Now here’s something I wasn’t expecting. Attached to the Grey’s Ave Synagogue, the Grey’s Ave Deli is a little haven with some very well-priced café food, and the rare opportunity to try some Jewish snacks.

On a Friday morning the Grey’s Ave Deli is busy with impromptu business meetings, a few Mums with children at the adjacent Kadimah Jewish school, and a couple of Israeli backpackers buying wine and deli items from the small kosher grocery selection. The modern décor is bright and airy, with lots of natural light, timber and polished concrete floors.

All the food on offer is kosher too, so that means no combinations of meat and dairy products. I team a bagel ($7) crammed with salmon, cream cheese, sprouts and a nicely-sweet beetroot relish with a potato latke ($4), basically grated potato and onion bound with egg and fried. Think of a superlative version of a hash brown, all served with sour cream. It’s deliciously still-warm and light and crunchy. Other food includes Gefilte Fish ($1.80), ground fish patties, and a wide array of delicious baked goodies including cheesecake - not surprising when you consider how interlinked Jewish history is with Central Europe. More traditional are eggs on toast or a bagel ($12) with sides of avocado, tomato, mushroom, spinach or salmon ($2.50 to $3.50).

Handily out of the buzz – and difficult parking – of Karangahape Rd or Ponsonby Rd, the Grey’s Ave Deli is definitely worth considering if you’re after a quieter, well-priced option to relax and recharge over the paper, or for an informal business get-together.

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