Federal Delicatessen
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Not a New York deli portion, but the taste was very good. We had a Rueben and for the price it was worth every bite. The matzah ball soup was not as good as homemade but the matzah balls were soft and plentiful. The restaurant was crowded with both indoor and outdoor seating.
I was blown away! I felt like I was transported back to Montreal Canada and the amazing Schwartz's Deli, and St Viateur Bagel. This place makes a masterful Poutine, with legit cheese curds and bold gravy. Also the Toasted Reuben sandwich was spectacular and reminded me of the Montreal smoked meat sandwich. I later learned that the owner actually traveled to Montreal to learn to make these dishes and proper fresh bagels. He has even opened several Bagel shops around Auckland called "Best Ugly Bagels". The ambience inside was that of a classic deli. The service was good. If you sit outside, you order via QR code. It's fun to sit outside and people watch because it's located directly across the street from the Sky Tower.
AUCKLAND Muy buen café y buen pan súper ubicado al lado de Sky City la mejor opción para un desayuno ligero y sabroso
I grew up in an agnostic and Reform Jewish neighborhood so when I saw that Al Brown was reinterpreting a Jewish delicatessen, I was thrilled! The room is great -- it's worn and beat-in (in the comfy way) and has the turn-of-the-century touches so familiar from my Chicago youth. Bar/soda fountain looks nice and loved the big mirror. It's the second week of January, so we were able to get in easily. I can imagine that weekends and perhaps later this month, the restaurant will be rammed. At 6pm on a Sunday they had no matzo ball soup. Ugh. But we did get sat right away, the room was quiet, and the waiter was attentive. Our eyes were hungry so we got quarter chicken with mashed potatoes, toasted Reuben, iceberg wedge, and small Montreal poutine. Chicken was mildly seasoned meaning the gravy had to do a lot of work for flavour. The toasted Reuben was perfect. Iceberg wedge as nice. The poutine was underwhelming. The fries were soggy and I'm talking about the ones not covered in gravy. The curds were tiny and sparse. I'd come back for the Reuben and to try out the matzo soup but otherwise .. . . . I'll keep looking for a good Jewish deli in NZ.
The restaurant is modeled after a NYC Jewish deli. Apparently the "all day" menu is not all day. We came shortly after 11:00, when breakfast was done and lunch didn't start until 11:30. There was a limited selection of things we could order. We decided to snack here before going to their sister restaurant next door. We had the salmon latke and Montreal poutine. The latke was ok, but I enjoyed the cheese curds in the poutine. What we really enjoyed was their brand of ketchup- Simply Red Kasundi Ketchup. We regretted not purchasing a bottle to bring home. They also have their own brand of mustard- Old Yella Habanero Ketchup.
A full day starts with a delicious breakfast The Brunch at this retro restaurant downstairs in Skycity is very good I was in a daze when I woke up and was amazed by this unassuming Bagel. I ordered half a roasted chicken. It was tender, juicy and fragrant 86 Federal Street, Auckland
We walked out of the casino at Sky Tower to look for something to eat and saw this place just across the side street. It was busy but we scored a couple seats on the counter. A server took our order and we stayed entertained watching the cooks preparing the orders. Servers, hosts, cooks and food runners all worked together to make things run smoothly. Besides being busy, it was noisy! I don't know what makes a Canadian deli except for the poutine on the menu. Anyway, service was great, cooks were impressive, and food was delicious!
Located near the Sky City Tower, you can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Federal Delicatessen. Set up as a New York style deli, it offers all of the usual foodie delights as well as the hardware itself like chairs, barstools and large counters. We chose the Reuben sandwich, fries, tomato soup (with a bit of miso flavor), a wedge salad with blue cheese/candies walnuts and cole slaw too. Yum! Sit at the counter for extra atmosphere.
