Greenwich and Delancey Is the Upscale Delicatessen Downtown Didn’t Know It Needed

Though reports of the classic delicatessen’s demise are greatly exaggerated, more pastrami sandwiches are always welcome, particularly when paired with a selection of the finest Dr. Brown sodas. And Greenwich and Delancey (50 West St.) certainly delivers on that front…and then some.

Chef David Teyf, the classically trained culinary mastermind behind LOX at the Museum of Jewish Heritage — A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, opened the downtown iteration of Greenwich and Delancey about a year ago (the flagship is in Connecticut), where he serves up delectable kosher Eastern European delicatessen dishes with a health-conscious twist. Potatoes and chicken schnitzel are pan fried instead of deep fried, for instance, and there are more vegan options than you’d typically find at a deli.

Smoked beef bacon honey glazed donuts

Greenwich and Delancey is considerably more upscale than, say, Katz’s (with higher prices to match), but the flavors are also more elevated, with offerings like handmade Easter European pelmeni and vareniki alongside deli classics like pastrami sandwiches, grilled hot dogs and pickled corned beef. Of course, you can still pair your meal with a Cel-Ray. 

If you’re willing to splurge, a real treat awaits you: for $79, you can get Teyf’s signature tender, flavorful pastrami carved tableside, along with condiments and bread. (You can opt for the signature pastrami in sandwich form for $36.) There are also unique “health” dishes, like a special immune boosting ginger soup Teyf used to make for his sons when they were sick.

Speaking of sons, Greenwich and Delancey is a family affair. Teyf’s sons, Elan and Tollan, are also trained chefs and work for the business; some of the dishes on the menu are also special family recipes, like a Minsk matza babka appetizer in homage to Teyf’s ancestors in Belarus. 

Don’t skip dessert!

Greenwich and Delancey is open Sunday through Thursday for lunch and dinner, with takeout and delivery available. For more information, visit their website.