Ashkenaz descends from the deli of the same name originally located on Morse Avenue in Rogers Park, just West of the L station, back when Rogers Park was a very heavily Jewish area. The original was a huge place that was one of the centers of social activity in Rogers Park. There were several competitors on Morse, but Ashkenaz was by far the most popular.

Don't know how much of the old has carried over to the "new" place downtown.