Perly’s

Five stars for the food, for sure! I’ve made plenty of trips to Perly’s for a nice brunch, or whenever I’m hankering for a giant sandwich. Perly’s serves up super fresh and delicious food every time, my favorite is the Benny Goodman [two perfectly poached eggs on top of smoked salmon and crispy potato latkes], or the build-​your-​own sandwich. The portions are very generous, and when you order a sandwich, you’re never skimped on the meats or toppings.
The restaurant has a retro vibe, and it’s always packed with people, so it’s never a dull visit. Sometimes the hostesses can take awhile to acknowledge you when you walk in during the busy hours [this happened during my most recent visit last week], but it’s to be expected during a lunch rush. If you’re crunched for time, I’d recommend stopping by the Kohlmann’s market next door! They serve a few different dishes from Perly’s, cold and packaged ready to go.
All in all, a good solid lunch spot! Definitely a place to try if you live and/​or work in the downtown area.

The restaurant is bustling with customers, but not necessarily crowded or having to wait long. We went for brunch around 11−12ish. I’m sure the staff would argue the opposite. It is a chronic busy. I can see it becoming an overwhelming hustle for the staff and an hour long wait for customers. However, this day and time the wait and the space wasn’t uncomfortable at all. A decent bar area with comfortable seating and a well organized moderate sized restaurant. The walls are hung with photos from days past, possibly as far back as the 1920s. The music matches the dated photos and places you right around that time frame. Nostalgia for some and an unknown, but heard of, place for others. Overall ambiance is homy and inviting with a longing for times past.
The Food?!
Delicious. Savory. Well flavored, but not overwhelming in any which way. This place is a fantastic restaurant with phenomenal food. Go try it!

Great find just before my flight. I was solo and got right in but, if I had a couple more people with me we would of been waiting a while. Always a good sign… The service is friendly and prompt, great suggestions. The restaurant is Kosher and NY centric. Great vibe. I wanted to try the chocolate milk with some seltzer in it. It looked so good. I had the hash and eggs, it was great, but I think I should of gotten the benny or bagel and locks. looked amazing and bit lighter.

Best breakfast ever!
My favorite breakfast of all time is the Benny Goodman. Looking at their menu selections I would say ya really can’t go wrong here. Try it! You’ll love it!

We came for coffee and to wait for Godfreys to open, but me and my friend were blown away by how delicious the coffee was! She got a nice warm cup and I got their cold brew and the flavor is so pure! The nice waitress told us about the cheesecake and we shared a slice, once again, we were blown away by the flavor!
The barstaff is so friendly and informative about their city and told us places to stay for our next trip to RVA. We are definitely coming back and bringing back more of our friends, we keep bragging about their coffee :)

So delish. So cute. I heart Perly’s. The next time I’m in Richmond, definitely returning. We got there around 0930ish on a Friday, were seated immediately and within minutes were sipping on cups of steaming hot coffee. Fabulous service. We both got the schnorrer… a wonderful two egg, choice of meat and bread, potato latke and coffee combo. Definite deal! I think it might only be available on weekdays. I’m an egg fanatic, and my eggs over medium were perfect! Love love love. For my meat I had kishke with schug (totally new for me but described as kinda like scrapple… and as an ex Philly resident that was an immediate win). Okay. This kishke? Holy smokes… love this stuff. It’s like a soft sausage that is pan fried till the edges are crispy, and then you smear this spicy schug all over it and you just die from happiness on the spot. A few minutes after we got our food, our server came by with a little cup of hot maple syrup and told me she likes to drizzle that over the whole shebang. Guess what… me too! That little bit of sweetness with the spiciness of the schug… yes indeed. Did I mention the latkes? Also amazingly light and crispy. Loved the apricot applesauce on top in contrast with the herbed sour cream underneath. So so good. Don’t sleep on the toasted challah either. This was an amazing breakfast, hearty, filling, different and memorable.