Not what was expected. I got lucky in the Reuben and asked for the mustard and Russian dressing on the side. Russian dressing is mayo. But you can add ketchup to it ate mine with just mustard and it was good. Sliced thick and not thin. Not piled high. Matzoh ball soup is beef based. Tiny balls flavorless. Soup not good either. Poutine was good. Not exactly what I was looking for but the sandwich was good and so was the Poutine. Service was great except for the lady that served a plate of poutine with tongs. I asked her what the rings were for and she said to share and serve. So then I skied if we were supposed to use them to put the poutine on the table in front of each person and she caught on that there were no plates for this. Ambiance, a bit loud with all the people and the music They had iced tea.
Whenever I see an opportunity to buy deli food, I go for it. This was my 1st meal in New Zealand so I have no comparison for what the local fair is like. Got a turkey sandwich on a bagel, and only have sesame. The bagels were grocery store-style bagels. Nothing to rave home about but perhaps on the local level it may be considered fantastic. Liked the sauce, cheese, and apples on the sandwich. Advertised sour pickles, there were more like butter pickle chips. Not worth the $5 charged. Add a soft drink and it cost $31.50.
Service is good, however closed seating outside when it was a beautiful day. Also, the food is just mediocre. Poached egg was not runny at all :( too many potatoes and not enough pastrami. Too carby 2.5*
I thought this place was great, I love the look and feel of this place, it has a cool vintage diner feel. This was one of the better places I had food in Auckland and it was also conveniently located across the street from the Sky Tower. The food: Salmon Latkes- Crispy potato w/ lox, creme fraiche & dill. I though this dish was was so good, I thought the latkes really shined, I thought the flavor and texture were wonderful. The lox paired well with the lox and creme fraiche really well. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=3OFk0E0wOqbi8Q_8dGI30A&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA House Pastrami- Smoked brisket w/ pickles & mustard. This was good, not amazing but good. I thought the pastrami was tender enough but I wish the pastrami had a bit more flavor. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=92qAH3dZnIMHfGnMZpkpvw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Montreal Poutine- Fries w/ cheese curd & gravy. I thought this was just OK, it wasn't bad but the overall saltiness was an issue for me. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=M5P4XgamyX0gNwO5YS9bmA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA
Needed strong coffee and pancakes. Different than what I get in the states but it was wonderful. Enjoyed Jie's bottomless coffee. Service was great. Hughly recommend
I was a bit suspicious because of the name. Federal? I eventually realized that is the name of the street they are located on. It was open at the time I was in the area and it did look inviting. I perused the menu and decided to give it a try. Walking in I saw the old-fashioned furnishings, metal chairs, display cases, wall shelves, big bar in the middle all in a long and narrow room. Yessss, this looks lie something out of the 50s and I like it. After a long hard look at the menu I opted for the Salami platter... Strangely enough there wasn't salami, but more like a smoked ham, prosciutto like meat. It tasted great, so what's in a name. Delicious heirloom tomatoes, capers, salami impersonator, cream cheese, capers, pickles and your choice of bread. I had chosen crumpets and regretted that . Not because they weren't delicious, because they were so yummy, but they were also so buttery that I couldn't get the cream cheese to stick and everything I tried to put on the crumpet just slid right off them. I got the bottomless cup of coffee and I must say, this is really good coffee and the refills kept coming also. I love the atmosphere in here and there are so many great choices on the menu. If I ever come back tot Auckland, I will definitely stop by this place again. read more
Busy place with a lot of indoor seating and limited outdoor tables. Service was good, never had to wait. It's a popular place and they were crowded but we didn't have to wait for a table. There was plenty of food for each order. My wife had a street dog and fries and I had a Ruben. They were pretty decent. I wasn't as happy with the fries. They were like the bottom of a pile and mostly little pieces with very few full length slices. Prices were extremely reasonable. I would definitely eat there again. read more
