America’s Best Jewish Delis

“New York deli culture is far from what it was, that much has been established, but the truth—the whole, kosher truth—is still out there, for those willing to make the trek to neighborhoods like Riverdale, far away from Katz’s, and the other Manhattan delis that have been lavished with so much attention throughout the years. Your first stop on any deli deep dive should be this family-owned classic, dating back more than fifty years now, helmed by long-time owner Joseph Dekel’s son Yuval, who grew up wanting to be a drummer in a heavy metal band, but walked away at age 24 to guide Liebman’s into the 21st century. (There’s now a Liebman’s app.) So far, so good—the pastrami here is among New York’s finest, and the menu is a beautifully classic read, filled with everything you’re looking for, and likely a few things you’d forgotten about. Plenty of booth seating makes Liebman’s feel like a casual, outer boroughs coffee shop. It is so much more than that.”