2nd Avenue Deli

It may not be on Second Avenue anymore, but this timeless deli brings a Lower East Side vibe to a small but spirited space on East 33rd Street. The menu spans all the kosher classics. Start with the heart-stoppingly good gribenes, or fried chicken skin with onions, to get appetites going. Then, move on to a beef tongue and pastrami sandwich, covered in coleslaw and Russian dressing, double-decker pastrami on rye, or the hearty, oddly elegant chopped liver. Service can be spotty, and wait times considerable, but it's all part of the 2nd Avenue Deli experience. So sit back, sip your egg cream and bite into old New York.