From Bagels To Pastrami: The Georgia Deli Chain That Does It Right

When you think about great Jewish delis, you're probably not thinking about Atlanta. But the bustling Southern metropolis is considered a great food city by many, and has long been a multicultural melting pot. With that in mind, it's not surprising that one local deli, Goldberg's, punches well above its weight. 

Founded in 1972 by a father and son team, this local bagel spot now boasts six street locations in and around Atlanta, and more at Hartsfield-Jackson airport. When it opened in its original home close to Roswell Road in Buckhead, the deli's menu was limited to bagels and a po'boy sandwich. It wasn't as simple as it sounds, however. The bagels came in half a dozen varieties, all broiled, New York style, while the po' boy was filled with salami, corned beef, turkey, and mustard, which was all piled on fresh French bread.

Until 1992, there was just one Goldberg's location (which, at the time, was called Goldberg & Son's). Then Wayne Saxe and Howard Aaron walked into the store looking for bagels as good as their Jewish grandmother used to make back in Johannesburg. They found them at Goldberg's, and quickly offered to buy the deli, counting on their professional skills as an accountant (Saxe) and experience in food service (Aaron) to build a local empire on authentic bagels and perfect po' boy. In fact, as they expanded the chain of delis and their menu, Aaron and Saxe made sure their stores and restaurants still centered on bagels. These days, their staff bake more than 500 dozen bagels a day. Converted from deli-math to numbers the rest of us can understand, that's over 6,000 bagels.

Today, the menu at Goldberg's has grown significantly, though it still mixes deli staples with Southern favorites. That original salami po' boy remains popular, with hundreds made daily. The recipe hasn't been changed since 1972, because it never needed changing. Goldberg's salami is beloved, and the sandwich remains the perfect marriage of New York Jewish deli culture with Southern ingredients.

The Georgia chain also serves diner-style meals, with a burger menu, salads and sandwiches, and breakfast options that range from omelettes, buttermilk pancakes, and chicken and waffles to avocado toast. There are currently more than 32 kinds of bagels to choose from at Goldberg's, including a gluten-free option, along with a dozen types of cream cheese. There's even a vegan and vegetarian menu, so no one gets left out. This is rare for a deli, and representative of Goldberg's commitment to both integrity and innovation. 

Thanks to that innovation, you can also try Goldberg's food throughout the U.S. Hop on Gold Belly and order bagels and cream cheese, a tub of matzah ball soup, or a box of Goldberg's famous North-East and Southern fusion, bagel beignets. Unfortunately, there's no way to get your hands on the po' boy from a distance. However, there's a pretty decent chance most of us will pass through the world's busiest airport hub, Hartsfield-Jackson, at some point. There, you can visit one of the deli's airport locations. It's not quite enough to plan a whole trip around, but I think many of us would endure a couple extra hours in an airport between flights for a really, really good bagel. Maybe longer for a salami po' boy so good the recipe has lasted over fifty years!