Reader's Digest in 2006.

Editorial by Citysearch

The Scene
First-time visitors to this popular, poll-topping delicatessen who expect bland, cafeteria-style seating are surprised to see hardwood floors, colorful paintings, large windows and comfy banquettes. On weekend mornings and weeknights, casually-dressed crowds often spill out onto Harvard Street. Speedy servers do their best to keep local families and area academics satisfied by constantly topping off coffee cups and water glasses.

The Food
While old standbys like chopped liver and stuffed cabbage are popular choices, Zaftigs ups the ante by providing a "new-Jewish" spin on familiar favorites: banana-stuffed challah French toast, cheddar-apple omelettes. With the breakfast menu served at all hours, many patrons make a dinner out of homemade sweet cheese blintzes and crisp potato pancakes (be sure to ask for some homemade applesauce). Popular deli sandwiches make up for their relatively average size by featuring quality meats like smoky Romanian pastrami and lean corned beef.

Key Points

  • Cheddar-apple omelets
  • Catering
  • Art decorations

The Inside Scoop

  1. Know Before You Go - When there's a lengthy wait, pass the time upstairs at Barnes and Noble. Or take your Reuben to go.
  2. When to Go - Because Zaftigs only accepts reservations of large parties, those looking to avoid a wait should come in before 6pm.

Editorial and merchant content by Citysearch

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Insider Pages Reviews for Zaftigs Delicatessen

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Zaftigs Delicatessen is very good

by Flavia E.

I love Zaftigs, i LIke the scene, is cozy and easy for children. Their menu is varied and their breakfast is delicious. It gives a good option for families with kids. Good price, but to get in on a Sunday Morning.

Posted 10/08/09 | Report Abuse

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Fabulous atmosphere, limited menu

by Kate R.

Zaftigs Delicatessen has a great ambiance, and aluring artwork with affordable beers and wines. Their apple omlette is delicious- The only left to say is that I wish their menu had some more simple stuff for the kids. The matz soup was perfect!

Posted 10/15/05 | Report Abuse

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Comfort Food Heaven

by Jennette M. | insider_expert Insider Expert | Rank: 3,869

I can't say enough good things about this place. First of all, the food is absolutely delicious. It's comfort food and very high-calorie, so dieters beware. The servers are friendly and prompt, and when you're seated you don't get a breadbasket but a plate of bagel chips with a delicous cream cheese spread. And if you eat that right away, you can ask for seconds! Mashed potatoes, potato pancakes, regular pancakes, burgers, you name it. Everything is great. The only con is that you may have to wait for a table (I've waited for up to an hour) but it's so worth it. Saturday and Sunday afternoons and mornings are busiest.
And they have fabulous artwork celebrating zaftig women!

PROS: Great food, great atmosphere, great service
CONS: There may be a wait, not for dieters

Posted 07/16/05 | Report Abuse

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Latest reviews from Citysearch.

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Depends on what you order

by seekingcalm

The atmosphere is fun and funky. If you go when it's not too crowded, it's nice to sit by the window and watch the hubbub of Coolidge Corner. I've had some very disappointing things here--all the soups, roast turkey sandwich, and some that are good (any breakfast items especially stuffed french toast and home fries). Coffee is weak. Huge servings. Good egg salad.

Pros: Chocolate french toast, fish and chips

Cons: All soups are disgustingly salty, service can be mixed

Posted 03/10/09

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Better than New York !

by bluecorners

My fave is the racheal sandwich and potato(e) salad with a glass of red wine. Very good food!! I travel all over the eastern US and suggest this place for deli food without hesitation.

Pros: Service, food

Cons: sometimes a wait

Posted 08/01/08

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Good, Quality Food

by uoha

I have never been disappointed! They have many different options on their menu, and they are all delicious. They are located right in the heart of Coolidge Corner. Good, quality, decently priced food.

Posted 06/30/08

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northern comfort food

by bugmenot21856

I'm from the south, i miss my comfort foods until this place redefined comfort food for me. I love the matza ball soup and hollys heavenly salad and fish plates. i didn't care for the potpie or turkey/avocado/cranberry roll. I love their variety appetizer plate, rice pudding, and rootbeer floats.

