Religious Travelers - Best Kosher deli in New York / Long Island

I need three recommendations for the best Kosher delis in New York (especially Long Island). Also, would like to know what your favorite menus item is at each one. Thanks.

I need three recommendations for the best Kosher delis in New York (especially Long Island). Also, would like to know what your favorite menus item is at each one. Thanks.

If you are looking for strictly kosher and shomer shabbat, then the best in NYC is probably MR BROADWAY on Broadway and 38th St. in Manhatten.
It is an old style deli with all the trimmings like coleslaw and half sour pickles constantly being brought to the table There is also a full chinese and steakhouse menu. Its my "must" stop every trip to NY

In Brooklyn there are numerous delis throughout, with CROWN on 13th Ave in Boro Park a long time favorite

In Lawrence/ Cederhurst in the Five Towns section of the Island there is KING DAVID on Central Ave

My favorite item is always the pastrami and corned beef sandwhiches , which is why one goes to a deli anyhow

BeTeavon

I need three recommendations for the best Kosher delis in New York (especially Long Island). Also, would like to know what your favorite menus item is at each one. Thanks.

Ben's. Multiple locations with matzo bll soup to die for.
http://www.bensdeli.net/

I'd put in a vote for King David in the 5 Towns. I used to go there when I was younger ... sadly, I'm a vegetarian now. Pastrami is always a good standby, but I personally miss their turkey breast and chopped liver sandwich. Yum.

Ben's. Multiple locations with matzo bll soup to die for.
http://www.bensdeli.net/

While the food at Ben's may be Kosher by some standards, all the locations are open on Shabbat which would make them unacceptable to anyone looking for strictly Kosher delis

OK. Ben's and King David - I shall try both next week. Thanks for the recommendations, and wallyb welcome to Flyertalk!

While the food at Ben's may be Kosher by some standards, all the locations are open on Shabbat which would make them unacceptable to anyone looking for strictly Kosher delis

IMHO, I would agree, Bens is unacceptable; and not because they're open on Saturday.

IMHO, I would agree, Bens is unacceptable; and not because they're open on Saturday.

Taking an educated guess, what percentage of Jews would you say consider Ben's to be unacceptable?

Taking an educated guess, what percentage of Jews would you say consider Ben's to be unacceptable?

Percentage of Jews, or percentage of Jews who keep Kosher?

Most Jews who keep Kosher would frown upon a place that is not "Shomer Shabbat", though I believe that the majority of Jews do not keep Kosher at all....

Taking an educated guess, what percentage of Jews would you say consider Ben's to be unacceptable?

I would venture to say that the vast majority of Religious Jews wouldnt set foot into a Bens. While someone is only concerned with not eating anything that isnt simply kosher would.

so if all that is important to a person is to make sure they arent eating 'Pig' Bens would qualify. If what is important is the level of the place adhereing to Kosher standards and to Jewish Religious standards then Bens would be KOed

Personally, I've always wondered why a restaurant that open on Shabbos is not kosher. After all, the supermarket where I buy my kosher meat is open on Saturdays, but the meat is still kosher if I buy it on Sunday.

We're getting way off topic here...

First of all, any discussion of best (open on shabbat) deli in NY has to start with 2nd Avenue Deli, 33rd between 3rd & Lex.

Now, on to my soapbox: All the deli's that are open on shabbat are under Ortho. Rab. supervision, and they comply with the legal (fiction) requirement of selling the business for shabbat. I don't know why it is that so many people are unwilling to accept this as kosher, but would willingly eat meat that was produced by underpaid 15-year old illegal immigrant workers as kosher. After all, apologists for the Rubashkin family have made it clear that kashrut is all about technical compliance with specific legal requirements, right? ;)

I hope someone can explain...

First of all, any discussion of best (open on shabbat) deli in NY has to start with 2nd Avenue Deli, 33rd between 3rd & Lex.

