Mark’s Deli, El Salvador 4701, in Palermo
Mark’s Deli is the place to go on a Sunday when the sun is shining and the boutiques of Palermo Soho are full to the brim of people swiping those credit cards. It is a buzzing little spot, with a fresh, clean, modern look and vibrant, cool atmosphere. It’s full of foreigners and Argentines alike, looking to gorge deep on the very large portions of food on offer.

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The two main types of food on offer at Mark’s Deli are salads and sandwiches. As with most places, the sandwiches can be served using a variety of different kinds of bread and therefore there is plenty of choice when dining at this popular and classy deli. The salads include everything from light avocado, cheese and tomato affairs to the more filling pasta numbers, covered in melted cheeses and hot vegetables.

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Indeed the variety of ingredients on offer is excellent. The dishes are most definitely what would be dubbed as being ‘gourmet’ in deli terms and most orders ranges between 20 to 30 pesos. Drinks-wise, there are coffees, teas and licuados on offer of a variety of fruits and milk shakes. Iced coffees or alcoholic coffees are also available, although perhaps because the food is so fresh and light, a heavy coffee is best left for the evening, accompanied by some kind of sweet or dessert.

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On that note, Mark’s Deli’s cheesecake must be put under the spotlight. It is truly a sensational creation. If you have ever travelled to New York and tried the cheesecake they make there, Mark’s Deli is going to please you greatly. Their cheesecake is, unlike a lot of cheesecake anywhere outside of New York, fairly thin in texture and lacking body.

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However, Mark’s cheesecake (I feel we can go to first name terms now!) is wonderfully thick and the portion is huge! The biscuit base is perfectly cooked and the actual cheesecake takes up the majority of the dessert – always a good thing! To finish off the order with a bang, a fresh raspberry coulis is drizzled over the top and if you’re able to eat it in less than half-an-hour, you are a better person than I am!

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One thing that is fairly annoying about this food spot is that there isn’t a menu. You have to crane your neck around to read all of the possible orders from the two boards situated above the serving desk. This really is a little silly and makes it quite difficult to fully take in all that they have to offer. Having said that, Mark’s Deli is clearly frequented by a large following of regulars, who generally know the menu off by heart and know exactly what it is that they are going to ask for before they’ve even arrived. Maybe this is the route the cause.

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The final thing to say about Mark’s Deli is that it gets incredibly busy. There are about eight tables inside and a breakfast-bar-type construction for people stopping off for a quick eat alone. Outside on their gorgeous patio under huge umbrellas are a further six tables, more or less. Therefore, space is not exactly the deli’s strong point and a queue of people who are willing to wait 20 minutes or more for a table in this deli is not an uncommon occurrence.

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For this reason, avoid the weekend rush between 2pm and 5pm if you want to eat in peace and without feeling like your waitress is giving you the evil on to move on and make some room. Visit Mark’s Deli during the week after work or after a long day’s travelling through the city. It’s a much nicer experience and looking at the menu is far less difficult to achieve.