ABOUT LIEBMAN’S DELI
Our Story
When you bite into a Liebman’s Deli sandwich you’re biting into a 70-year old tradition that we started in The Bronx and continues until this day.
—Yuval Dekel
In 1953, when Joe Liebman opened his deli on Johnson Avenue, there were more than 100 Jewish delis throughout The Bronx. Undaunted by the competition, Mr. Liebman believed that if he served his customers outstanding quality food along with friendly service, he could succeed.
He was right! That is precisely why out of the more than 100 Jewish delis that existed in the Bronx in 1953, Liebman’s is the last one standing.
He was right! That is precisely why out of the more than 100 Jewish delis that existed in the Bronx in 1953, Liebman’s is the last one standing.
In 1980, Joseph Dekel acquired Liebman’s, and while he renovated the restaurant, he did not alter the recipes. Mr. Dekel, an Israeli immigrant, who didn’t know much about the food business or the
rich history of Jewish delicatessens in NYC, was determined to respect the institution. He took pains to preserve the old recipes.
When Mr. Dekel died in 2002, his son, Yuval, took over. It was an unexpected pivot for the then 24-year old who made a living as an artisan baker, and as a drummer in the Bronx-born a heavy metal band named “Irate. ” Despite the challenge, Yuval embraced his role as the deli’s new owner.
In a nod to his former life, Yuval utilizes his baking experience baking fresh challah breads & decadent babkas. He also regales
patrons with the sounds of his personal musical preferences as well as more appropriate tunes such as 40’s & 50’s
classics as they bite into their pastrami sandwiches and slurp up their matzo-ball soup. His culinary journey has also led him
to perfect the curing process that is regarded as some of the best pastrami in NYC.
Liebman’s Delicatessen has become a NYC institution and a Bronx Landmark and is still run by Yuval, who continues to serve the children, grandchildren, & great grandchildren of the original customers.
Liebman’s Delicatessen has become a NYC institution and a Bronx Landmark. and is still run by Yuval, who continues to serve the children, grandchildren, & great grandchildren of the original customers.
Today, Liebman’s still maintains the traditions which started over 70 years ago cementing its history and continuing its legacy as the last kosher delicatessen left in The Bronx. Liebman’s also shares its specialties to folks across the country with the availability of nationwide shipping.
After decades thriving in The Bronx, the deli will be expanding for the first time to its second location a few miles north in the county of Westchester. The new location seeks to begin a new chapter in the deli’s long history by providing the same experiences and traditions that will last for
generations to come.