Pros: food, fun atmosphere, nice artwork

Cons: sometimes a long wait, sometimes loud

Posted 06/26/08

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Best Food Around

by HallieMorgan11

Zaftigs is a wonderful place to go to for any type of food your in the mood for. Moderatly priced things are a big plus to this resturant. Zaftigs is a great place to take kids, and the wait staff is very friendly and knowledagable about the menu- try their potato pancakes or their matzo ball soup! The food is excelent, I don't know a person that doesnt like it!

Pros: The food and atmosphiere.

Cons: Long wait on weekends.

Posted 01/21/08

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Banana stuffed french toast - A must! Very friendly and efficient service.

by nleow

You can't go past the banana stuffed french toast here. It is a delicious breakfast option which is topped with fresh blueberries and strawberries, with maple syrup on the side. The coffee however was not the best, but this was made up by the excellent and friendly service. I have been here for dinner also, which was not quite as good. I ordered a hommous wrap, however was told that it was not on the menu (even though it was!) - this problem was rectified promptly and it ended up to be delicious. It is very, very busy and amazingly by 8.15am on Saturday morning, the delicatessen is full! A must try in Brookline!

Pros: Great food, great service

Cons: Very busy, bad coffee

Posted 10/13/07

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Great breakfast.

by angelrose49

Chocolate french toast and banana stuffed french toast are both awesome. Go later in the day, or on a weekday if you don't want to wait for an hour+, breakfast is served all the time. Great neighborhood, plenty to do while you wait for your table.

Pros: everything

Cons: Family-oriented so a little loud on weekends, can't call ahead for reservations

Posted 07/13/07

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Overrated

by graiil

Zaftigs is indeed one of the most overrated restaurants in Boston. The food is unremarkable and the restaurant itself is often filthy. I've been there on multiple occasions, always thinking that just maybe I was there on a bad day. After four horrible meals I came to the realization that Zaftigs is just awful.

Cons: dirty

Posted 07/07/07

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good brunch, ok sandwiches

by wycombewarrior

the pastrami here is OK. the brunch service is very good. great eggs and hash. expect a wait on the weekends.

Posted 02/10/07

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great food any time of day!

by beansbean

went for dinner to skip the breakfast rush on tuesday and it was incredible. the matzo ball soup was good but a little firmer matzo would have been perfect. the stuffed cabbages were a favorite. my boyfriend ordered the lupo which he said was okay but my rahel was amazing! it was like a whole thanksgiving dinner on one plate. so good! no room for dessert but will definetely come back!!

Pros: price, food

Cons: service a little slow

Posted 11/08/06

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Banana Stuffed French Toast! Amazing

by jennifervelvet

Great Coffee! Great Food!

Love this place. Only wish it were closer. Breakfast / Lunch never had a bad meal here. My favorite is the Banana Stuffed French Toast. Everyone I bring here leaves happy. Service is always good and sometimes excellent.

Pros: most everything about this place.

Cons: bagels are just average.

Posted 08/21/06

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Feasting on fruit flies

by shleee98

I would have rated this higher had I not had to fight against fruit flies to see who would get my meal first. GROSS!! I know that it's summer, but c'mon! I've been out to eat at a lot of other places recently and haven't had to take in any extra protein during my meal. Take out the trash or do some extra cleaning! Just nasty.

Pros: Cool art, waitstaff t-shirts, bagel chips

Cons: fruit flies, noise

Posted 08/01/06

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Good Food

by jmiller151

Good food and the the waitress was extremely friendly. Try some of the specialy dishes here. It's usually very crowded during their peak hours, so try and get there early.

Pros: Good food

Cons: Parking

Posted 07/14/06

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Really delicious!

by kristinem

I've enjoyed almost everything I've had there. The challah bread is great, their potato knishes are EXCELLENT, and the bagel chips appetizer is really good. I'm not a fan of their noodle kugel, but everything else I've had there is great. Good service, too!

