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 immigrant Max Asnas. The deli was known for Broadway-themed dishes including the "Mamma Mia!" sandwich. It had other menu items named for the celebrities who have dined there, including Sarah Ferguson, Adam Sandler, Dolly Parton, Martin Short, and Ron Blomberg.
In addition to serving regular meals, Stage Deli held special events including the Matzoh Bowl to determine the best matzoh ball soup.
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 although 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.
Yankees' teammates Mickey Mantle, Hank Bauer and Johnny Hopp shared an apartment above the deli in the early 1950s, and its baseball ties reach out of town to Pete Rose, who once complained of not having a sandwich in his honor.
The Stage Deli closed on November 29, 2012. 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 its door in June 2008.
Famous quotes containing the word stage:
“A method of child-rearing is not—or should not be—a whim, a fashion or a shibboleth. It should derive from an understanding of the developing child, of his physical and mental equipment at any given stage, and, therefore, his readiness at any given stage to adapt, to learn, to regulate his behavior according to parental expectations.”
—Selma H. Fraiberg (20th century)