Monty's Deli

It's hard to find a good bagel (New York deli style) in London. This is THE PLACE to get one. It's traditional, classic, and the quality/freshness of the food is excellent. The bagels are baked freshly each morning. I ordered the SMOKED SALMON bagel board, which comes with with tomato, capers, sliced red onion, cream cheese. My husband got the SALT BEEF bagel board. Both were outstanding choices and that's what I'd start with here.

Salt beef has never tasted so good! I went here on a quiet Easter Sunday, really great service and relaxed American diner feel to the place :) I got the salt beef hash, which was absolutely delicious, every element of the dish complimented each other and the salt beef was unexplainably good, you have to go try it to see what I mean! I went with my family, who got a combination of different sandwiches which were all hits! The side order of chicken wings were exceptional, and came off the bone so easily! I was not a huge fan of the lemon drink, it was too sweet for me and the cheesecake for dessert was nothing special in comparison to the main dishes. However on a whole, the meal was great and the people were lovely!

Great Reubens are served here! I got the special Reuben with Salt Beef and Pastrami. It was really tasty. The meats were succulent and tender. The sauces worked well in the sandwich. The fries were also great as they were the crispy. The servers were attentive and the food cane out quickly. Although, it wasn't busy when I was there.

We came here to try a Reuben having heard it’s the best one in London and being an avid lover of the classic sandwich. The deli itself is standard industrial chic fare with some quirky additions such an old meat cutting machine and some great illustrations of the food fare. Overall a cool feel- I particularly like the old style minimalist booths- each sponsored it seems by a person or persons there named. The service was quick and friendly without being invasive and we promptly ordered two Reubens (with salt beef although pastrami is an option- not in my book), some latkes and some filter coffee. The place wasn’t overly busy yet the food wasn’t overly quick, due I imagine to the latkes being cooked fresh. I loved these crispy golden little bites of heaven served with thick sour cream and smooth apple sauce. Very successful. The Reuben itself wasn’t cheap at just shy of ten pounds but was deceptively filling as sandwiches go- I had to bag mine up and take half away. The Russian dressing and sauerkraut were both fab creamy and sour opposing and supporting each other as they should but the real star was the salt beef which, cured in house, was thickly sliced, generously layered and fragrantly But gently spiced (with spices not spicy as in heat). The bread was also tangy and crisp- gently fried as it was. The coffee was very bitter and had to be heavily sugared which in itself lent itself to the New York feel of the place. Overall, a fab experience and we will back- the question is whether we will reorder the food from today or try some of the other things on the simple but clearly expertly crafted menu.

So I went there with high expectations after reading they had the best pastrami in London. I have been missing pastrami since I came back from New York last year so was really looking forward to it maybe too much looking forward to it. Truth is it decent and good value for money (except the egg bun which is expensive for what it is). The area is nice especially on Sunday and the staff is friendly. But best pastrami in London well if that is the case I am doomed. All in all I would say it is a good place to go for brunch but next time I will go for the latkes or the lox belly and leave the pastrami alone to avoid disappointment

Monty's Deli started life as a stand at a local London market giving birth to the existing location in Hoxton Street a year ago. The space is large and dominated by a long counter featuring American diner stalls, tables and booths. The decor is industrial and minimalist, keeping the original features of the previous tenant a butchers shop. The menu resembles a Jewish New York deli including sandwiches and soups, egg & chesse, bagel boards, noshes and cured fish platers. They offer a sandwich of the day which is either a combination of brisket, pastrami, salt beef or turkey. The stars of the menu are the Reuben sandwich and Mensch. These guys bake their own bagels, cure their meat, make their own special mustard and even bake their own rye bread. The desert menu includes some all time favourites including baked chesse cake and blitzes. They have wine and beer on tap as well as a good homemade ice tea. Having ordered both the Reuben Special for £13 (with pastrami) and pastrami sandwich for £8.00 I was delighted with the consistency and flavour of the pastrami - peppery, juicy and tender. The best pastrami sandwiches I have had in London. The blitzes dessert was fresh, delicious and authentic. Disappointed the cheese cake was not available but a fresh batch was still cooling when I came in. At Monty's, when it comes down to sandwiches, size does matter. My recommendation is to go for the Reuben Special that comes with 250 grams of pastrami or salt beef for £13.00. The standard sandwich comes with only 150 grams for £8.00. While more expensive the Reuben Special is better value for money. While still pricey for a sandwich it isn't comparable to any other pastrami sandwich in town for the exception of the Brass Rail at Selfridges' food court. The service was friendly, efficient and passionate about the food they sell. My only suggestion for improvement to the owner is the consistent ratio of sauerkraut to meat on the sandwiches. The last time I visited and ordered the Reuben Special the sandwich contained 50% sauerkraut and 50% meat. At £13.00 I expect 250 grams of meat not less not more. Monty's Deli serves amazing pastrami sandwiches in a relaxed friendly establishment. Worth a visit if you are a fan of NYC deli food. Having visited twice within 48 hours I can happily confirm Monty's is both style and substance when it comes to pastrami sandwiches and NYC deli food.