Kenny & Ziggys New York Delicatessen

If you’re in the mood for lox, latkes, or a pastrami sandwich the size of a standard poodle, head to Kenny & Ziggy’s. The classic Jewish delicatessen in the Galleria area takes the adage of "everything is bigger in Texas" to the nth degree. Do you like Broadway posters or cheesy caricatures of celebrities? Well, there’s about a million of each squeezed floor-to-ceiling across the entire restaurant—even a few hanging on the rafters. Jam yourself and about 20 friends into a giant red booth rimmed with gold banisters and subway tile, or sit at the bar during Happy Hour and watch someone in a starched white shirt make a chocolate-rich Brooklyn egg cream or a crisp gin martini.

Kenny & Ziggy’s is more like a functioning deli museum or even playground than a mere restaurant. Everything is oversized and overstuffed, like one of those giant teddy bears you win at a carnival. You’re pumped to win it, and while you might look goofy dragging it around, everyone is secretly envious of your carnival-game prowess. Enjoy the triple-decker corn beef sandwich and basketball-sized stuffed cabbage. Revel in the grandiosity of such giant foods. Then ask for more pickles and a to-go container.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Food Rundown

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Pickles

A joyous bowl of wonderfully crisp, slightly sour pickles arrive at your table after you place an order. They are, like everything else, kind of massive for free pickles. Eat every single one.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Lox ‘N Latkes

This plate of salmon lox and crispy fried latkes may be the only thing at Kenny & Ziggy’s that doesn’t feel like a sideshow attraction the second it hits the table. There’s a pleasant dollop of sour cream, smooth and buttery lox, and a salty potato crunch. Simple, but satisfying.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Fiddler On The Roof Of Your Mouth

Feed yourself, your friends, and your neighbors with this sandwich. It’s huge. It’s stuffed to the gills with pastrami and corned beef. It’s like five sandwiches in one sandwich. You will need more Russian dressing.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

“Can I Have An Egg Cream?”

Kenny & Ziggy’s make this egg cream with the Brooklyn-created Fox’s U Bet chocolate syrup, which tastes rich with a slight vanilla flavor. If you want a milkshake, but also don’t want to feel like you’re drinking a milkshake, try an egg cream. The addition of carbonated water makes it light and fluffy.