We enjoyed this place so much that we returned here three more times on our trip. The Supreme coffee was really good and there were enough options on the menu to satisfy everyone! The service was fast and friendly, too. The place was casual, which our party enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, and dinner. Food was served fresh, hot, and delicious, every time! Highly recommend! read more
9 months ago
Not a New York deli portion, but the taste was very good. We had a Rueben and for the price it was worth every bite. The matzah ball soup was not as good as homemade but the matzah balls were soft and plentiful. The restaurant was crowded with both indoor and outdoor seating. read more
I was blown away! I felt like I was transported back to Montreal Canada and the amazing Schwartz's Deli, and St Viateur Bagel. This place makes a masterful Poutine, with legit cheese curds and bold gravy. Also the Toasted Reuben sandwich was spectacular and reminded me of the Montreal smoked meat sandwich. I later learned that the owner actually traveled to Montreal to learn to make these dishes and proper fresh bagels. He has even opened several Bagel shops around Auckland called "Best Ugly Bagels". The ambience inside was that of a classic deli. The service was good. If you sit outside, you order via QR code. It's fun to sit outside and people watch because it's located directly across the street from the Sky Tower. read more
4 months ago
1 year ago
AUCKLAND Muy buen café y buen pan súper ubicado al lado de Sky City la mejor opción para un desayuno ligero y sabroso read more
I grew up in an agnostic and Reform Jewish neighborhood so when I saw that Al Brown was reinterpreting a Jewish delicatessen, I was thrilled! The room is great -- it's worn and beat-in (in the comfy way) and has the turn-of-the-century touches so familiar from my Chicago youth. Bar/soda fountain looks nice and loved the big mirror. It's the second week of January, so we were able to get in easily. I can imagine that weekends and perhaps later this month, the restaurant will be rammed. At 6pm on a Sunday they had no matzo ball soup. Ugh. But we did get sat right away, the room was quiet, and the waiter was attentive. Our eyes were hungry so we got quarter chicken with mashed potatoes, toasted Reuben, iceberg wedge, and small Montreal poutine. Chicken was mildly seasoned meaning the gravy had to do a lot of work for flavour. The toasted Reuben was perfect. Iceberg wedge as nice. The poutine was underwhelming. The fries were soggy and I'm talking about the ones not covered in gravy. The curds were tiny and sparse. I'd come back for the Reuben and to try out the matzo soup but otherwise .. . . . I'll keep looking for a good Jewish deli in NZ. read more
The restaurant is modeled after a NYC Jewish deli. Apparently the "all day" menu is not all day. We came shortly after 11:00, when breakfast was done and lunch didn't start until 11:30. There was a limited selection of things we could order. We decided to snack here before going to their sister restaurant next door. We had the salmon latke and Montreal poutine. The latke was ok, but I enjoyed the cheese curds in the poutine. What we really enjoyed was their brand of ketchup- Simply Red Kasundi Ketchup. We regretted not purchasing a bottle to bring home. They also have their own brand of mustard- Old Yella Habanero Ketchup. read more
2 years ago
A full day starts with a delicious breakfast The Brunch at this retro restaurant downstairs in Skycity is very good I was in a daze when I woke up and was amazed by this unassuming Bagel. I ordered half a roasted chicken. It was tender, juicy and fragrant 86 Federal Street, Auckland read more
9 months ago
1 year ago
We walked out of the casino at Sky Tower to look for something to eat and saw this place just across the side street. It was busy but we scored a couple seats on the counter. A server took our order and we stayed entertained watching the cooks preparing the orders. Servers, hosts, cooks and food runners all worked together to make things run smoothly. Besides being busy, it was noisy! I don't know what makes a Canadian deli except for the poutine on the menu. Anyway, service was great, cooks were impressive, and food was delicious! read more
3 years ago
