The legendary Carnegie Deli is slated to reopen this month after shuttering its longtime Midtown home in 2016. The restaurant’s new location, just a block away from the original spot, has been meticulously restored to recreate the beloved deli’s atmosphere. Located on Seventh Avenue between West 53rd and 54th Streets, the new restaurant features Carnegie Deli’s signature illuminated sign, wood-paneled walls, and the classic Wall of Fame filled with celebrity patrons who have dined there, according to the Daily News. An exact opening date has yet to be announced, though sources told the Daily News that the restaurant is expected to open in early September.
Founded in 1937 at 854 Seventh Avenue, the deli rose to international fame after Milton Parker and Leo Steiner took ownership in 1976. Alongside the likes of Katz’s Deli, 2nd Ave Deli, and Pastrami Queen, Carnegie Deli became a quintessential New York dining institution, known for its heaping sandwiches piled high with pastrami and corned beef, as well as classic Jewish dishes like knishes and matzoh ball soup.
The restaurant also cemented its status as a cultural landmark after appearing in Woody Allen’s 1984 film “Broadway Danny Rose” and earning a reference in Adam Sandler’s 1994 “Saturday Night Live” hit “The Chanukah Song.” Its walls, plastered with the faces of celebrities who dined there, from Robin Williams to Stevie Wonder, underscored the deli’s place in New York’s cultural history.
In 2016, however, much to the dismay of longtime patrons, second-generation owner Marian Harper Levine said the shop would serve its final sandwich on New Year’s Eve. The closure saw diners line up in sub-zero temperatures as early as 4:45 a.m. and wait up to two hours for a final taste, according to Secret NYC.
Levine said she had to step away from the demands of running the business. At the time, the deli was also dealing with a $2.6 million settlement over a back-wages dispute, as well as a lengthy shutdown and a $40,050 debt after being accused of illegally tampering with its gas line for six years and cutting its bill in half, as Eater reported.
The culinary landmark will soon return, just a few extra steps away. Diners won’t have to worry about losing any of the original’s charm at the new location, as Garrett Singer Architecture + Design has led a careful restoration to recreate the restaurant’s signature aesthetic.
According to details shared by a representative for the deli with the Daily News, the new restaurant will offer 110 seats and be “carefully restored to capture the original Carnegie Deli experience,” including its signature illuminated sign, wood-paneled walls, and walls of celebrity photographs.
While you’ll have to wait just a little while longer to enjoy its famed pastrami at its new Midtown location, tennis fans can get a taste of Carnegie Deli at a pop-up stall at the U.S. Open.
The culinary institution is serving sandwiches stacked with its signature deli meats, as well as other savory snacks, from its stand in the U.S. Open’s Food Village.
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