Kosher style usually refers to food that is not kosher, but is a type of food that could be produced as kosher. Generally, kosher style food does not include meat from forbidden animals, such as pigs or shellfish, and does not contain both meat and milk. In some U.S. states the use of this term in advertising is illegal as a misleading term under consumer protection laws.[1]
Jews who do not fully keep kosher, but keep a degree of kosher, usually not eating forbidden animals or mixing milk and meat, may consider themselves to keep kosher style.[2]
Some dining establishments, notably delicatessens, serve kosher style food. This usually means that they serve traditional Ashkenazic Jewish foods, such as knishes, blintzes, matzo ball soup, and cold cut sandwiches. Almost always, when a restaurant calls itself kosher style, the food is not actually kosher according to traditional Halachic standards. Several notable restaurants in lower Manhattan fit into this genre, including Katz's Delicatessen, Russ & Daughters. Canter's restaurant in Los Angeles and Montreal's Schwartz's deli also fall into this category.
Jews who adhere strictly to the laws of kashrut will not eat at kosher style establishments. Furthermore, the fact that such establishments appear to be kosher can be deceptive to Jews who are visiting an unfamiliar city and are looking for kosher food. Some of these establishments are also open on the Jewish sabbath for business when this is forbidden by Jewish Law.
In Toronto, several kosher style restaurants (Meyers, Shopsy's, Colemans, etc.) now serve pork products such as bacon, ham, ribs, sausage, etc. in order to serve a larger number of customers. Some kosher style hotdog restaurants such as Max's Famous Hotdogs and The Windmill use pork as well as beef hot dogs.