Second Avenue Deli

Last updated

Second Avenue Deli
Second Avenue Deli.jpg
Second Avenue Deli
Location map United States Manhattan.png
Red pog.svg
Location in Manhattan, New York City
Restaurant information
Established1954
Owner(s)Jeremy Lebewohl
Food type Kosher Jewish delicatessen
Street address162 East 33rd Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues), in Murray Hill, Manhattan
City New York, NY
County New York County
Postal/ZIP Code10016
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 40°43′46″N73°59′12″W / 40.72954°N 73.98674°W / 40.72954; -73.98674
Other locations1442 First Avenue (at East 75th Street), in Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY 10021
Other information
Website 2ndavedeli.com

The Second Avenue Deli (also known as 2nd Ave Deli) is a certified-kosher Jewish delicatessen in Manhattan, New York City. It was located in the East Village until December 2007, when it relocated to 162 East 33rd Street (between Lexington Avenue and Third Avenue) in Murray Hill. [1] [2] In August 2011, it opened a second branch at 1442 First Avenue (East 75th Street) on the Upper East Side. In November 2017, it opened a cocktail lounge called 2nd Floor above its Upper East Side branch. [3]

Contents

In 1998, the deli won an America’s Classic Award by the James Beard Foundation.

History

The delicatessen originally opened in 1954 on the southeast corner of Second Avenue and East 10th Street (the address of which is 156 Second Avenue) in the Yiddish Theater District in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan. [4] This location currently houses a Chase Manhattan Bank branch. By that time, most of the Yiddish theaters of the prior half-century had disappeared. [5] [6] The sidewalk at the original location has plaques with the names of about fifty Yiddish theatre stars embedded into the sidewalk, similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and is known as the Yiddish Walk of Fame. [7] [8] Some of the honored stars are Molly Picon, actor Menasha Skulnik, singer and actor Boris Thomashevsky (grandfather of conductor, pianist, and composer Michael Tilson Thomas), and Fyvush Finkel (born Philip Finkel). [5] [9]

The delicatessen closed briefly following the murder of its founder Abe Lebewohl, a survivor of The Holocaust, during a robbery on March 4, 1996. The crime remains unsolved.

On January 1, 2006, new owner Jack Lebewohl closed the delicatessen at its original location in the East Village after a rent increase and a dispute over back rent. [10] On July 31, 2007, Lebewohl announced that the delicatessen would reopen at a new location in the fall of 2007. It reopened on December 17, 2007, in Murray Hill with Jeremy Lebewohl, the nephew of its founder, as its new proprietor. [11]

The delicatessen's specialties include matzoh-ball soup, corned beef, pastrami, knishes, gefilte fish, cholent and other notables of Jewish cuisine. Despite the deli being under kosher supervision, [12] most Orthodox Jews will not eat there because the restaurant is open on Shabbat. The restaurant is certified by the International Kosher Council and all meat is kosher but not all is glatt kosher. Pareve items are prepared on meat equipment. [13]

The original restaurant had a separate room decorated with memorabilia of Yiddish theatre actress Molly Picon, including posters, song sheets, photographs, etc. The new location has pictures of her on the walls for approximately one half of the dining area. [7] [8] The deli's original iconic neon sign is now installed in the City Reliquary in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The deli is one of the few Jewish restaurants in the United States that still serves p'tcha (jellied calves' feet). Given the small and dwindling customer base, p'tcha is made to order upon request. [14]

Ranking

In 2013, Zagat gave it a food rating of 23, and ranked it the 9th-best deli in New York City. [15] It is rated 3 in the top 5 delis in New York. [16]

In 2021, the Financial Times ranked it as one of the “50 greatest food stores in the world.” [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katz's Delicatessen</span> Restaurant in Manhattan, New York

Katz's Delicatessen, also known as Katz's of New York City, is a kosher-style delicatessen at 205 East Houston Street, on the southwest corner of Houston and Ludlow Streets on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Avenue (Manhattan)</span> North-south avenue in Manhattan, New York

Second Avenue is located on the East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan extending from Houston Street at its south end to the Harlem River Drive at 128th Street at its north end. A one-way street, vehicular traffic on Second Avenue runs southbound (downtown) only, except for a one-block segment of the avenue in Harlem. South of Houston Street, the roadway continues as Chrystie Street south to Canal Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canter's</span> Delicatessen in Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Canter's Deli is a Jewish-style delicatessen, opened in 1931 in Boyle Heights, and later moved to the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, California, near the border of West Hollywood, where it is now. It has been frequented by many notable movie stars and celebrities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molly Picon</span> American actress (1898–1992)

