NYC Jewish Delis

Regional Dining Discussions New York City
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Not much left:

Katz - there with my brother about a year ago, no line, pastrami was great, my fav nyc dog. Def have to do some planning to avoid lines.

Sarges - pre-pandemic, lunch special was great, matzoh ball soup and half a pastrami sandwich for $20, still a good deal for $22. I liked the pastrami, my brother not so much.

Ben’s midtown west - about a block from our office, ate there twice over the course of our seven year run, nothing wrong with this place if you’re staying in the area and want to give Jewish deli a try. When I was there I noted a lot of strange dishes on the plates of tourists. I guess this is called Mr broadway now, haven’t been since the name changed.

Pastrami queen - I ate at their place in queens a lifetime ago, but never got back. The uws location had good pastrami, haven’t tried the ues location yet.

Liebmans - finally stopped here on one of my commutes to nyc, good dogs, pastrami was ok, cool, old ny place.

2nd ave deli - the only place I’ll order stuffed derma, good pastrami, avg age of diner on the ues seems to be > 1000

Miles end - my wife went to college in Montreal, we’ve visited her friends there a number of times and always stop for Montreal smoked meat which to my palate is simply pastrami. We stopped by Miles end soon after it opened, again what they are calling smoked meat I think of as good pastrami. Had some good breakfasts here too, then it was discovered, long lines and we never went back.

Anyone been to s&p? What else is still out there?

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Now I’m craving pastrami.

Nice roundup!

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Liebman’s is opening a (small) place in Ardsley. Should be open any day now. I’ve seen the space and it’s geared mostly for take-out - just a few stand up counters. So my plan is to just buy the pastrami there and a rye bread from kneaded bread in Port Chester and head home :). I’ll provide Russian and coleslaw . Hope they have some good sour pickles thought, they’ve also gotten hard to find

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I think we are part of the eat everything everywhere all at once club :rofl:

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And very, very suggestible :flushed: :joy:

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I like the blintzes and chopped liver.

Has anyone been to Mendy’s lately?

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I’ll get tarred and feathered for this, but I really feel like given the Jewish population in/around NYC, the quality of Jewish delis is somewhat disappointing.

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As blanket statements go, there’s one.

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The neighborhood in Montreal is called Mile End. My son lived there last year. I see there is a Mile End Deli in Brooklyn, is that what you are referring to?

I have tried Katz’s several times over the years and don’t get the fuss.

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Yes, in January. You know not to come to me for pastrami info, but I can recommend the 50/50, the fries and the chocolate egg cream.

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Meanwhile, a plane ride away, the usual suspects around Los Angeles are still at it.

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Are there more traditional delis in LA than in NY? I bet Miami can hold its own, too.

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We expect you’re right. We knew only the now-closed Wolfie’s Rascal House.

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how was the superhuman? An ex-colleague used to live in mill basin, he seemed to prefer manhattan-based delis.

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Oh, yes! My parents would always take me to the Rascal House when we drove (!) to Miami for Easter vacation ( now called Spring Break). ( waaay before I95). We stayed not far from there. Of course, we also occasionally went to Wolfie’s. What I miss almost as much as those delis is the deli aroma as soon as you walked in!

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here’s an interview with david sax, author of Save the Deli that provides insight into the demise of the jewish deli. I believe when my father was growing up in Brooklyn, there was a Jewish deli on every corner.

I thought the book was good, unfortunately lost in the great purge of 2021 when we moved from the suburbs to nyc. hmm, just $3 for the kindle version…

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My parents live very close to Kneaded Bread but have yet to try it. I need to keep urging my mom to check it out.

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When I get the itch, I go to Shelsky’s in Brooklyn.

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As an occasional, but enthusiastic New Yorker here are my many bits:

  1. There’s the oddish, newish Brooklyn Deli on 57th, with a newer Times Square location. Their pastrami (thick-cut, see below) is very good, and their chicken soup.

  2. Thick-cut vs thin- pastrami? I prefer the thick: Katz, Miles End, Harry and Ida’s (before some damn interlopers grabbed the space), Brooklyn Deli. Are there others?

  3. Pastrami Queen: I’d had it delivered once in the fall of 2021 and had liked it, thin-cut though it was. They now have a branch at Moynihan Train Hall, and the quality there is abysmal. You get a bunch of dry, precut pastrami sheets, wanly warmed.

  4. A shouted-out question on tongue: Which place has the tenderest? I’ve liked the 2nd Ave version best so far, but am easily dissuadable.

  5. Also the most golden, most chickenly chicken soup?