We may not have Carnegie Deli, but we have Cecil’s, and that’s good enough for me. This is as authentic Jewish comfort food as it gets. Chazer (meaning “pig” in Hebrew) sized sandwiches on home made breads, crisp pickles and creamy coleslaw all served in simple, sparkling clean surrounding make up in quality for what the Twin Cities lacks in breadth. A to-go container of their soulful matzo ball soup will stave off the meanest of head colds.

At the helm of a nondescript strip mall in Minnetonka, Crossroads is an under-rated Jewish food haven, serving traditional family favorites since 1996. Inspired by their Grandma Alma, brothers Scott and Kevin have created a welcoming place where everyone is treated like family. Scott’s famous matzo ball soup is a soothing concoction of homemade chicken broth with large, tender pieces of chicken, sweet carrots and celery and a singular matzo ball the size of a small child. The soup only comes in one size: big. The bakery is a thing of beauty too. Just try walking out without a challah or three under your arm.

At Patti Soskin’s bright and cheerful eatery, everything is made from scratch and served with a smile. After the success of her modern eatery in St. Louis Park, Soskin opened a second location in Minnetonka this past September. Yum’s chicken noodle soup can be purchased in a cup, bowl or quart size, with or without matzo balls (but that would be wrong.) You know what goes great with a cup of soup? A dark chocolate cupcake filled with home made marshmallow filling. Yum indeed.

Is there anything Adam Eaton can’t do? This nice Jewish boy has managed to create a cult following for his bologna sandwich and addicting cheeseburger. However, he truly elevates a staple of his youth, the matzah ball soup, to the next echelon by massaging foie gras into a fluffy cloud and gently placing it in the most decadent consommé this side of Paris. Well played, Eaton, well played.

Growing up on Long Island taught Chef Russell Klein a thing or two about Jewish comfort food, and it shows in the simple beauty of his soup. Golden broth is gently poured over perfectly tender matzo balls, tiny cubes of sweet carrots and a sprinkling of bright threads of dill. At $9 per dreamy bowl, this is the cheapest therapy a winter weary Minnesotan can get.