I tried an old-school New York deli in Ballantyne. Was it worth it?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Katz Deli in Ballantyne serves classic New York deli sandwiches, bagels and knishes.
- The author spent $25 and ordered a turkey BLT, baked knish, cucumber salad and soda.
- The deli was crowded at lunchtime, making takeout a faster option on weekdays.
Nothing says summer to me like a comically tall sandwich and a soda, so I set out to try a classic Charlotte deli.
Katz Deli in Ballantyne serves a variety of sandwiches, bagels, omelets and other deli fare. I went with $25 for our “On a Budget” series, where we visit a notable spot with just a few bucks to spend.
When I arrived, the deli was stuffed. In terms of finding a seat, this was not so promising. But I hoped it meant the food would be worth it.
The deli is decorated with Knicks and Mets merch and murals of New York, including Lady Liberty. It may come as no surprise that while listening to the full restaurant, I realized many people had New York accents, rather than any North Carolina twang.
While I read the menu, several different strangers asked me what I was ordering, scoffing when I said I wasn’t sure yet. Eventually, a woman next to me said “Well if you’re not sure, ask a New Yorker!” which is how I ended up getting my sandwich and sides approved by committee. Thank you New York, congratulations on the Knicks.
It took a minute to find a seat after I ordered, but a table eventually turned over. I went at lunchtime on a Thursday – takeout might be a better choice, depending on when you need to get back to the office.
My sandwich
Katz is well known for its Reuben, but I don’t eat beef, so I pivoted to a turkey BLT. My love of tomatoes knows no real bounds and feels summery, so it felt an apt pick. But a BLT is not traditional Jewish deli fare, so I wanted to make sure I got something else too.
I also got cucumber salad, a knish and a cream soda. I spent exactly $25, including a couple dollars tip at the counter.
My sandwich was tall enough that I worried it would not fit in my mouth, but not so tall that it did not. I got it on whole wheat, which was inoffensive to my committee in line. It came with a pickle, which is important to me. I am a pickle person (do not ask my roommates how many jars are in the fridge).
It did not have too much mayo, nor too little meat, but I could have done with a tiny bit more tomato and lettuce. But I am a tomato lover, so a person in it for the bacon or for the BLT as a whole would likely have no issue.
Sides
The restaurant offers two knishes, baked (made in house) and fried. I got baked. Knishes are pockets of dough-wrapped carbs brought to New York by European Jewish immigrants. Some knishes are made with buckwheat, but this one was made with potato.
The in-house knish was round, while the fried option was square. A quick Google shows this to be a traditional differentiation. It was great — where can you go wrong with potatoes? I want to return and try a square knish, as I can see how delicious it would be fried. A knish and a sandwich was a lot of food because of all the potato, but I would never complain about that.
It came with a cup of cucumber salad, which fit my pursuit of summer well. The salad was made of thin sliced cucumber and onions, with a slightly sweet vinegar dressing and herbs. It felt almost like a very quick pickle.
I will return, perhaps on my own time, for the fried knish. Katz is a great place to talk to strangers – admittedly, a place where it may be impossible to people watch. Everyone is very friendly in a no-nonsense New York way, and the food is delicious.