Now, on to my soapbox: All the deli's that are open on shabbat are under Ortho. Rab. supervision, and they comply with the legal (fiction) requirement of selling the business for shabbat. I don't know why it is that so many people are unwilling to accept this as kosher, but would willingly eat meat that was produced by underpaid 15-year old illegal immigrant workers as kosher. After all, apologists for the Rubashkin family have made it clear that kashrut is all about technical compliance with specific legal requirements, right? ;)

I hope someone can explain...

this is OT but 1- i dont apologize for the Rubaskin family and personally feel they should be spending time behind bars, but people have done alot worse and either beat the rap or due to whom they know got very reduced sentences if not no hard time at all

a 15 yr old is not the 1 that is certifying that anything is Kosher or not. They were simply robots doing work that has nothing to do with if something is Kosher or not. Otherwise you should be walking around in your birthday suit and barefoot, since most likely the people who made them were way under paid , worked in horrible conditions and also were most likely not in school and underage.

After all alot of non-Jews are actually cooking the food yet it still remains Kosher , under certain conditions it wouldnt be

Sorry but obeying Laws , being Moral and if something is Kosher or not are separate issues, although most liberal Jews do Not want to see it that way, thats their problem. I wonder how many of these same Jews pay the taxes for their Domestic help , make sure that help is Legal, same for those that take care of their Lawns and Pools etc etc. If they are under charged for something do they tell the person that they were undercharged and ask to be charged the coreect higher price?

If a Rabbi is not present to see what if any shipments come in or if anything is brought into the place or the kitchen and the owner is not Shomer Shabbat (and sorry to say in some cases even if they are) a person cant rely on the Kashrus. Im speaking from the viewpoint of someone who worked in a so called Kosher kitchen and trust me the waiters brought in coffe with milk and put it down anywhere they wanted and spilled it all over the place at times, thats besides the Big Macs they eat in the kitchen yes Big Macs

Personally, I've always wondered why a restaurant that open on Shabbos is not kosher. After all, the supermarket where I buy my kosher meat is open on Saturdays, but the meat is still kosher if I buy it on Sunday.

We're getting way off topic here...

there are numerous supermarkets in a concentrated Religious area that will have its Special Kosher areas shut down on Sat.

hey Entermanns is made during Passover and still has the O-U on it during Passover , yet its not Kosher for Passover.

The meat is not being cut on Sat or any actual work involved in its preparation on Sat.

there are restarants in Israel and Europe that Open for Biz on Sat, if you didnt prepurchase the meals you will have to get the person there to trust you that you will return Sat night or Sun and pay them. No cooking is going on and some places (had it happen in BUD this past summer not to me) the people who walked in were told we dont accept any $$$ on Sat and we have enough food for those that prepaid only.

the main problem is TRUST, would you trust a felon who just got released from jail to man your cash register or to be a security guard for you? the samething if someone themselves are not 100% kosher and not Shomer Shabbat how can I trust them to be so when it comes to my needs and not pull any fast ones or decide OK I cant get what I need that has a certification of being kosher on it Ill use this other brand just this once no big deal and how can it not be Kosher anyway. If tehy dont uphold the Laws of Shabbat how can I trust them that if say the fire in the oven went out and the food willl spoil that they didnt relight it or they had a run on something so they made some more

Taking an educated guess, what percentage of Jews would you say consider Ben's to be unacceptable?

A small percentage I'm sure, but those are the folks that have nothing decent to compare it to. ;)

Example: if you haven't had a good slice of pizza in a long time (say 3 weeks), Kosher pizza will be delicious. :D

FYI, I'm not orthodox. ;)

there are restarants in Israel and Europe that Open for Biz on Sat, if you didnt prepurchase the meals you will have to get the person there to trust you that you will return Sat night or Sun and pay them. No cooking is going on and some places (had it happen in BUD this past summer not to me) the people who walked in were told we dont accept any $$$ on Sat and we have enough food for those that prepaid only.

the main problem is TRUST, would you trust a felon who just got released from jail to man your cash register or to be a security guard for you? the samething if someone themselves are not 100% kosher and not Shomer Shabbat how can I trust them to be so when it comes to my needs and not pull any fast ones or decide OK I cant get what I need that has a certification of being kosher on it Ill use this other brand just this once no big deal and how can it not be Kosher anyway. If tehy dont uphold the Laws of Shabbat how can I trust them that if say the fire in the oven went out and the food willl spoil that they didnt relight it or they had a run on something so they made some more

But Craz -- here, they are selling the restaurant for shabbat, the same way that you & I sell our booze (and lesser hametz, I presume) for pesach. If the halacha of selling the booze is valid halacha for pesach, why isn't it valid to sell the restaurant for shabbat?