Molly Picon was an American actress of stage, screen, radio and television, as well as a lyricist and dramatic storyteller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnegie Deli</span> American delicatessen chain

The Carnegie Deli was a small Jewish delicatessen, formerly a chain, based in New York City. Its main branch, opened in 1937 near Carnegie Hall, was located at 854 7th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. It closed on December 31, 2016. There is one branch still in operation at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, and the deli still operates a wholesale distribution service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosher restaurant</span> Restaurant serving food permissible in Jewish dietary law

A kosher restaurant or kosher deli is an establishment that serves food that complies with Jewish dietary laws (kashrut). These businesses, which also include diners, cafés, pizzerias, fast food, and cafeterias, and are frequently in listings together with kosher bakeries, butchers, caterers, and other similar places, differ from kosher-style businesses in that they operate under rabbinical supervision, which requires the observance of the laws of kashrut, as well as certain other Jewish laws, including the separation of meat and dairy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharon Lebewohl</span>

Sharon Lebewohl is a restaurateur, lecturer, food consultant, cookbook author, and a guest instructor at The Institute of Culinary Education and New York's Jewish community Center. She is daughter of Abe Lebewohl, the restaurant entrepreneur and founder of the Second Avenue Deli in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barney Greengrass</span> Deli in New York City

Barney Greengrass is a restaurant, deli, and appetizing store at 541 Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City, started in 1908. They specialize in smoked fish, more specifically sturgeon, but also have Nova Scotia salmon, whitefish, and others, and are very popular for brunch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yiddish Theatre District</span> District in New York State, United States

The Yiddish Theatre District, also called the Jewish Rialto and the Yiddish Realto, was the center of New York City's Yiddish theatre scene in the early 20th century. It was located primarily on Second Avenue, though it extended to Avenue B, between Houston Street and East 14th Street in the East Village in Manhattan. The District hosted performances in Yiddish of Jewish, Shakespearean, classic, and original plays, comedies, operettas, and dramas, as well as vaudeville, burlesque, and musical shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brent's Deli</span> Restaurant in California, United States

Brent's Delicatessen & Restaurant is a Jewish deli and restaurant located in Northridge, California. The restaurant was opened in 1967 and purchased by Ron Peskin in 1969 for $1700. The deli has expanded to a second location in Westlake Village, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pastrami on rye</span> Classic American deli sandwich

Pastrami on rye is a sandwich comprising sliced pastrami on rye bread, often served with mustard and Kosher dill pickles. It was popularized in the Jewish delicatessens of New York City and has been described as New York's "signature sandwich". It was created in 1888 by the Lithuanian immigrant Sussman Volk, who served it at his deli on Delancey Street in Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Jewish cuisine</span> Food, cooking, and dining customs associated with American Jews

American Jewish cuisine comprises the food, cooking, and dining customs associated with American Jews. It was heavily influenced by the cuisine of Jewish immigrants who came to the United States from Eastern Europe around the turn of the 20th century. It was further developed in unique ways by the immigrants and their descendants, especially in New York City and other large metropolitan areas of the northeastern U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewish deli</span>

A Jewish deli, also known as a Jewish delicatessen, is a delicatessen establishment that serves various traditional dishes in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. They are typically known for their sandwiches such as pastrami on rye, as well as their soups such as matzo ball soup, among other dishes. Most of these establishments are traditionally considered Ashkenazi. Like much of the Jewish cuisine stemming from the period of the Jewish diaspora, the emergence of the Jewish deli developed in accordance with local culture. These days, Jewish delicatessens serve a variety of Jewish dishes. While some delis have full kosher-certification, others operate in a kosher-style, refraining from mixing meat and dairy in the same dish, despite potentially using non-certified ingredients. There are also delis that serve food without adhering to any traditional Jewish dietary restrictions, offering non-Kosher dishes such as the Reuben sandwich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarge's Deli</span> Restaurant in Manhattan, New York