Oh wow! I just had the most delightful breakfast in a decade. I am not a breakfast person but Perlys would convert me if I lived in Richmond.
From their amazing array of breakfast options, I chose the Benny Goodman with hollandaise on the side. Yum yum. Latkes were light and airy, not heavy or greasy despite being fried. Eggs Poached perfectly. Heaps of smoked salmon on top. The herbed sour cream and egg yolk add creaminess to balance the salty/​smoky flavors. A bit of dressed salad on the side was a refreshing touch.
Loved the décor. The best of retro style, gorgeous woodwork. Booths along the wall have outlets for phone charging.
Only advice: if you aren’t sure of an ingredient, ask. My husband was surprised by his dish, albeit pleasantly so.
We arrived at 9 on a Sunday and got a seat immediately. Food was quick to arrive. The crowd was gathering by the time we finished but they clearly knew it was worth the wait!

This is an old school Jewish deli with a little flair. The bagels, shmear, and pickle platter is fantastic. I love the breakfast offerings – particularly the twists on Hollandaise sauce they’ve created. Pop in for traditional Jewish eats – especially around holidays.

Talk about awesome sandwiches! Perly’s is a great spot on Grace, situated near the heart of downtown making for a perfect lunch destination or casual dinner after work. They truly embrace the feel and flavor of a deli, crafting large, delicious sandwiches. During my visit, the patronage appeared to be mostly locals of all ages (4 – 65). It’s great to see small families, young professionals, and seasoned eaters all enjoying an evening under the same roof. I have to give a shoutout to the Ruben, because I thoroughly enjoyed devouring it.

Perly’s is a RVA staple. This place made waves on my social feeds back in ’11, but didn’t try them until last year… Let me tell you. I kept myself in the dark for far too long. This place is great!
It’s right around the corner from where I work so I have them about once a week. The Deli Dog is amazing! This all beef kosher hot dog is served on a warm gourmet poppy seed hot dog bun. Try it topped with their beef bacon! Mmmmm. And don’t forget the side of Dill Fries! These fries are perfect! They have just the right balance of Potato meat without being too thick, they are also cooked to perfection.
I haven’t tried a lot of their menu items but I have had their Turkey Sandwich & Rueben. I got the turkey on Challah bread, its soo tasty! Light with just a subtle hint of sweet. I could be wrong, but I strongly feel they make a lot of their gourmet breads in-​house. The Rueben. Now I have to start by saying I’m not a fan of Rueben’s but this sandwich was good. I’ve forgot to mention that these sandwiches are huge! A half sandwich is enough to fill you up and have leftovers.
The staff here is very friendly. They recognize my face & talk to me anytime I come in the door… They’ve even thrown in a complimentary Black & White cookie one visit.
The Black & White cookies are delicious btw! The fudge and vanilla icing are sweet without being overbearing and the more cake like then cookie bottom which the fudge and vanilla top is heavenly.
I definitely recommend you check this place out!

Oy Vey, what do I say? I really wanted to like you Pearlys! I really did. The food, great. Bagels fresh and latkes delicious. The only thing I’d change is the sour cream that was smeared on the bottom of them that was a surprise (I like mine with just apple sauce). It was the service that sucked or maybe the hostess was having a bad day who knows? Rude and not personable AT ALL.
Our waiter made up for it by being awesome. Prices, ehhh a little high for what you get but then again where else are you gonna get a knish or a nice bowl of matzo ball soup in Richmond? I’ll try Pearlys again during the week and see if the rudeness was a fluke.

