Beloved Houston Bagel Makers Debut New Dinner and Drinks Destination

For more than four decades, New York Deli and Coffee Shop has been serving up East Coast-style bagels, potato pancakes, burgers, and more to Houstonians, making it one of the city’s favorite kosher breakfast and lunch stops.

Now, the minds behind the Meyerland institution are set to open New York Eatery, a full service restaurant and bar that will finally offer the deli’s most-loved dishes — plus some new menu items — for dinner.

The restaurant is set to open Thursday, October 14, at 5422 Bellaire Boulevard, right next to sibling Bagel Shop Bakery.

The New York Deli empire got its start in 1975, when Eugene Kornhaber, a baker who’d previously worked in New York and Philadelphia, opened New York Bagels in Meyerland, the center of Houston’s Jewish community. The bakery quickly became known for its challah, bagels, and other baked goods. In 1981, Kornhaber and his family opened New York Deli next door, a sit-down diner that served a large menu of breakfast and lunch dishes.

In December 2020, the company, now led by Kornhaber’s son-in-law Ed Gavrila and his business partner Michael Saghian, expanded to Bellaire, with another bakery and deli, plus a new headquarters for the company’s popular catering business. New York Eatery will share a building with those businesses, but will operate as a distinct restaurant complete with a drive-thru window, 6,000 square foot dining room and kitchen, and an outdoor patio.

Just before the expansion, the company brought on chef Roshni Gurnani, who has competed on reality TV cooking competitions Hell’s Kitchen and Chopped, to lead the kitchen. For New York Eatery, she’s added a ton of new menu items, including smoked salmon that’s carved tableside, Seinfeld’s “the Big Salad”, a massive take on the classic Cobb, slow-braised beef ribs served with mashed potatoes and seasonal greens; plus a selection of burgers, Coney Island-style hot dogs, and even more breakfast dishes.

For the first time, the bagel makers will also offer a cocktail menu. Expect classic drinks like the old fashioned and the gin gin mule, plus nods to New York City with drinks like a Long Island Ice Tea and Manhattan. There will also be original creations, including the Blanche Devereaux, made with rhum agricole, dry curaçao, Benedictine, and orange bitters.

New York Eatery will open with breakfast and lunch service, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week. Dinner will be added in the coming weeks.

Longstanding bagel haven New York Deli & Coffee Shop prepares for growth [Community Impact]