![Katz's Delicatessen 2004](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Katz%27s_Delicatessen_2004.jpg)
A Jewish deli, also known as a Jewish delicatessen, is a
delicatessen
Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
establishment that serves various traditional dishes in
Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine
Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine is an assortment of cooking traditions that was developed by the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern, Central, Western, Northern, and Southern Europe, and their descendants, particularly in the United States and other Western count ...
, and are typically known for their sandwiches such as
pastrami on rye
Pastrami on rye is a sandwich that was popularized in the Jewish kosher delicatessens of New York City. It was first created in 1888 by Sussman Volk, who served it at his deli on Delancey Street in New York City.
History
Sussman Volk immigrated ...
, as well as their soups such as
matzo ball soup
Matzah balls ( yi, קניידלעך pl., singular ; with numerous other transliterations) or matzo balls are Ashkenazi Jewish soup dumplings made from a mixture of matzah meal, beaten eggs, water, and a fat, such as oil, margarine, or chicken ...
, among other dishes. Most of them are in the
Ashkenazi
Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
style, due to the history of the
Jewish diaspora
The Jewish diaspora ( he, תְּפוּצָה, təfūṣā) or exile (Hebrew: ; Yiddish: ) is the dispersion of Israelites or Jews out of their ancient ancestral homeland (the Land of Israel) and their subsequent settlement in other parts of t ...
that has sometimes been adapted to local taste preferences, as in the
American Jewish cuisine
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 cent ...
. Jewish delicatessens serve a variety of Jewish dishes, and many are also
kosher
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
-certified, while some are
kosher-style
Kosher style refers to foods commonly associated with Jewish cuisine but which may or may not actually be kosher. It is a stylistic designation rather than one based on the Halakha, laws of kashrut. Generally, kosher-style food does not include me ...
and do not
mix meat and dairy in the same dish, while others serve food with no dietary restrictions such as the
Reuben sandwich
The Reuben sandwich is a Cuisine of the United States, North American grilled sandwich composed of corned beef, Swiss cheese (North America), Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing or Russian dressing, Grilling#Flattop grilling/gri ...
. Jewish delis feature prominently in
Jewish culture
Jewish culture is the culture of the Jewish people, from its formation in ancient times until the current age. Judaism itself is not a faith-based religion, but an orthoprax and ethnoreligion, pertaining to deed, practice, and identity. Jewi ...
, as well as in general
American popular culture
The culture of the United States of America is primarily of Western, and European origin, yet its influences includes the cultures of Asian American, African American, Latin American, and Native American peoples and their cultures. The U ...
, particularly in the cities of
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
,
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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and
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
as well as in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, especially in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
and
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
. The
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, particularly
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
has also historically had Jewish delis.
[https://foodism.co.uk/features/panzers-deli-institutions/]
![Pastrami-Sandwich](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Pastrami-Sandwich.JPG)
References
External links
Rachel Simon recalls her family's Kosher Deli Restaurant on Mermaid Avenue - Brooklyn, NY- Interview conducted by the
Coney Island History Project
The Coney Island History Project, or CIHP, founded in 2004, is a not-for-profit organization that works to record and increase awareness of Coney Island's history.
Oral history project
The Coney Island History Project was founded in 2004 by Ca ...
Jewish cuisine
Jewish culture
American culture
Restaurants by type
{{Jewish-cuisine-stub