Fine & Schapiro, the classic Jewish deli at 138 West 72nd Street, closed just before the Covid-19 crisis hit after 93 years. But it’s being replaced by another spot famous for classic Jewish food — pastrami sandwiches.
Pastrami Queen, a highly rated sandwich shop located on the Upper East Side, is planning to open a new restaurant in the former Fine & Schapiro spot. Pastrami Queen has been around since 1956 and has been praised by such luminaries as Anthony Bourdain. It started in Queens before moving to Lexington Avenue.
The restaurant’s website has a Bourdain quote that is actually making us hungry right now:
“The first thing I get when I’m back in New York is a pastrami sandwich. Pastrami Queen is a really good pastrami sandwich — if not the best, among the very best. Just a good, nice mix of fat and lean. It’s the real deal, served warm on fresh, soft rye bread with the right kind of mustard. Good pickles. And they deliver — very happy with that. I get a cream soda. It’s a quintessential New York meal for me.”
We;ve reached out to them to find out when they’re opening, and will update the site when we hear back.
Thanks to Zen Medica, Karen and Elke for the tips.
Actually started in Brooklyn, Williamsburg I think, before moving to Queens. Grew up on them.
Another year off my life span.
Yay, yay, yay!
That’s good news, I think?
Love me some extra-lean pastrami, often referred to by pastrami lovers as “shoe leather”.
Dried fruit rolls also were called shoe leather.
This is truly great news. They have awesome pastrami. This is the real deal.
Omg!! Omg!!! The total best! Thrilled they’ll be in our neighborhood! Now I can hop over to Zen Medica for the best advice and medications from Chow the owner, then celebrate across the street with one of the best best pastrami Makers in NYC!!! Lucky us we now will have both Pastrami Queen AND Zabars! Room for both to love!!!
Marcia if you ingest something to be so excited please share as I want to partake.
LOL yes- could use it right about now
Fine & Shapiro will always have great memories. I used to bring my parents there when they would visit my first NYC address on W74 in 1976
The only way this could have been better news is in it were Katz’s, but Pastrami Queen is a solid second.
BEST NEWS I HEARD IN MONTHS! YAY!
I am not a fan of Pastrami Queen. Much too fatty, and bland. I pray they get their act together for this new location, if they do, I’ll be a regular.
I hope this branch is shomer shabbos and gets kosher supervision of the highest standards, so those who are strictly kosher can also eat there. It is a financial challenge, but it will be appreciated.
It would be appreciated, but also likely to raise prices by at least 25%. And they probably couldn’t afford to lose the Friday night and Saturday business
Many of the younger kosher keeping crowd on the UWS is more interested in sushi than pastrami, so from a business point of view, I’d say it’s unlikely
No way. Kosher folks on the UWS love pastrami just as much as sushi. Trust me.
CAN NOT WAIT WE NEED THEM ON THE UWS
Their chopped liver is to die for!
This is really great news. They are the best.Now I have no reason to ever go to the East Side. My doctor is now at Mt. Sinai west side up town, and now this. I don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but I was always a bit nervous when I went into F&S. This is really really good.
When the Pastrami Queen was located in Queens, it was called the Pastrami King and it was located on Queens Boulevard opposite the courthouse.
It was highly popular. My late husband and I would travel there from Staten Island on a Sunday afternoon for their pastrami sandwiches.
I was heartbroken when it closed and thrilled when it appeared as the Pastrami Queen on the UES.
And now, on 72 nd Street. Wow! I live on the UWS Great news for Us
Great latkes too.
First bit of good news I’ve heard in a long while!
Finally, an eatery that takes us back to Seinfeldia…
you know, that once legendary Jewish Upper West Side!
I hope they do well.
I would rather have both but I have personally converted a vegetarian with one bite of a pastrami queen sandwich. It was a shonda when ps lost it’s great space; something very good is happening on the UWS!
I’m very excited. My cardiologist, not so much…
Yahoo!
Awesome news! Pastrami Queen is great. I’m so happy we will have a kosher deli again.
Ivan is correct.
They had a location in Williamsburg in addition to their location on Queens Boulevard.
My brother-in-law, Alan Brown, was their CPA for both of the locations.
A Wonderful addition! Thank god and my statins.
Congrats UWS..finally some good news!
But will their menu include corned beef? I am almost desperate for a good corned been sandwich.
The pastrami at Pastrami King in Kew Gardens was a 21 day dry-cure with a lot of garlic, a gerat bark and a great slow smoking and it was Kosher. I watched them make it many times. When PK closed and the owners (Joy and Gary and Denise)opened PQ on Lex the pastrami was no longer the same dry-cure as at PK. They did not have the space and in any event could not do onpremises smoking on Lex in the 80s. So it was either A to Z (then called Empire or Grand)or Hebrew National pastrami that PQ was sereving. So let’s not pretend that the pastrami now sold by PQ (although most say to be very good)has any connection to the very special pastrami that they made at PK. BTW not everyone liked the heavy garlic of the PK version. I did.
Welcome to 72nd Street neighbor from Tip Top Shoes right across the street.
Much success.
Danny
Tip Top Shoes
OH MY GOD!!!!THIS IS GREAT NEWS!!!!
Where will I able to walk to find a decent turkey on rye with mustard from my home on W.73rd St?
Katz’s has always been my go-to spot for pastrami. Now that the “Queen” is coming to the UWS, I can hardly wait to compare.
My husband and I got married in queens court in 1978 and celebrated this intimate ceremony with my mom and his brother by a great lunch In Pastrami King, which apparently changed its name in Patrami Queen when it moved to Manhattan in 1998… memories of 42 years ago moving right in our neighborhood! Wow!!
I know the old place very well. just sorry I can’t eat that kind of food any more. but it’s good to know that someone has the smarts and good taste to bring it back
Now if Arties can only come back to us?
I am so excited,I am shaking
I’ll have what she’s having.
Karen your comment actually made me laugh. You are a riot! Who are these women that are orgasmic over food on the UWS (see Marcia above as well)? Is this a thing?
Synergies: they also own Friedman’s next door, that serves Pastrami Queen sandwiches on gluten free toast.
Oh great, another kosher spot that won’t have bacon cheeseburgers.
I didn’t realize it was difficult to find a bacon cheeseburger. I am so, so sorry for your pain and frustration.
I hope they last longer here than they did on W49 between 7th and 8th-about 3 months, and then it became a Friedman’s, who owns Pastrami Queen now anyway I believe.
Welcome to the West Side Your Majesty!
A choice of pastrami, such luxury! I moved to the U.K. from the UWS 4 years ago and haven’t seen pastrami since. I’m so desperate I would almost eat shoe leather.. if only I could find a rye bread. Miss you guys…
My name is elizabeth fine….My grandfather and then my uncle put there lives into Fine And Schapiro …it will be greatly missed. Good luck.. keep it lean…..
They previously set up shop on 49th Street….but that didn’t last long
Long enough for my former college roomie and I to have a wondeful pastrami dinner there April 29, 2019. Sorry to see it go. Would love to try to new version here.
Good!!!!
Saw this sign in the east side Pastrami Queen from the late, great Anthony Bourdain.
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