Seriously, Perly’s has so many choices that are different — have a culinary adventure. I have been to Perly’s twice now. The décor was kitschy and comfortable, right down to the Bogart black and white movie on the TV and the Manischewitz behind the bar.
Six of us met here for dinner, most seating is 4-​spot booths and tables, but with a reservation we got a golden circle booth up front — perfect. The waiter was so patient to explain some of the more unusual and ethnic dishes. I got the Jewish Sailor because it had a great variety of layers, but especially a layer of the chopped chicken liver that I really wanted to try, without ordering an appetizer. More than I could eat and outstanding mix of flavors and textures. Best of all the bread stood up to the challenge of a big sandwich, but it was so huge I ate it as 2 open tops instead of trying to put it together and do big bites! The dill potato salad on the side lived up to the name and had plenty of dill flavor, and not too sweet. I topped it all off with a slice of chocolate babka, like a slice of coffee cake but more dense, very good.
Then yesterday I went for a take-​home dinner order to share with my DH, we had to try the fish board. We picked the gravlax, smoked salmon, and kippered salmon, and kept to plain bagels and cream cheese, to savor the salmon flavor — and there was plenty of it. Outrageously good, with such a variety of sides to accompany, sliced tomato, sliced radish, pickled cauliflower, pickled cabbage, sprouts, dill pickles, lettuce and of course sliced onion. We added an appetizer of chopped liver and toast points and just noshed the night away.
Next time it’s a rainy day that matzah ball soup is calling my name!

Fashioned like an old fashioned deli in the vein of the venerable Russ & Daughters in NY, Perly’s was a great treat for folks like myself whom can get to Richmond far more often than the Lower East Side. Started off with the borscht and it was perfectly serviceable (served warm and with lots of boiled potatoes which was odd) alongside the chopped liver which was rich and unctuous.
My wife ordered the schnitzel topped with a fried egg and smoked trout served over potato salad and loved it as well, especially the trout.
The star of the show was the fish board, a choice of 3 cured fish alongside bagels or bialys with a few small cups of homemade cream cheese. Chose the smoked whitefish, smoked salmon and gravlax along with toasted everything bagels and roasted vegetable cream cheese.
At 18 dollars it was already cheaper than the cheapest fish plate at Russ & Daughters, so that was a big plus but, unlike R&D where a plate gets you fish, bread of choice, cream cheese, capers, tomatoes and raw red onion, Perly’s fish plates are three very generous servings of fish plus a cornucopia of raw and pickled vegetables. It’s a truly beautiful platter that included on my visit pickled half sour pickles, dill pickles, beets, eggs, red onion, cauliflower and green beans alongside fresh red onion, mixed greens, roma tomatoes, capers and sprouts. Other than the cauliflower which had an oddly metallic taste and the smoked whitefish which was blander than I’ve had elsewhere, everything was fantastic and it was enough for at least 2 – 3 people.
Considering how rare this type of deli is in the south, even if it would have been just ok I would have loved it, but given the high quality of the food and the pleasantness of the space and staff, I am already planning my next trip even though I live a couple hours away

Perly’s is an adorable casual looking deli where my friend and I stopped in during a roadtrip to Richmond (super exciting spring break, I know). It was probably one of the best breakfasts I have EVER had in my life and the service that came with it was just the cherry on top. I can’t remember the server’s name but he was amazing and said so much while saying so little (seriously, he walked by several times and just made intense eye contact with us and nodded at the food, but we totally got it).
We got the Benny Goodman, with potato latkes, smoked salmon, dill hollandaise, and salmon roe, as well as the… something else that was like a combo with toast, eggs, meat, and a latke. Our server really sold the homemade jam and it was worth it. I’ll be honest, the salad that came with the Benny Goodman didn’t seem to have any dressing and really, who wants salad for breakfast? But it didn’t bother me, the coffee was amazing, we never felt rushed for a minute, and our delightful server gave us great tips on what sites to check out before we left Richmond.
All in all, super fast, super yummy, pretty cheap if I remember correctly (but if not, still worth it), and best service ever. LOVED this place and would definitely come back if I’m ever in Richmond again!

