According to the Gregorian calendar, Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 14 this year, corresponding to Kislev 25 in the Hebrew year of 5786. Whatever you call the date, you can count down eight nights in which to celebrate the Festival of Lights. Not that you should feel constrained by numbers on the calendar.
Instead, think of this as your invitation to dive into the pantheon of Jewish foods available in our region any time of the year. Whether you’re looking for eats that reference the Holy Land, Eastern Europe, or our American adaptations of those flavors, you’ll find something seriously geshmak.
Beresovsky’s Deli
The team behind DC’s KNEAD Hospitality + Design may not have opened a deli in NoVA proper (yet), but it’s worth a trip across the bridge for the housemade pastrami. Get your hefty sandwich with a classic chocolate or vanilla egg cream, and a plate of crispy Kim’s Latkes. 1201 Half St. SE, Washington, DC
Call Your Mother
This locally born chain has six locations in NoVA, including one about to open its doors in Gainesville. You can build own bagel sandwich with ingredients like candied salmon cream cheese, turkey bacon, or a mix of brisket, pastrami, and sofrito. Finish it off with a babka muffin. Multiple area locations
Celebrity Delly
You look like you could use some stuffed cabbage. Filled with ground beef and rice and slow-cooked in tomato sauce, it’s the comfort we need at this time of year. It’s best paired with iron-rich, creamy chopped liver and a Dr. Brown’s Diet Black Cherry. 7263A Arlington Blvd., Falls Church
The Chewish Deli
Quite possibly our favorite bagels in the region are available at this casual storefront. Get yours stuffed with lox or whitefish salad — both prepared by local Ivy City Smokehouse — along with plenty of capers for a zippy pop. Pair it with a rose and vanilla chai for a taste of the Sephardic to go with your Ashkenazi favorites. 807 Pendleton St., Alexandria
Chutzpah Deli
Tongue is a favorite cut of meat in the delicatessen tradition. Here, you can get it on a sandwich or as an entrée. Homestyle options also include brisket with mushroom gravy, calf’s liver, and stuffed cabbage. But the most important part of your meal may be the chocolaty seven-layer cake. 12214 Fairfax Towne Center, Fairfax
Tatte
The only non-deli entry on this list is this Boston-based chain. We love it for Sephardic-inspired dishes like shakshuka, crunchy halloumi salad, and braised beef short rib with eggplant couscous. Bring home nutty-tasting halva chocolate chip cookies and passionfruit krembo. Multiple area locations
Feature image of Chutzpah Deli by Alice Levitt
