Stage Deli Explained

Stage Deli
Dress-Code:Casual
Street-Address:834 7th Avenue
City:Manhattan, New York City
State:New York
Zip:10019
Country:United States
Website:Official site (archive)

The Stage Deli, located on Seventh Avenue just two blocks from Carnegie Hall, was a well-known New York City delicatessen, patronized by numerous celebrities. It was first opened in 1937 by Russian-Jewish immigrant Max Asnas.[1] The deli was known for Broadway-themed dishes including the "Mamma Mia!" sandwich.[2] It had other menu items named for the celebrities who have dined there,[3] including Sarah Ferguson, Adam Sandler, Dolly Parton,[4] Martin Short,[5] and Ron Blomberg.[6]

In addition to serving regular meals, Stage Deli held special events including the Matzoh Bowl to determine the best matzoh ball soup.[7]

The Stage Deli had a longstanding rivalry with the nearby Carnegie Deli. At one point, the rivals quarreled over which had the best pastrami, with the Stage Deli pointing out that the Carnegie Deli's pastrami was made with water from New Jersey, and the Carnegie Deli responding that the Stage Deli's pastrami, while made with New York water, was bought from a vendor instead of home-made. Thus, New Yorkers could get the same pastrami from any deli supplied by the same vendor.[8]

A 1950 comedy album, The corned-beef Confucius, featuring Asnas "with some of Broadway's greatest comedians", was recorded at the deli.[9]

Yankees' teammates Mickey Mantle, Hank Bauer and Johnny Hopp shared an apartment above the deli in the early 1950s,[10] and its baseball ties reach out of town to Pete Rose, who once complained of not having a sandwich in his honor.[11]

The Stage Deli appeared in an episode of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" in 2001. Conan visited to see the sandwich they named after him, which turned out to be a soup and small salad.[12]

The Stage Deli appeared in an episode of the sitcom Caroline in the City called "Caroline and the Sandwich". In the episode, the deli renames a sandwich (previously named after Jo Anne Worley) to name it after the main character Caroline's cartoon strip, "Caroline in the City". This leads to a backlash against her. Jo Anne and Caroline stage a feud to maximise the publicity.[13]

The Stage Deli closed on November 29, 2012.[14] The owners cited a downturn in business, coupled with rising rent as the reasons for the closing. The Stage Deli previously found in the Forum Shops of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada closed in June 2008.[15] [16]

See also

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2012-12-01 . Shiva for the Stage Deli . 2023-12-09 . The Forward . en.
  2. Web site: A 'Spring Awakening' Sundae Treat. February 28, 2008. February 14, 2008. Robert Kahn. Newsday. February 20, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080220035726/http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/stage/ny-e5575418feb17,0,2573165.story. live.
  3. Web site: NYC Closes Famed Deli That Served Celebs. February 28, 2008. June 1, 2006. San Francisco Chronicle.
  4. Web site: A Few More Pounds for the Duchess of Deli. February 28, 2008. June 21, 2005. Harry Mount. The Daily Telegraph.
  5. Web site: Martin Short Gets His Dish at the Stage Deli. February 28, 2008. Broadway.com. September 18, 2006.
  6. Web site: The Jewish Standard. 2008-08-08. 2021-02-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20210225044210/http://jstandard.com/articles/4607/1/Why-Jews-love-baseball. live.
  7. Web site: Food Notes. February 28, 2008. April 5, 1989. Fabricant, Florence. Florence Fabricant. The New York Times. August 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230830132001/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/05/garden/food-notes-628389.html. live.
  8. Milton Parker, Allyn Freeman, How to Feed Friends and Influence People: The Carnegie Deli (2005), p. 67-68.
  9. Web site: Asnas . Max . The corned-beef Confucius . Kimberly . 17 February 2020 . 1950.
  10. Web site: F.Y.I. February 28, 2008. April 7, 1996. Kathryn Shattuck. The New York Times. August 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230830131956/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/07/nyregion/fyi-057908.html. live.
  11. Charlie Hustle's Final Play. https://web.archive.org/web/20080308071331/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,958546,00.html. dead. March 8, 2008. February 28, 2008. September 4, 1989. Margaret Carlson. Time.
  12. Web site: Conan Goes to the Deli | Late Night with Conan O'Brien . . 2023-08-30 . 2022-06-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220618163847/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdYZWegj9X4&ab_channel=ConanClassic . live .
  13. Web site: Caroline in the City . . 2023-08-30 . 2023-08-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230830131955/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/caroline-in-the-city/season-3/episode-22-caroline-and-the-sandwich . live .
  14. News: Fabricant. Florence. Say Goodbye to the Stage Deli. 30 November 2012. New York Times. 30 November 2012 . 1 December 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121201075208/http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/30/stage-deli-closes-a-midtown-staple-since-1937/. live.
  15. Web site: Off the Menu. February 28, 2008. May 22, 2002. Florence Fabricant. The New York Times. August 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230830132002/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/22/dining/off-the-menu.html. live.
  16. News: Curtain Falling on Stage Deli. Clarke. Norm. June 28, 2008. Las Vegas Review-Journal. June 30, 2008. August 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230830132507/https://www.reviewjournal.com/. live.

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