Great local spot to dine for lunch if you are in the downtown area! I was always a fan of Perly’s sandwiches, today was no different. I ordered an egg salad everything bagel with everything chips! Simply wonderful! I arrived around 11:40am so I didn’t have any trouble with seating but it is a popular deli so if you get there much past noon, there may be a wait. Parking isn’t the best (no actual parking lot– I think) but you can usually find street parking!
Happy lunching :)

It was nine years ago THIS MONTH that I first went to PERLY’s.
I was very much a fish out of water, having only lived in Richmond for three months. I started a job at nearby Media General Inc. and on my first day, upper management took me to PERLY’s.
To give you an idea of what things were like nine years ago, Facebook had only been available to the public for five months. The original iPhone was recently announced and still wouldn’t be available for another three months. Barack Obama had just announced his candidacy for President just a month earlier. This was also the calm before the storm. The housing market was about to crash and nobody knew it.
Getting back to PERLY’s though, went a little too far down the rabbit hole, it was amazing. I instantly fell in love with their sandwiches. Back then they had these great names like the Downtowner, the Chimborazo, and the Londoner. They had a mean chicken salad too! Unilocal was around but I wasn’t part of that yet. I wish I was so I could more clearly remember the food.
PERLY’s is an institution in Richmond and has been around for over 50 years. In September of 2013 it was devastating to hear they were closing. I remember being shocked out of my mind they were closing their doors. Thankfully one year later under new management PERLY’s re-​opened and I for one could not be happier.
Since I didn’t work around the block anymore it took me some time to finally get my butt back into this place. I took my New York native girlfriend in with me. Waiting for a table was an absolute nightmare (as usual) and I think the hostess was lost in space. Just like the PERLY’s of old, this place never seems to have its shit together when it comes to seating patrons. It’s annoying as f*** and gets on my last nerve but who am I to stand in the way of tradition?! We all suffer in silence because the food is worth the wait.
All of my frustration is instantly forgiven once the food arrives. Our charming waiter made my girlfriend cry with joy over the nostalgia. The food took her back to her childhood in New York. Food tends to bring it out in people. That taste of home creates a lot of emotion. She got her egg cream, her Jewish dishes like matzo ball soup and latkas’. I had the corn beef & pastrami sandwich on rye. We laughed, we cried, we gorged ourselves on everything we ordered. It was sheer bliss! Thank you PERLY’s.

I’m originally from Massachusetts and was missing my go-​to Jewish deli and bakery until I found Perly’s! I mean, I still miss it but boy does Perly’s make up for it. They do it all– matzo balls, pierogi, stuffed cabbage, sandwiches… Their menu is overwhelming in a good way. I have to go back for brunch and get those carrot home fries I saw on other tables. It gets slammed so service can be slow but the food is so good and the servers so nice that it’s worth it.
My sister’s Jewish friend was visiting from DC and I recommended this place. Her parents loved it so much that they went two days in a row. Nuff said.

A Jewish delicatessen restaurant and then some. Friendly staff, so many choices! Latkes, smoked salmon, corned beef hash, deli sandwiches. French toast, blintzes. You have to come back several times to try everything. It will be worth it. One note. Parking is on the street and can be a challenge.

This review is for take out only. A friend brought me Perly’s Matzah ball soup while I was sick and I swear it was a cure all. As someone said, it must have been made with love and I believe it! Now, I need to go to Perly’s in person and try the rest of their menu, and eat more soup! DELISH!!!
Cheers!

After being recommended Perly’s countless times, I finally came with a friend for their Hannukah prix fixe dinner. We made a reservation, but didn’t end up needing one (although we did get seated at a slightly better table thanks to the reservation).
Our server was great, very jovial and proud of the food at Perly’s. The Hannukah prix fixe comes with choice of appetizer, entrée, and dessert. My friend and I shared everything so that we each got to try six different things!
The food was definitely higher end for the special occasion, and was presented very beautifully. Everything tasted fantastic!
Wouldn’t mind coming back for a regular sandwich during lunchtime though, for the more casual Perly’s experience!

