A delicatessen or deli is a great alternative for people who want a broader and fresher menu than the usual fast food restaurants. Although many new food establishments are popping up in the Greater New York area, it is a good thing that many delis are still in existence. Below are twenty of the most famous and iconic delis in the city and its surrounding areas.
20 Spots to Get Your Deli Comfort Food Fix
1.Artie’s New York Delicatessen
This great deli, with a traditional American cuisine, opened in 1999 and was named after legendary restauranteur Artie Cutler. It serves a variety of food such as their nicely marbled corned beef, frankfurters, matzo ball soup, and children’s favorites like fries, hot-dogs, and jumbo burgers.
2.Barney Greengrass
This deli is best known for its nicely padded chairs and goofy retro wallpaper, but more than that, Barney Greengrass offers deli sandwiches such as pastrami, turkey, salami, and chopped liver, at below average prices. They also offer other favorites such as a tongue omelet and pastrami-cured salmon on a bagel.
3.Benash Delicatessen
This deli likes to try their hand at different types of food but in a good way. They have Kobe beef sliders, ricotta ravioli, Santa Fe egg rolls, and semi-overstuffed pastrami sandwiches.
4.Ben’s Best Kosher Delicatessen
This deli has been around since 1945, serving overstuffed sandwiches with prime roast beef, hot pastrami, roast turkey, meatloaf, and many more. They also have cold cut platters, omelets, hot open-faced sandwiches, and entreés that you would definitely want to try soon.
5.Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen
This deli is very much different from the previous one as Ben’s Kosher made its debut in 1972, with the first location in Baldwin. They offer a wide variety of foods such as burgers bursting out of their buns, steaks, veal chops, chicken livers, and lighter choices such as salads. As they say on their website, they know everything about cold cuts and nothing about shortcuts.
6.Carnegie Deli
This deli was famous for their overstuffed and expensive sandwiches, but unfortunately, customers will not be able to try them out as it has been closed since April and there is no news of re-opening anytime soon.
7.David’s Brisket House
The specialty of this deli is roast brisket on a roll with gravy. Just thinking about it makes me want to visit them soon. They also serve pastrami, corned beef, cheese-dressed fries, as well as kosher and halal foods.
8.Fine & Schapiro
This kosher restaurant and deli have been in the business for quite a while now as it was founded in 1927. Their menu choices include homemade soups, deli burgers, entrees, side dishes, and much more.
9.Gottlieb’s Restaurant
This restaurant and deli is a classic in the neighborhood as it is clad in wood and radiates with 60’s vibe. They can be described as an old timer in the deli business but they can still offer hefty sandwiches and other Jewish and Hungarian comfort food.
10.Hobby’s Delicatessen
This deli is open only during the day and is considered to be one of the best Jewish delis not only in the city but in the country as well. They offer several dishes, but it is best to try their pastrami, tongue, and roast brisket.
11.Jay & Lloyd’s Old Time Brooklyn Delicatessen
This is one of the newer delis in the city with its 22 years of existence. Aside from the usual deli meats, they also have pigs in blankets, hot dogs, zucchini pancakes, stuffed cabbages, and noodle pudding.
12.Junior’s Restaurant
This restaurant and deli opened in 1950 and was once a purely Jewish deli. But, through the years, more diner food became more available on their menu. Some of their best Jewish food include pastrami and corned beef on twin onion rolls, chopped chicken liver, or split pea soup.
13.Katz’s Delicatessen
Many say that Katz’s can easily be the city’s best deli because of its great deli meat. You will not regret trying their pastrami, roast brisket, corned beef and the sausage called knoblewurst.
14.Liebman’s Kosher Deli
The Dekel family founded this deli in 1958 and continues to run it up to this day. It has an old-fashioned ambiance but, more than the looks, the deli is known for their great overstuffed sandwiches, hot-dogs, as well as sour pickles.
15.Loeser’s Delicatessen
Loeser’s Deli is as bare and as simple as it can get with only a counter, and a few tables to accommodate customers. Their pastrami in a Coney Island potato knish is very good as well as their hot-dogs and spinach knishes.
16.Mile End Delicatessen
The specialty in this deli, which was named after a neighborhood in Montreal, is hand sliced smoked meat that is like the Canadian version of pastrami. Other great items on their menu are homemade bagels, smoked meat poutine, schnitzels, and matzo ball soup.
17.Mill Basin Kosher Deli
Eating in this deli is like eating in an art gallery. Your eyes can also feast on Lichtenstein and Calder prints, and original paintings while enjoying their hot dogs, pastrami, or their great tasting garlicwurst.
18.Pastrami Queen
Needless to say, this deli specializes in pastrami that is sliced thick and crumbly by machine. Try their overstuffed sandwiches on rye, garlic fries, and potato pancakes.
19.2nd Ave Deli
This deli was founded in 1954 and offers good pastrami and an even better corned beef. People also go here to try the Jewish bean stew and derma or kishka which is another Jewish specialty.
20.Sarge’s Delicatessen
This deli is open 24 hours a day, which is a rare thing among delis in the area. Their sandwiches are extravagantly stuffed and their best sellers include the tongue, rolled beef, hot brisket, and turkey pastrami.
