Kleinsky's Delicatessen

In a city where the definition of a bagel is often loose, Kleinsky’s commits to the traditional labor of slow-fermenting, boiling, and baking every batch in-house. Brothers Adam and Joel Klein opened the spot to translate the deli culture of New York and Montreal for a Sea Point audience, focusing on heritage recipes rather than strict religious dietary laws. The kitchen isn’t kosher, but the methods are rigorous – the pastrami undergoes a complex curing process before it ever hits the rye, and staples like matzah ball soup are made entirely from scratch. The space balances industrial design with the clamor of a busy neighborhood diner. It is a high-volume room where charcoal drawings of Cape Town landmarks – all by local artists and available for purchase – hang above the tables. On weekends, a line usually forms down Regent Road. Once you are seated, the pace is fast and the noise level high. Breakfast dominates the orders, particularly the Latke Benedict, which swaps the standard English muffin for a fried potato pancake. For those unwilling to wait for a table, the front counter runs a steady trade in takeaway bagels and deli goods.