Wise Sons Jewish Deli

Bagel with Lox and Cream Cheese

House-cured nova lox draped over a fresh-baked bagel with schmear — the fish is silky and cold-smoke-forward, not aggressively salty

House-Made Bagels

Boiled and baked in-house with a genuinely chewy interior and glossy crust — a rarity on the East Bay side of the Bay

Pastrami Sandwich

Thick-cut house-cured pastrami piled on rye with mustard — the meat is properly peppery and tender from a long cure

Matzoh Ball Soup

A clear golden broth with a single large, pillowy matzoh ball — the kind that floats rather than sinks, with real depth from long-simmered chicken

Latkes

Potato pancakes with a well-seasoned, crispy crust and creamy center, served with applesauce and sour cream

Babka

Dense, swirled loaf — the chocolate version has a bitter-sweet ribbon through each slice and avoids the cloying sweetness of lesser versions

Rugelach

Flaky rolled pastry with chocolate or jam filling — sold by the piece, a reliable counter impulse buy

Reuben Sandwich

Corned beef or pastrami with sauerkraut and Russian dressing on griddled rye — solid execution of the deli standard