David Sax’s book Save the Deli sounds the alarm about the decline of Jewish delicatessens. But a lot has happened since the best-selling book’s 2009 copyright. There’s new energy — delis are drawing lines that rival ramen spots — and it expands beyond the Big Apple. But one thing that hasn’t changed is how intimidating it can be to open and operate a Jewish deli, because you’re competing with both every deli that came before you and everyone’s bubbe. It’s crucial then to have a point of view and stick to it — whether that’s modernizing menus with nontraditional twists, folding in ethnic fusion, or embracing trends influencing restaurants more broadly, including a back-to-basics attitude. In other words, the hand rolling of bagels is being done not by our ancestors but by 30-somethings in plaid with espresso breath and beards who have trained under the likes of Andrew Carmellini and Joël Robuchon. 

Photo courtesy of Wexler's Deli