Kaplans Deli Vancouver

Restaurant Review: Kaplan's Star Deli (Vancouver, BC)

Vancouver, British Columbia

At last, after years of being teased by improbable impersonators that never really approximated the genre, Vancouver has an actual, for-real New York-style deli !

Marshall Cramer is chasing a dream, but it’s a fantasy many deli-philes share: the pursuit of the New York-Chicago-style authentic delicatessen. So when Cramer learned that long-time owner Serge Haber wanted to retire, he swooped in to revise, revamp and re-deli-fy!

Cramer (of The Apparel Group and Mr. Jax fame) and his friends and family researched and experimented, always maintaining their recollection of “All Things Deli” as a benchmark they wanted to achieve. And achieve they did.

Marshall Cramer is an open-faced deli fanatic who grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, one of the United States great corned beef and pastrami capitals. “I love deli and when I came here from New York in 1991, I could not find a true deli experience here in Vancouver.”

In June of 2000, Cramer — and partner Jake Wiebe — purchased Kaplan’s Star Deli, a 40-year-old Vancouver landmark, and gave it a face-lift. The walls glow yellow with the warmth of mustard and the booths check in with ketchup and relish hues, lending the room a vibrancy that it never knew. A traditional deli charcoal-and off-white checkboard floor, matte black ceiling and drop lights add to the feel. It is a room that speaks of noshing and neighbours.

Listen, bubeleh, oy, you’ll kvell Food that schmecks, and enough to satisfy the biggest fresser in the crowd.

The corned beef is imported directly from Chicago (as are many of the Kosher salamis); there’s real New York-style pickled tongue, smoked meat brought in from Montral, and Ida Kaplan’s — the original Mrs. Kaplan’s from some 20 years ago — own recipes for chopped liver, eggplant spread and gefilte fish. Many vegetarian (dairy) choices.

The noisy extended-family atmosphere is a plus. Home and office catering, condolence catering, and Real Meals Family-Style Take-out Dinners, from $8.95 per person.

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