Yum
I got the Benny Goodman, with a side of turkey bacon, and my boyfriend got eggs and a bagel and sausage.
The turkey bacon was the best turkey bacon i’ve ever had! It tasted like actual bacon!
And the latkes were bomb. (My dad’s side of the family is Jewish and I went to Sunday school so I know a little bit about latkes and other Jewish foods) :p
*Get there early on Sundays, minus ½ a star because it was kinda cramped and it was a little chaotic trying to get a table.
The other minus ½ a star was for the dill hollandaise sauce. Love regular hollandaise sauce, but I’m not a fan of dill, and the sauce was really strong tasting and salty.
Overall a good brunch in RVA!

The food and atmosphere of Perly’s is beautiful. I’ve been wanting to come here since I caught wind of the buzz surrounding the place, so when friends invited me to dinner I was on board!
Weeknight dinners are probably the best time to experience dining in RVA and Perly’s was no exception. Our party of 4.5 was seated and ordering immediately with a great, funny, and attentive waiter. Everything came out very steady, as we started out with the Lentil Hummus and dinner for the little one, promptly followed by everyone else’s dinner. I ended up ordering the Roasted Salmon with Celery Root Latkes, which as you can see in the photo I took was plated wonderfully topped with cabbage. The salmon was warm and flaky while still maintaining all of the moisture you want in a huge piece of fish steak. And the latkes… sweet mercy.
I did get to taste the fries and a bite of the buckwheat blintz, all of it was delicious and flavorful.
I can’t wait til I’m in town again to try their brunch because I’ve heard it’s positively stellar!

I love that they smoke all their own fish and meats. Everything here is incredible I’ve been many times and tried about ¹⁄₃ of the menu so far and love their salmon dishes, their bagels, the soups (wow), the sandwiches and authentic Jewish deli items. The matzah ball soup is so flavorful it’s worthy of the Food Network. The Perogies are so good they are usually sold out by the time I get there but Guy Fiorre would for sure feature them on triple d’s for sure. This is really my favorite restaurant in Richmond currently whether it’s for brunch or dinner!

Love this place! All my coworkers kept raving about the food here and now I see why. Went in with a group of 4. Fast, friendly efficient service. Got the jewbano, sooooo amazing! Highly recommend the egg rolls filled with corn beef also.

I don’t have poetry for this, not today, only cravings and a fistful of receipts from the past two months. Given my predilection for trying to go somewhere new almost every time I eat, that probably speaks volumes, but in case it is unclear… OH SWEET LORD ABOVE am I lucky this place isn’t within walking distance of my apartment.
I have consumed latkes, sausages, and tzimmes hash, pierogies, and bagels, scads of homemade pickles of various types, blintzes, rugelach, babka, cheesecake… and I want more. I want more NOW. There is a cocktail made with Manischewitz, for crying out loud. And it was GOOD! Nothing isn’t good, as far as I can tell. The servers are all delightful people, the menu is fun and full of options for flavors and prices, the coffee is hot, tasty and bottomless. The cocktails are neither hot nor bottomless, but that’s all to the good, in the end, trust me.
Their challah… might even be better than my own. Might. But don’t tell anyone I admitted that.
The crowning glory, honestly, is the hours. Need breakfast? No problem. Lunch? Got that. Dinner? Dessert? Cocktails? Done, done, and done. I haven’t even begun to explore the sandwich menu or the non-​brunch entrees, but if it’s half as good as breakfast/​brunch… Well. My scale is going to cry.

The food was amazing! The spices and food combinations were excellent. We were walking just down from our hotel and used Unilocal to find a place to eat and we were not disappointed. Will definitely come back when we stay in the area again.

