Second Avenue Deli

{{Infobox Restaurant

| name = Second Avenue Deli

| image = Second Avenue Deli.jpg

| image_width =

| image_caption =

| pushpin_map = United States Manhattan

| map_caption = Location in Manhattan, New York City

| coordinates = {{coord|40.72954|-73.98674|type:landmark_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}

| slogan =

| logo =

| logo_width =

| established = {{Start date|1954}}

| current-owner = Jeremy Lebewohl

| head-chef =

| food-type = Kosher Jewish delicatessen

| dress-code =

| rating =

| street-address = 162 East 33rd Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues), in Murray Hill, Manhattan

| city = New York, NY

| county = New York County

| postcode = 10016

| country = United States

| seating-capacity =

| reservations =

| other-locations = 1442 First Avenue (at East 75th Street), in Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY 10021

| other-information = *formerly at:
Second Avenue and East 10th Street in the East Village, New York City

| website = [http://www.2ndavedeli.com/ 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.{{cite web|author=Thorn, Bret|date=2007-12-12|url=http://www.nysun.com/article/67933|title=Return of a Classic|work=The New York Sun|access-date=2009-09-16}}{{cite web|author=Chan, Sewell|authorlink=Sewell Chan|date=2007-08-01|url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/01/something-to-nosh-on-heres-the-skinny-on-jewish-delis/|title=Something to Nosh On: Here's the Skinny on Jewish Delis|work=the City Room blog at The New York Times|access-date=2009-09-16}} 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.{{Cite news|last=Simonson|first=Robert|authorlink=Robert Simonson|date=November 22, 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/15/dining/drinks/second-avenue-deli-bar.html|title=A Deli Where Rye Comes in Slices and in a Glass|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-07-24|language=en}}

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.{{cite news|last=Newman|first=Andy|date=January 6, 2006|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/06/nyregion/06deli.html|title=Hold the Mustard, Maybe Forever|work=The New York Times}} This location currently houses a Chase Manhattan Bank branch. By that time, most of the Yiddish theaters of the prior half-century had disappeared.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5yx5JWyWDYIC&q=%22yiddish+theater+district%22&pg=PA163 |title=Dirty Yiddish: Everyday Slang from "What's Up?" to "F*%# Off!" |first=Adrienne |last=Gusoff |publisher=Ulysses Press |date=2012 |isbn=9781612430560 |access-date=March 10, 2013}}{{cite news |last=Horn |first=Dara |url=https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704471504574443811713842786.html |title=Dara Horn explains how ethnic food goes from the exotic to the mainstream. Then the nostalgia kicks in |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=October 15, 2009 |access-date=March 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002054215/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704471504574443811713842786.html |archive-date=October 2, 2012 |df=mdy }} 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.Simonson, Robert (March 19, 2006). [https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/19/theater/newsandfeatures/19simo.html "Where Have You Gone, Molly Picon?"]. The New York Times. Article access requires website registration.Siegel, Jennifer (March 24, 2006). [http://www.forward.com/articles/stars-still-shine-on-2nd-avenue-walk-of-fame-survi/ "Stars Still Shine on 2nd Avenue Walk of Fame Survives Deli’s Demise but Its Fate Is Unclear"]. The Forward. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071123110726/http://www.forward.com/articles/stars-still-shine-on-2nd-avenue-walk-of-fame-survi/ |date=November 23, 2007 }}

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).{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3ClbSVEha8gC&q=%22yiddish+theater+district%22&pg=PT199 |title=The Rough Guide to New York City |first1=Andrew |last1=Rosenberg |first2=Martin |last2=Dunford |publisher=Penguin |date= 2012|isbn=9781405390224 |access-date=March 10, 2013}}

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.Witchel, Alex (October 21, 2007). [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/21/magazine/21deli-t.html "A Counter History"]. The New York Times Magazine. Article access requires website registration. 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.{{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Eve |date=December 17, 2007 |title=Back for 2nd's — Famed Deli Reopens |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/12172007/news/regionalnews/back__for__2nds_804545.htm |url-status=live |work=New York Post |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220102643/http://www.nypost.com/seven/12172007/news/regionalnews/back__for__2nds_804545.htm |archive-date=December 20, 2007 |access-date=September 16, 2009}}

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,{{cite web|url=http://www.2ndavedeli.com/about/kosher-certification/ |title=Kosher Certification |publisher=2nd Ave Deli |date= |access-date=August 3, 2011}} 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.Staff writer (undated; circa 2008?). [http://www.toprestaurantsnewyork.com/restaurants/why-is-the-2nd-avenue-deli-not-on-2nd-avenue-in-new-york-city.html "Why Is the 2nd Avenue Deli Not on 2nd Avenue in New York City?"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230033620/http://www.toprestaurantsnewyork.com/restaurants/why-is-the-2nd-avenue-deli-not-on-2nd-avenue-in-new-york-city.html |date=December 30, 2007 }}. Top Restaurants New York.

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. 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.{{cite magazine|last=Bello|first=Grace|date=April 24, 2012|url=https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/97599/a-disappearing-delicacy |title=A Disappearing Delicacy |magazine=Tablet Magazine |access-date=2019-10-01}}

Ranking

In 2013, Zagat gave it a food rating of 23, and ranked it the 9th-best deli in New York City.{{cite web|url=http://www.zagat.com/r/2nd-ave-deli-manhattan|title=2nd Ave Deli|work=zagat.com|access-date=May 12, 2015}} It is rated 3 in the top 5 delis in New York.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kveller.com/article/the-5-best-jewish-delis-in-new-york-city/|title=The 5 Best Jewish Delis in New York City|website=Kveller|language=en|access-date=2019-11-03}}

In 2021, the Financial Times ranked it as one of the “50 greatest food stores in the world.”{{cite news |last1=Auld |first1=Tim |title=The 50 greatest food stores in the world |url=https://www.ft.com/content/684252ce-7b37-4a2a-a0f7-15fe19e071d9 |access-date=27 May 2021 |work=Financial Times |date=May 18, 2021}}