Posted 02/05/06

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great place

by kiacar

I really like the food at Zaftigs. The service was excellent, the waitresses and waiters dont get the credit they deserve for waiting on such a high volume of people. The place is always busy, especially on the weekend mornings. The best time to go is between 4 and 6. Its a little hectic in there, but well worth the wait. Dont forget, these servers deserve the 20% standard for all the hard work they do.

Pros: service, food

Cons: wait lines

Posted 12/19/05

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Beat the traffic

by jwong83

My boyfriend and I went to Zaftigs slightly early on a Friday night. We were able to beat the massive rush that they get almost everyday. If you go a bit earlier, to beat the long lines waiting to get inside, you will have a much better dining experience. I noticed better service and higher quality of food when they are not insanely busy. On a side note, their beagle chips are unbelievable and I recommending purchasing some to bring home as a snack.

Pros: Average service, Comfortable atmospher, Comfortable dining

Cons: Long lines

Posted 11/26/05

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You have to wait but...

by boedladam

The food is good! We are regulars to Sunday brunch at this place for the last year or so and while the crowds sometimes lead us down the street to Coolidge Corner Clubhouse or Starbucks I have to say Zaftigs does have some great food. My personal recommendations are the banana nut bread (served with a delicious date butter) and the buttermilk pancakes - with blueberries!

Pros: food, value

Cons: crowded, long waits

Posted 11/25/05

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Mediocre

by lizzieyoon

went there for brunch today (sunday) with 2 other friends for the first time. the hostess was not friendly, harried, and confused. we waited for 1 hour thinking the food was going to be really good. i had the buttermilk pancakes--pale, dry (cornbread texture), unappetizing with "warm fruit compote" which turned out to be cooked canned fruit cocktail with some spices added. my friend had the potato pancakes which were deep fried and way too greasy. The waittress forgot about the corned beef hash i ordered and the sesame bagel my friend ordered--and she was unapologetic about it--it came at the end of the meal, after we finished eating everything else. the only thing that was decent was the hot pastrami sandwich my other friend ordered.

Posted 10/01/05

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Just Plain OK

by 11189

I was curious to try this place out since everytime I passed by, scores of people would wait in line which tempted me to check it out. I tried it and it wasn't that remarkable. It was just OK, nothing to rave about. The omelettes were good (but they only come with fries and who wants fries for breakfast?). Service was fine but I felt I was in a dinning hall at a Kibutz. This place is noisier than a club on Landsdowne street. Every little sound from the tables bounces off the walls in way that it forces you to raise your voice all the time. Kids screaming all over the place, servers running back and forth, the whole atmosphere makes you dizzy. You feel like everything and everyone is in a rush. Not totally worth it if the wait is more than 10 minutes.

Pros: Omelettes, Service

Cons: Noisy, Chaotic atmosphere, Value

Posted 09/09/05

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Best Stuffed French Toast

by kitten723

If you go for brunch you have to try the stuffed French Toast. There are so many egg selections and everything was delicious! Went for a girls brunch w/my friends and the wait was a little long on a Saturday morning, but worst every minute. We each got something different so we could try a bit of everything!!!

Pros: large portions, great price, GREAT FOOD

Cons: parking, long waits, no reservations

Posted 08/14/05

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Good Food

by princesslia

I have to Zaftig's a few times and really like it there. Yes, it is a bit pricey just for breakfast, and portions are not huge. I've had the challah French toast, which was amazing. I also really like the fresh fruit plate with a side of lox, and the homefries aren't bad. My father loves their omelets and coffee. I'm also a fan of the mimosa. The service wasn't great though, not real friendly and didn't notice when we were out of water, though they noticed when we were out of coffee. I'll definately go back.

Pros: Food

Cons: Service, Price

Posted 07/25/05

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Great pancakes

by cl_foodie

This place has one of the best breakfasts in Boston. The pancakes are light and fluffy and there is ton of variety. Also try the egg dishes which aren't bad.
Only problem are the long lines so go early.

