Hot soups, fresh salads by the pound and two-fisted sandwiches stuffed with sliced-to-order premium meats and cheeses—these are some of the foundations of a New York-style delicatessen. Rooted in Jewish and European culinary customs, these special enterprises carry on a tradition that began in the late 1800s in that melting pot called The Big Apple. For Northern snowbirds visiting our Southern shores, a visit to such a deli can make their time here feel even warmer.
Sandwiches, bagels, homemade soups and bottled soft drinks are typical fare. Deli meats and cold salads are usually available by the pound. Some establishments offer a small market so you can stock up on spicy mustards, hearty breads, pickled vegetables and a variety of imported goods.
If you are wondering why these kinds of eateries are so popular along the Grand Strand, consider a couple of statistics. First, Myrtle Beach draws more than 19 million visitors each year and a large number of them are from regions in and around New York. Second, dining is the No. 1 activity among visitors here. (Surprise! Enjoying the beach ranks a close second.)
Demand for these delis also comes from the many locals who know a good thing when they taste it. Who can resist a mile-high, juicy hot pastrami and Swiss on rye with a side of creamy potato salad and a half-sour pickle? You get the picture. Here are five delis along the Grand Strand where you can savor that quintessential New York experience for breakfast or lunch.
Gershon's, Murrells Inlet
Hit this deli up to get your fill of staples like matzo ball soup, pastrami, corned beef, chopped chicken liver, herring in cream sauce, pickled beets and a wide variety of traditional Long Island-style offerings like tuna salad, macaroni salad and egg salad. The potato pancakes and stuffed cabbage rolls have a loyal following, too.
Kaminsky’s New York Deli, Myrtle Beach
Die-hard fans of New York delis will go for offerings like Taylor pork roll sandwiches, nova lox and onions on a bagel, liverwurst, whitefish salad, classic Reubens and just about everything you’d expect to find up north. The deli gained new owners in recent years and they’ve done an admirable job of retaining everything that’s always made Kaminsky’s a favorite in Myrtle Beach.
Kaminsky's at 45th, North Myrtle Beach
Recently opened by the original owners of Kaminsky’s New York Deli, this hotspot is meeting the noshing needs of North Myrtle Beach diners. The decor is all Big Apple and so are sandwiches like Da Brooklyn (pastrami, corned beef and cream cheese on a bagel) and Manhattan (hot roast beef, horseradish cheddar, red onions). There are also potato knishes and cold salads like egg salad and tuna salad for lighter appetites.
Long Island Deli and Caterers, Myrtle Beach
You’ll find it all here at this Carolina Forest Boulevard deli. Bagels, buttered rolls, hot dogs that pop when you bite ‘em, potato knishes, cold salads of all sorts, Yankee bean soup, Manhattan clam chowder, filling sandwiches and hot dishes like eggplant parmigiana, stuffed turkey roll and sausage and peppers will satisfy appetites that fall all along the hunger spectrum. A dish of creamy rice pudding makes a worthy finishing touch.
New York Deli, Myrtle Beach
New York Yankees fans, unite and take a bite! You’ll go gaga over the wall-to-wall baseball memorabilia at this bustling deli on Dick Pond Road. Order yourself a warm pastrami sandwich, Reuben or “The Ruth”—ham, turkey, roast beef, Swiss and American cheeses on a poppyseed roll. Don’t forget a side of macaroni salad and a finale of homemade cheesecake for a meal that’s a home run.