Sarge's Delicatessen & Diner is a Jewish deli and kosher style restaurant in Manhattan. It was opened in 1964, on Third Avenue in Murray Hill, by Abe Katz, a retired New York City Police Department sergeant. Eater NY named it one of the 19 Vital Jewish Delis in NYC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liebman's Deli</span> Kosher Jewish deli in Riverdale, in Riverdale, Bronx, New York

Liebman's Deli is a Jewish deli in Riverdale, New York and is the last-standing kosher deli in the Bronx. It was one of hundreds of kosher delis in the Bronx when it opened, but now is the sole representative of that cuisine in the borough. Liebman's was founded in 1953 by Joe Liebman and sold to Joseph Dekel in 1980. Yuval Dekel, his son, took over in 2002 when his father passed away. Dekel was previously a heavy metal drummer in a band, but now makes the pastrami and supervises the operation, along with his wife whom he met at the restaurant and now works there. The restaurant will open a location in Ardsley, New York. Liebman's is rated by Zagat and Michelin Guide. It was covered by Anthony Bourdain for Parts Unknown Liebman's is noted for their matzo ball soup and house-made pastrami, and Jewish delicacies such as stuffed derma, knishes, pickles, as well as kosher wine. It is frequented by Jewish New York Mets player Harrison Bader who grew up in nearby Bronxville, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B&H Dairy</span> Kosher restaurant in Manhattan, New York

B&H Dairy is a kosher restaurant or luncheonette in the East Village of Manhattan in New York City. The original owners, Abie Bergson and Jack Heller, later Sol Hausman, opened it in 1938 when the area was known for the Yiddish Theatre District. Bergson was an aspiring actor, and Molly Picon and Maurice Schwartz were patrons. Bergson sold the luncheonette in the 1970s and it went bankrupt in 1978. Bob Sherman, a partner in a construction firm, bought it. A 1940s style lunch counter B&H serves cheese blintzes with sour cream, borscht, matzo brei, and other kosher dairy Jewish cuisine. It is owned and operated by an Egyptian Muslim and Catholic Polish couple, Fawzy and Alexandra Abdelwahed. It was closed for a time due to a gas explosion and a fire but reopened. It was noted in an interview by Lily Tomlin.

References

  1. Thorn, Bret (December 12, 2007). "Return of a Classic". The New York Sun . Retrieved September 16, 2009.
  2. Chan, Sewell (August 1, 2007). "Something to Nosh On: Here's the Skinny on Jewish Delis". the City Room blog at The New York Times . Retrieved September 16, 2009.
  3. Simonson, Robert (November 22, 2017). "A Deli Where Rye Comes in Slices and in a Glass". The New York Times. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  4. Newman, Andy (January 6, 2006). "Hold the Mustard, Maybe Forever". The New York Times.
  5. 1 2 Gusoff, Adrienne (2012). Dirty Yiddish: Everyday Slang from "What's Up?" to "F*%# Off!". Ulysses Press. ISBN   9781612430560 . Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  6. Horn, Dara (October 15, 2009). "Dara Horn explains how ethnic food goes from the exotic to the mainstream. Then the nostalgia kicks in". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  7. 1 2 Simonson, Robert (March 19, 2006). "Where Have You Gone, Molly Picon?". The New York Times . Article access requires website registration.
  8. 1 2 Siegel, Jennifer (March 24, 2006). "Stars Still Shine on 2nd Avenue Walk of Fame Survives Deli’s Demise but Its Fate Is Unclear". The Forward . Archived November 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  9. Rosenberg, Andrew; Dunford, Martin (2012). The Rough Guide to New York City. Penguin. ISBN   9781405390224 . Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  10. Witchel, Alex (October 21, 2007). "A Counter History". The New York Times Magazine . Article access requires website registration.
  11. Sullivan, Eve (December 17, 2007). "Back for 2nd's — Famed Deli Reopens". New York Post . Archived from the original on December 20, 2007. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
  12. "Kosher Certification". 2nd Ave Deli. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  13. Staff writer (undated; circa 2008?). "Why Is the 2nd Avenue Deli Not on 2nd Avenue in New York City?" Archived December 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine . Top Restaurants New York.
  14. Bello, Grace (April 24, 2012). "A Disappearing Delicacy". Tablet Magazine . Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  15. "2nd Ave Deli". zagat.com. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  16. "The 5 Best Jewish Delis in New York City". Kveller. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  17. Auld, Tim (May 18, 2021). "The 50 greatest food stores in the world". Financial Times. Retrieved May 27, 2021.