Located near the Sky City Tower, you can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Federal Delicatessen. Set up as a New York style deli, it offers all of the usual foodie delights as well as the hardware itself like chairs, barstools and large counters. We chose the Reuben sandwich, fries, tomato soup (with a bit of miso flavor), a wedge salad with blue cheese/candies walnuts and cole slaw too. Yum! Sit at the counter for extra atmosphere. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Not what was expected. I got lucky in the Reuben and asked for the mustard and Russian dressing on the side. Russian dressing is mayo. But you can add ketchup to it ate mine with just mustard and it was good. Sliced thick and not thin. Not piled high. Matzoh ball soup is beef based. Tiny balls flavorless. Soup not good either. Poutine was good. Not exactly what I was looking for but the sandwich was good and so was the Poutine. Service was great except for the lady that served a plate of poutine with tongs. I asked her what the rings were for and she said to share and serve. So then I skied if we were supposed to use them to put the poutine on the table in front of each person and she caught on that there were no plates for this. Ambiance, a bit loud with all the people and the music They had iced tea. read more
1 year ago
Whenever I see an opportunity to buy deli food, I go for it. This was my 1st meal in New Zealand so I have no comparison for what the local fair is like. Got a turkey sandwich on a bagel, and only have sesame. The bagels were grocery store-style bagels. Nothing to rave home about but perhaps on the local level it may be considered fantastic. Liked the sauce, cheese, and apples on the sandwich. Advertised sour pickles, there were more like butter pickle chips. Not worth the $5 charged. Add a soft drink and it cost $31.50. read more
3 years ago
Service is good, however closed seating outside when it was a beautiful day. Also, the food is just mediocre. Poached egg was not runny at all :( too many potatoes and not enough pastrami. Too carby 2.5* read more
I thought this place was great, I love the look and feel of this place, it has a cool vintage diner feel. This was one of the better places I had food in Auckland and it was also conveniently located across the street from the Sky Tower. The food: Salmon Latkes- Crispy potato w/ lox, creme fraiche & dill. I though this dish was was so good, I thought the latkes really shined, I thought the flavor and texture were wonderful. The lox paired well with the lox and creme fraiche really well. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=3OFk0E0wOqbi8Q_8dGI30A&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA House Pastrami- Smoked brisket w/ pickles & mustard. This was good, not amazing but good. I thought the pastrami was tender enough but I wish the pastrami had a bit more flavor. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=92qAH3dZnIMHfGnMZpkpvw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Montreal Poutine- Fries w/ cheese curd & gravy. I thought this was just OK, it wasn't bad but the overall saltiness was an issue for me. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=M5P4XgamyX0gNwO5YS9bmA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA read more
3 years ago
Needed strong coffee and pancakes. Different than what I get in the states but it was wonderful. Enjoyed Jie's bottomless coffee. Service was great. Hughly recommend read more
7 years ago
A little overpriced for what it is, great bloody Mary, wish it had more ice Mish mash which is pastrami and potatoes with a fried egg on top, delicious Poutine is yummm, wish the cheese were a bit more meltd but it's spot on. Great location, I hear it's usually a lonngggg wait to get a table but I was here during the 2 week holiday for Xmas and New year's and we were able to be sat immediately #win read more
Auckland has so many great breakfast places to check out, it's really hard to choose sometimes. Federal Delicatessen is located on Federal Street, across the Sky Tower. We decided to share our meal because we wanted to save room to eat more later (were such fatties). The Grub. Cinnamon Girl $4.50. This was the perfect breakfast pastry freshly made bun with raisins and cinnamon. Mish-Mash $23. This dish was loaded with pastrami hash, potatoes, peas and topped with a fried egg. Highly recommend this dish. The pastrami was cooked perfectly and not too salty. read more
11 months ago
I started to write this yesterday and decided to return a second time. Strictly for research purposes. You're welcome yelpers. Good god their food is outstanding! Wow!! Pictured are the potato latkes and smoked salmon, topped with Creme frachie and a poached egg. Absolutely in the top tier of salmon and latkes I've ever had. Delicious, fresh and perfectly seasoned. My husband had the griddle cakes. He couldn't stop swearing he was so in love with their flavor, texture, taste, etc. This is a man who seldom swears. I don't like pancakes much and even I can say these were a huge step up from your regular pancake. They had two kinds of coffee and lots of tea options and continuously offered free refills on both. A delight fior a tea drinker!!! Our server was wonderful, funny and had great suggestion. read more