Brunch was auh-​mazing. I got the corned beef hash with poached eggs. Everything about it was amazing. Especially the perfectly poached egg on top. Btw they have the best bread ever. My sister ordered the roast beef sandwich which I thought was delish. The side of potato salad was also pretty good. I loved the coziness and neighborhood feel of the place. The service was great and wait wasn’t that long. The fact that this place has been here forever and I just found out about it baffles me. I wish I had discovered this place sooner. I’ll def be back for more!

Perly’s is a great place for brunch.
It has a great vibe.
Service is usually good.
Food is solid.
I’m a fan.

I’ve been to Perly’s several times now, and though it’s on the pricier side, I’ve always had excellent food and service.
The first time I went, I had the matzoh brei with scallions, cheddar, apples, tomato and plum jam, and it unlike any other matzoh brei I’ve had before. Usually, mine is pretty plain-​eggs, matzoh, and topped with a lot of sugar. This one was a bit more on the savory side, and had a lot of potatoes in it, but was still pretty good. I especially enjoyed the plum jam.
Another time I went I had the roasted salmon and latkes. The salmon was very well cooked and flavorful, and the lemon and fennel salad was good. It came with roe, which I don’t like in general, so next time, I’ll ask them to take that off. The celery root latkes were also tasty, but I would have preferred the traditional latkes. Overall, it was a tasty dish that I would order again.
And for the best dish of them all: for the potato latkes with apricot apple sauce and chive sour cream. They were absolutely DELICIOUS. The latkes were much thicker than the ones I usually make at home, but the apricot apple sauce was practically addicting, and the chive sour cream was super tasty. The only thing I wish would change about the dish would be to add more apple sauce and sour cream!

Best Delicatessen this side of New York City. Do whatever it takes to get here!
Enjoying the Jewbano. delicious!

Big portions, good wait staff, decent size menu. I would say this place caters to meat lovers more than most, but they do a good job of mixing things up. The wait times can be VERY long so get here early and be prepared to wait.
No complaints other than standing in the doorway longer than we wanted. If you can’t find parking there is a hourly garage right down the street on Grace that is usually open. And i’d recommend the corn beef hash over anything else.

We took a day trip to Richmond so of course I had to dine at the top restaurant on Unilocal’s list. We entered on a Saturday at around 1 and the place was poppin. We managed to get a booth immediately. The place has a homey diner feel with old fashioned movies playing with family photos hanging on the seafoam green walls.
We ordered quite a spread. I got the matzo ball soup, potato and duck pierogis, potato latkes and my boyfriend ordered a brunch dish with a pork cutlet, sunny side up egg, over a dill potato salad with smoked trout.
This was my first time eating matzo ball soup and it was warm and comforting but lacked flavor for me. I added a lot more pepper and salt but I wasn’t too much a fan of this one.
Potato latkes were awesome. I never had Jewish food before so eating hash browns with apple sauce sounded strange but this totally worked. The latkes were on top of sour cream with dill and the apple apricot sauce was delicious on top of these crispy potatoes.
My favorite were the duck and potato pierogis. Mmm delicious dumplings in a meaty, mushroom broth. I’m a big fan of anything duck so these took the cake for me.
I wish I had enough room for some chocolate babka but we were stuffed. Perlys, I’m comin back for you!

