The legendary Carnegie Deli’s reopening plans are moving at warp speed, with an expected debut next month, the Daily News has learned.
The Carnegie Deli will also be reopening at Seventh Ave. and 54th St., just a block from its former home, the deli said.
According to details shared by a representative for the famed pastrami palace, the place will sport 110 seats and be “carefully restored to capture the original Carnegie Deli experience” — including its signature illuminated sign, wood-paneled walls and classic Wall of Fame filled with celebrity photographs.
Courtesy of Carnegie Deli
A rendering of the Carnegie Deli, which is returning to Midtown after a 10-year absence. (Courtesy of Carnegie Deli)
“Closely set tables, walk-in-only seating and full waiter service will bring back the familiar hum and energy of the original dining room — offering longtime fans the Carnegie they remember while introducing one of New York’s great dining institutions to a new generation,” the statement added.
The resurrected restaurant’s design — topped off naturally with a giant green pickle hanging beside the stars’ photos — is by Garrett Singer Architecture + Design.
Barry Williams/ New York Daily News
The legendary Carnegie Deli is returning to Midtown on 7th Ave. near West 53rd St. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)
Of course, though, it’s the food that will be the focus.
“The menu will bring back the family recipes,” the statement continued, “gargantuan portions and quintessential New York deli experience generations remember, while bringing deli and appetizing together under one roof — from its stand-out pastrami and corned beef sandwiches on rye to smoked fish and bagels, knishes, latkes, chopped liver, hot dogs and its legendary oversized New York cheesecake.”
The rep did not provide an exact opening date.
Jack Smith / New York Daily News
The Carnegie Deli is pictured in its original location in 1984. (Jack Smith / New York Daily News)
Originally opened in 1937 near the Theater District, the Carnegie Deli is one of New York’s most famous delicatessens. To deli lovers’ dismay, it closed in 2016 with then-owner Marian Harper Levine, then 65, saying she needed to step back from the demands of running the business. In addition, the delicatessen had to pay out $2.6 million to settle a back-wages dispute, plus deal with a lengthy shutdown due to a problematic natural gas line.
Carnegie Deli continues today under the leadership of the brand’s CEO and third-generation owner Sarri Harper, who’s carrying on her grandfather Milton Parker’s legacy.
The business also has a location at Madison Square Garden and a seasonal pop-up at the US Open, as well as selling its beef, pastrami and cheesecakes online, through FreshDirect and at select grocery stores.
