2nd Ave Deli
Deli · Upper East Side
1442 1st Ave, New York, NY 10021
Highlights
Towering pastrami sandwiches, Jewish classics, and a lively atmosphere.
Towering pastrami sandwiches, Jewish classics, and a lively atmosphere.
"This New York classic was founded in 1954 by Abe Lebewohl in the East Village, along a strip of Second Avenue known as the Yiddish Broadway for all its Jewish theaters. In 2006, a landlord dispute forced the neighborhood fixture to move to Murray Hill. This uptown branch also features a second floor bar. While the pastrami is good, the corned beef is better. And don’t miss the knishes." - Melissa McCart
"Every table at this no-frills deli in Kips Bay automatically gets crisp pickles and vinegary slaw, and you should keep those things company by getting the thinly sliced tender and smoky pastrami sandwich, a hearty bowl of matzo ball soup, and some buttery and flaky franks in blankets. Recite your order quickly because the servers are busy, and don’t ask them to toast any bread if you want to stay on their good sides. Note that this place serves no dairy, and they don’t take orders after 7pm." - will hartman, carina finn koeppicus, kenny yang
"2nd Ave Deli is accepting holiday orders for its recognizably dense potato latkes, which can be paired with a traditional applesauce topping or tofu sour cream. If lone latkes are not enough, tack on an order of the Instant Heart Attack, a sandwich of corned beef, pastrami, turkey, or salami held in place between two latkes instead of bread. You can order a la carte or a $525 set for 10 people." - Eater Staff
"This Kosher institution is one of the top places to find reliable Jewish deli fare on the Upper East Side. The classics are all there — pastrami and corned beef sandwiches and matzo ball soup — as well as more traditional dishes that are harder to find, like ptcha (jellied calves feet) and kasha varnishkes (bow tie pasta with barley). The original Murray Hill restaurant expanded to this location in 2011, and in 2017 added an upstairs cocktail bar to entice a younger crowd." - Eater Staff
"A swastika was graffitied on the side of the building that houses New York institution 2nd Ave Deli on the Upper East Side this week." - Eater Staff