2 years ago
Good service. My mom loved the griddle cakes, but very expensive for the amount of food you get. I got the big ugly, I thought it was excellent. My dad got the Reuben and was blown away (not a small feat). My sister is gf and got the chicken salad bagel and they were very accommodating. We also got the poutine fries and they were good but they needed more pork. Overall, good experience, I would come back. read more
As a life long New Yorker visiting Auckland, this was such a welcome surprise! My customer in Auckland suggested we visit because he knew about some of the foods I liked. I always love my time in New Zealand, but I also miss some of the comforts of home. Federal Delicatessen did not disappoint! It absolutely had the bustling atmosphere of a NYC-style Delicatessen, along with all the expected delicacies. I enjoyed Pastrami and Swiss on Rye with great slaw and a LEGIT Kosher Dill Pickle. The pastrami was a little more "Montréal Smoked Meat" (which I love) than NYC-style pastrami, but it was superb. Equally tasty was the Matzo Ball soup. The matzo balls were slightly dense, but delicious and gave me a real sense of home. There were too many other wonderful items on the menu to count -- some more Canadian-inspired, such as the Montréal Poutine, which I also sampled. For New Yorkers, this is a welcome taste of home. For Kiwis, this will give you a real taste of New York City (and Montréal) right in the heart of Auckland. read more
4 years ago
The best turned out to be the hot coco. The muesli is not tasty and the salmon lox is not even as good as the hash brown. Not impressive and will come back. Go somewhere else. Total price at $46. Judge yourself. read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
Was so happy with this find in Downtown Auckland! It is like a taste of New York deli with Kiwi hospitality! I did a to-go order of the brisket poutine and I could not have been happier. Though, warning, the full order can feed two people or one person twice! I really enjoyed it as the gravy had excellent flavor and texture, the fries were perfectly crispy, and the cheese curds exactly as they should be. The show-stealer was the brisket! And my only complaint was there wasn't nearly enough of it because it was just spectacular...and hailing from Texas, that is saying something! The staff were so nice and I wish I would have had time to stay and actually eat at the Deli counter! I would definitely comeback the next time I am in NZ! read more
OH MY GEE! Now I know why this place earned a Review of the Day earlier this year. So freakin' good to the last bite! So thus far, I've only ordered take-away, but by looking at how busy this place was I had to try it out. The dining area appeared a bit congested, but not as congested as it's neighbor, Depot. A classic dining look that I know a date would simply adore! Loved the service from the sweet hostess there. She took my order, offered me a table as I waited, and served me a glass of water. All with a smile! This is all I ordered, but I'll be back: ~ The Toasted Reuben Sandwich ($22): Damn this had some thick cut and moist pastrami. Sitting between some toasted buttery rye bread. And that soft melted Swiss cheese, omg! x 2. Sauerkraut, wish there was a bit more as I didn't really notice it. Mustard and some Russian dressing; Both just brought out the flavor of that pastrami. If you can't decide what to get, try this! ~ Creamy Slaw with peanuts ($6): Interesting little mix here. It's a side order, but they give it to you in a good-sized bowl. Had some shredded crunchy cabbage that you can just taste the freshness. Maybe a bit too much with the dressing, but wasn't bad. The peanuts sat on top, but mixed all up made for a good compliment. There's just way too many things on their menu that I've got a try. Check it out. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Cheers! read more
3 years ago
The food was delicious, the staff was friendly, and the decor felt like an upscale New York deli. Really fun and just across the street from Sky Tower. The small side of beef fat fries is enormous! And my husband loved the blueberry pancakes. They're very thick, but still fluffy, and the blueberry compote was great. Coming from the States, we felt like the milkshake was too thin, but the flavor was good. Don't sleep on the Golden Hour - it's a bright, punchy non-alcoholic drink. read more
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