Federal Delicatessen

Fed Deli is a bit of a no brainer. The drinks, the staff, the food – no trouble. It’s so good to have a place to fall back on for consistency. It seems like others in Auckland feel the same because it’s always buzzing along with its neighbour Depot.

We ordered the NY Strip Steak with dil butter, green salad and chicken crackling. Perfect to share with the steak conveniently pre-cut to show off the beautiful medium rare colours. The butter is essential. It’s a bit small for $25 but it fits the lunch appetite otherwise.

Next up was the Greenpeace bagel with skordalia, crisp fennel, rocket sauce and dukkah, which wasn’t as green as it looks or sounds. Ohh how I’ve missed the chewy and satisfying Ugly Bagels. Once you’ve tasted one, you’ll never go back.  It was definitely piled high with fennel but the simplicity and freshness wins.

After two shared dishes, we couldn’t resist ordering the NYC style hotdog. Hands down, the soft bun and generous relish made something simple so delicious, like a comforting home cooked hotdog where you’d eat it standing up in the kitchen before it even hit the plate.

A bit bold for lunch, we finished off holding our stomachs with the 3 way combo dessert platter. More restaurants should have this option with their desserts! The banana and toffee pie has always been my favourite but now having tried the pumpkin pie and NY cheesecake, it has some competition!

It’s a fun place – you feel like you stepped into an American diner with booths and the open style deli – made complete with waitresses with cute retro uniforms and red lipstick. Don’t go with your health conscious friends who’ll only turn their noses at the deliciousness on the menu. My only gripe is the lack of windows which means going in the afternoon makes you feel like you’ve walked into a dim shut out place. Apart from this week,  it’s lucky Auckland has been blessed with beautiful Autumn sunshine, so pop dem sunnies on and enjoy the beautiful feeling of the sun on your neck!