*CHECK OUT MY EXTENSIVE PICTURES FOR ALL OF MY MENU EXPLORATIONS AS A REGULAR!*
UPDATE: What can I say about Perly’s that I, or someone else, hasn’t already said? The people are amazing and treat you with such warmth, and you can truly tell there’s a passion in the restaurant and a passion towards their patrons that’s just rare– nice people paired with consistently unbelievable food pretty much makes for one of my favorite dining experiences in Richmond. With a small group of regular wait and bar staff who work here, as well as the managers and owners consistently on the floor, they will remember you (I sit down and am instantly noticed and a piping hot cup of coffee is set in front of me before I even take a seat; I always just sit at the bar when I’m alone, because the place gets busy very quickly and as a single person, I feel guilty taking up a whole booth or table.) This is another restaurant where you can’t go wrong with anything on their extensive and eccentric menu, though I would not suggest it if you are trying to find somewhere to bring, let’s say, a vegetarian or vegan friend, because it has a high emphasis on comfort food and AMAZING house-​cured and smoked meats (and paired with their expertly-​crafted takes on traditional Israeli sauces and preparation styles, it’s as unique an instant Richmond staple as it is mind-​blowingly delicious!)
*Deli Dogs: This and Hogshead have the two best dogs in Richmond; they are smoky, crisp on the outside, juicy and smooth on the inside, have an amazing tender beef flavor, and pair amazingly with Perlys’ homemade grilled poppy seed buns. I always get their sweet, tangy peppers and onions, one of the four different, yet all equally delicious, brown deli mustards, and almost always have to get skhmug (a Jewish sweet and spicy pesto-​like sauce) to make for a dog that is just littered with as many levels of flavor as their perfectly crisp, piled-​high diced onions have in layers! Also, their gribiche (which is a duck-​fat fried crispy mess of skins) is to-​die-​for, and the perfect crisp topping to even further make the smokiness of the dog pop!
*Bagels and My Favorite Bread, Challah: Perly’s has New York-​worthy bagels, easy, and they grilled them with the perfect balance between a soft bringing-​out-​of-​the-​flavors of the 10 types of bagels they offer (I’ve tried the Onion, Garlic and Everything Bagels, and they’re all full of flavor, huge and fresh and have that New York water taste that gives that unique salty tanginess a great bagel should have!) Seriously, just get everything on a bagel OR on their house challah bread, because it’s the best challah bread you will ever taste, and if you get it toasted, it comes out hot and buttery, and paired with their decadent cured meats and imported, super creamy cheeses, you can’t go wrong. This being said, their Make Your Own Bagel Breakfast Sandwich is one of the best tasting things on their menu (get beef sausage, liptauer cheese, onions and perfectly cooked scrambled, folded egg on a garlic bagel and strap in for the best breakfast sandwich of your life!) Or put any of your Make Your Own Sandwiches on their challah for an instant winner (all of their meat is amazing– you can’t go wrong. I’ve had their pastrami, corned beef, turkey, tongue and roast beef and it’s all top of its class!)
*Cinnamon Babka French Toast and Ricotta Blintzes: The best french toast in Richmond, hands down. Because there is already a cinnamon sauce coating the plate, keep the syrup on the side to keep your french toast a little crispier and to bring out its incredible chocolatey-​sweet-​buttery flavor more. Top this perfectly cooked homemade battered babka with delectable cinnamon cooked apples and golden raisins, and it’s pretty much the best thing ever. Because babka bread already has a natural sweetness to it (usually it’s swirled with cinnamon, raisins and chocolate,) it has more of a depth of flavor than the brioche that most «gourmet french toasts» is made from. This is a decadence you will not be able to resist, and dream about from the last bite until the next time you cave, return, and order it again! This being said, the blintzes are another breakfast must-​try at Perly’s (a blintz is pretty much a Jewish traditional indulgence, somewhere between a crêpe, a pancake and a flatbread that’s stuffed with delicious fresh ricotta and topped with a blueberry compote that will have you lapping it off the plate!)
*Other absolute recommendations: (Appetizer — Jewish Egg Rolls,) (Breakfast — Corned Beef Hash,) (Lunch — Jewish Sailor Sandwich!) The Jewish Egg Rolls are pretty much a delectable reuben in a perfectly fried egg roll with a mustard dipping sauce and tangy duck-​style chili sauce that you’ll want to take shots of. They’re huge– so I would order one plate of two for two people to start with. Totally a must-​have!