On a related note: plenty of frum yidn are partners in law firms; they make money off the shabbat work of Jewish attorneys without question.

I hate to say that the answer is probably nothing more than a question of the politics of the kashrut business: Ben's, 2nd Ave Deli, etc. all go outside the system - leading to the wrath of those who ARE the system, whether or not there's valid halacha to support their position.

But Craz -- here, they are selling the restaurant for shabbat, the same way that you & I sell our booze (and lesser hametz, I presume) for pesach. If the halacha of selling the booze is valid halacha for pesach, why isn't it valid to sell the restaurant for shabbat?

On a related note: plenty of frum yidn are partners in law firms; they make money off the shabbat work of Jewish attorneys without question.

I hate to say that the answer is probably nothing more than a question of the politics of the kashrut business: Ben's, 2nd Ave Deli, etc. all go outside the system - leading to the wrath of those who ARE the system, whether or not there's valid halacha to support their position.

While I agree somewhat with you regarding the similarities to selling the Chametz and the lawyers, I must agree strongly with Craz
Kashrut is a matter of trust. Since we can't be in all the kitchens all of the time we rely on the Mashgichim and/or Agencies to be our eyes and ears
In the case of the mentioned restaurants which are open on Shabbat, there are no Mashgichim (Shabbat and most weekdays) and personally I would not trust the owners or the kitchen staff as far as I could throw them.
I have worked as a Mashgiach in Israel for many years, where all the kitchen help was Jewish though not religious, and know first hand the problems that arise
If you go to Ben's website and read the Certificates that are there for the Manhattan shop , you can see how "not supervised" their Orthodox supervision is.
It all boils down to this... if you didn't cook it or don't personally trust the one who did, make sure there is a good Hashgacha before you eat there

But Craz -- here, they are selling the restaurant for shabbat, the same way that you & I sell our booze (and lesser hametz, I presume) for pesach. If the halacha of selling the booze is valid halacha for pesach, why isn't it valid to sell the restaurant for shabbat?

On a related note: plenty of frum yidn are partners in law firms; they make money off the shabbat work of Jewish attorneys without question.

I hate to say that the answer is probably nothing more than a question of the politics of the kashrut business: Ben's, 2nd Ave Deli, etc. all go outside the system - leading to the wrath of those who ARE the system, whether or not there's valid halacha to support their position.

Theres a big difference between profiting from the profits that a biz earns on Shabbos or Yom Tov (even if its OK) then from eating in a place that claims to be Kosher. I guess a better question would be If a scribe is writing a Torah or whatever and gives it over to a non-Shomer Shabbos person or a non-Jew to continue writing it on Shabbos that way he can produce alot more then he could have. (i know there are separate laws regarding who can write these things of cause anyone can, but Religious Jews wont accept just anyone writing them). So too by what is Kosher and what isnt.

Would you go to a 1st yr student in med school to exam you and perform surgery, highly doubtful and with Great reason too.

The laws of Kashrus is anything but simple. Its hard enough for a Religious Jew not too screw them up especially when in a caterering or Restarurant biz. Now you want to rely on people who themselves dont hold by it to do so for others, and might not even believe in alot more important things then just what is and isnt Kosher

If you are looking for strictly kosher and shomer shabbat, then the best in NYC is probably MR BROADWAY on Broadway and 38th St. in Manhatten.
It is an old style deli with all the trimmings like coleslaw and half sour pickles constantly being brought to the table There is also a full chinese and steakhouse menu. Its my "must" stop every trip to NY

This is where we ate there at Mr. Broadway in Manhattan. I know where the restaurants in the Times Square. You should considers go to eat there. It was just fine for us where we ate at the dinners time. I knows you can choose which kind of good food with corned beef, or whatever.

Kashrut is a matter of trust.

The laws of Kashrus is anything but simple. Its hard enough for a Religious Jew not too screw them up especially when in a caterering or Restarurant biz.

Maybe that's my problem -- I don't trust the masgichim & the kashrut agencies!