Second Avenue Deli

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The Second Avenue Deli was a kosher deli opened in 1954 and located on the southeast corner of 2nd Avenue and 10th Street in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City. It was recognized by Zagat's restaurant guide as the "best kosher deli in New York." The deli's specialties included matzoh ball soup, corned beef special, pastrami, knishes, gefilte fish, cholent and other notables of Jewish cuisine. Despite the food being kosher and under Orthodox supervision, many religious Jews would not eat there, as the meat was not glatt kosher and the restaurant was open on Saturdays. Nevertheless, many Jews wearing kippot (a symbol of piety and usually of Kashrut observance) were often found eating there.

The restaurant had a separate room decorated with memorabilia of Yiddish actress Molly Picon, including posters, song sheets, photographs, and the like.

The Second Avenue Deli shut down briefly in 1996, following the March 4 murder of its founder Abe Lebewohl, a Holocaust survivor, during a robbery. As of 2006, the crime remains unsolved.

On January 1, 2006, new owner Jack Lebewohl closed the deli indefinitely after a rent increase. There were no immediate plans to reopen. On August 7, 2006, New York magazine reported that the location of the 2nd Avenue Deli would be turned into a Chase Manhattan bank.