Eatin’ latkes in your gatkes. Gornisht beser! («nothin’ better» for non tribal members). This might be the most delightful deli in the country.
Alas, this shall be my shortest review as I only had one thing (well, make that two things if you count a burning desire to return soon and eat everything on the menu as a «thing»).
I would be saying Kaddash (a prayer or the dead) for my waistline and reveling in the mitzvah (luck) of finding such a find, such a Jewish jewel in the South (or anywhere else for that matter). Do you have to be Jewsih to eat here? Of course not. Although the food was so good, I am thinking about having my nose changed back. The menu has a grand variety of great things, some rooted in Ashkenazi heritage and some simply good olé Southern food.
Perly’s is located in a trick diner complete with tile floors, carved wood booths, diner design décor and not a nova belly out of place. The place was spotless unlike most delis which look like 10 minutes after the shooting stopped on the Sinai desert in 967.
The staff were like Jewish Mothers (even the dudes), genuinely concerned you should eat and keep eating long after you passed out from over eating.
I had the Latkes topped with Nova Lox (that’s prime Nova Scotia smoked salmon for those of you who have the Stars and Bars for floor mats in your Ford F-​350 pick-​up). And lets talk Latke here for a minute. These were not some paper thin wafer that you could read the B’nai B’rith Messenger through. Oye gevalt, no, they were as big as Shaq O’neal’s shoe and as thick as his stomach. Those tow potato pontoons were perfect after a bath in hot Schmaltz and as soft and comforting as your Bubbie’s hug on the inside. They were topped with two poached eggs and a dollop of Dill Hollandaise ladled on top. It was a belly busting brunch that could solve all the problems in the Middle East over night.
I barely had enough room for the solo Apricot Rugalah before I replaced my belt with a bungi cord. Sour Cream flaky pastry housing a schmear of European Apricot Preserves. You can find this cookie around but I defy you to find a better one than they make here. Carnegie in NY and Langers in LA take note. Your Southern Brothers got it knocked, and got it right.
So, nu? In a quandary as to that «politically correct» Bar Mitzvah gift? An envelope full of gelt? Naw, buy the little mensch a gift card to Perly’s. He’ll never stop thanking you.

Nice little spot near the Greater Richmond Convention Center if you don’t want the overpriced cafeteria and convention food.
–Place is clean, service was great.
–Serves a variety of unique sandwiches.
–Very walkable from the convention center.
Ordered the French toast… DELICIOUS! The fresh toast here like being in French toast heaven, a must try! I will say that if you aren’t a fan of cinnamon, you should probably not order this. It’s made with cinnamon swirled toast and served with cooked apple slices and nuts.
We also ordered their take on the «crabcake» sandwich which was a fish sandwich. It’s a very generous portion of a fishcake served on a bun with your choice of side.
Definitely recommend this place if you are close to the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

This place has it all– the kitsch factor is high, (in the best way possible) the food is delish and the atmosphere is wonderful.
We came here thanks to Unilocal.We were driving through on our way north back from Wilkiamsburg. The reviews were great so we decided this was a winner. And it totally was.
The place was very busy but thankfully we only had to wait a few minutes for a table. The menu was full of amazing items. It was hard for us to choose our lunches.
We all agreed our food was so so so good. The only reason I can’t give it five stars is because I asked the waitress for salad dressing for my salad twice and never got it. She had a lot of tables and I guess she just forgot.
Otherwise I loved this place and would come back in a heartbeat if we were in Richmond again.

Sandwiches are unbelievably terrific! Asked if we could carry out since we were on the road and they said yes. The sandwiches took about 10 – 15 minutes.
I decided to go for something healthy and got the Hirschfeld. The combination of the warm bagel, smooth hummus, and vegetables were perfect. It is really messy if you’re driving, since it’s an open faced sandwich, the vegetables kept falling over my hand, but that’s ok! There was a generous amount of vegetables. Make sure to request extra napkins. I really loved it, so much better than it sounds on the menu.
Regretfully, my photo of the sandwich is blurry since it was taken while driving. It didn’t sit heavy at all. My bf loved his sandwich too and he wanted to go back on our way back home.