West Bank Gourmet Deli owner Mike Tempera has seen it all. The hospitality vet, who got his start as a beer distributor in Bay Ridge, has worked in Lower Manhattan since the 1980s, opening and operating eateries like Grotto Pizza, Jac Anna’s Cafe and El Toro. Since 1998, Tempera has also been the owner and driving force behind West Bank Gourmet Deli, a local standby located at 21 West St.
The deli got its start as a bare-bones venture to support new tenants at the then-brand new residences at its address. Tempera began operations in a former elevator shaft, setting up a mini kiosk stocked with groceries and essentials before fully building out the storefront space.
Over the years, the legacy neighborhood institution has gained a cult following — and caught the attention of online influencers — with its delicious, affordable sandwiches. Highlights include the best-selling chopped cheese panini, along with celebrity-themed favorites like the Lady Gaga/Joey ZAZA, made with chicken cutlet, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers and bruschetta. Patrons look forward to weekly breakfast and lunch specials, daily fresh-baked goods like apple cobbler and bread pudding, fresh produce, house-made sodas, prepared entrees and, of course, all the groceries and sundries you need. (The prepared food is something of a family affair, as Tempera’s brother, Chef John Tempera, runs the kitchen.) West Bank also offers catering and delivery. And as an added bonus, there’s a full-service dry-cleaning, shoe repair and wash-and-fold kiosk called Green Cleaners, located right in the deli.
Tempera’s experienced the neighborhood throughout its ups and downs. When the 1987 market crash hit, Tempera worked through the night providing catering for traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. During 9/11, West Bank employees prepared meals for the National Guard. The deli also weathered the 2020 pandemic, serving neighbors and first responders in the height of the shutdowns and beyond.
In recent years, the rise of remote work has posed a challenge. While the beloved deli has its fair share of regulars — and saw a steady stream of folks ordering bacon-egg-and-cheeses, coffees, and made-to-order breakfast dishes on a recent blustery morning that we visited — Tempera noted that foot traffic has declined since the pre-pandemic heyday. But Tempera assured us that West Bank Gourmet Deli isn’t going anywhere. “This is what I do,” he said. “I’m just trying to find my new way to exist.”
His favorite part of running the business? “I like serving people and making them happy,” he said. “For them to come back and say, ‘That was great! Give me that same sandwich you did the other day’ — that’s what flips my switch.”
