Eisenberg’s deli, a New York City institution since 1929, closes indefinitely

Jewish restaurant’s owner has reportedly decamped to San Francisco, not paid any rent since before start of pandemic

By Gabe Friedman 13 March 2021, 1:09 am

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Eisenberg's deli (Google Maps street view)

JTA — New York City’s Eisenberg’s deli, which had sold sandwiches and old-school Jewish dishes like egg creams and matzah ball soup since 1929, has closed.

New York magazine’s Grub Street reported Thursday that a source familiar with the situation said the building’s landlord wants to reopen the restaurant at some point, but its future is uncertain.

The current owner, Warren Chiu, who bought the deli in 2018 with the goal of keeping its menu exactly the same, reportedly hasn’t paid any rent since before the start of the pandemic.

He also reportedly moved to San Francisco, where he had opened an Eisenberg’s in the city’s Warwick International Hotel last year. As of 2018, Chiu was the vice president of development for the Warwick hotel group, which his father founded in 1980.

New York magazine said that Eisenberg’s motto used to be “raising New York’s cholesterol since 1929.” In addition to the now rare egg cream, the deli also sold Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray soda.