Posted 03/17/05

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Love the omelette!

by justcuts

Sunday mornings are a little crazy but well worth the wait! I had the stuffed french toast with tons of berries and my husband had macintosh apple cheddar omelette it was amazing! Service was pretty quick for a Sunday morning. Very happy!

Posted 05/06/04

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Don't Bother

by heatheru

Good food, and if by "gourmet" the citysearch reviewer meant "overpriced," I'd have to agree. Unlike a real NY deli, Zaftig's portions are totally average, so instead of a huge pastrami sandwhich for $8, you get a medium sized one for the same price. This key difference doesn't seem to have occured to the chef or the pricing people at Zaftigs. I'll get my blintzes elsewhere.

Pros: , Good food

Cons: , Waiting in line

Posted 04/20/04

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Just Amazing food all the time

by kellyfj

Not just for breakfast Zaftigs is also great for dinner with great dinner meals and sandwiches. But its fantastic for breakfast although it doesn't do as good an Egg's Benedict as Baker's Best in Newton Highlands. The only downside is the wait can be over an hour if you arrive after 10.30am on Saturday or Sunday

Pros: food, service

Cons: wait, parking

Posted 02/10/03

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Most overrated place in boston

by mille1j

People rave about Zaftigs brunch. Tried that many times, its good, but not worth the 1 hour + wait. People talk about their great sandwhiches, tried them for lunch and dinner, nothing remarkable.

Cons: Always overrated, Expect long waits

Posted 01/09/03

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deli-ishus

by ltwhb

Sunday morning may have been a bad time to go, we had to wait over an hour. The wait was worth it. I had a NOVA (nova-scotia salmon) on a bagle w/ all the trimmings $8.95, well worth it.

Pros: great deli food, great service

Cons: long wait for seat

Posted 12/07/02

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You're Kidding

by aorden

If this is the best boston has to offer, we are indeed in sad shape. Lousy service and way too overpriced. Food,...just adequate. Try eating breakfast in chicago or new york. to get an idea of what a real good breakfast at a decent price is all about.

Pros: good quality

Cons: poor service, lack of value, lousy homefries

Posted 11/26/02

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yum, yum

by EDRN13

The service is excellent. The food is great. Good, free parking. Fun to hang out.

Posted 11/03/02

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Banana Stuffed French Toast!

by pvm74

The Banana Stuffed French Toast is scrumptious! Breakfast is served all day!

Posted 10/23/02

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Real Breakfast

by eatoutalways

Bob Shulman does a great job! He has taken a difficult location and made it successful. The food is fresh and good. The place is clean and comfortable. It's great for take out.

Pros: Reliable

Posted 09/20/02

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Over-rated at best

by arnoldsnarb

Zaftigs offers authentic jewish food... authentic to my very own grandmother's cooking... limp, overcooked and flavorless. The latke's are mushy and oily. The matzo-ball soup is greasy. The briskit is limp and flavorless, covered by gravy that tastes like it's from a jar but has been burnt enough to make it seem home-made. I've never had a good experience here.

Pros: Well Located

Cons: Bad, Over-rated, Weak

Posted 08/25/02

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The Best Fries Around

by shelley_kapitulik

THe best fries and sandwiches! The fries are always just a little salty and greasy, and are always crispy! If you try them once, you will always be craving

Posted 07/25/02

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Classic

by apike

The matzoh ball soup is good, not as good as Aunt Elaine's, but good. It is hard to find get seated here because everyone knows that Zaftigs is excellent. The ambience is really nice, as is the waitstaff.

Posted 06/15/02

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Must-try on Harvard Ave.

by erikadykstra_citysearch

If you've ever been down Harvard Ave. on a Saturday or a Sunday morning, you've surely seen the crowds waiting patiently outside of Zaftigs. Waiting an hour is not unheard of, but the wait is oh-so-worth it. Tip: send one member of your party to get your name on the list, then he or she can browse the nearby shops and you can all meet outside when the table is ready. I've never been disappointed by my breakfast, but my favorites are the Macintosh apple and sharp cheddar cheese omelet and then the banana stuffed French toast.

Posted 05/14/02