“After 32 years, Kornblatt's will be closing at the end of March. We truly appreciate all of our customers and we are sad about closing. Come visit us before our last day,” the statement reads.
The Jewish deli which became Northwest Portland treasure with its all-day breakfast and lunch offerings never lacked attention since its opening in 1991. The matzo ball soup, latke, and East-Coast-nova-style lox sandwiches were among the customer favorites.
Sadly Kornblatt’s Deli, Portland’s oldest remaining Jewish deli, will close for good after 32 years on Northwest 23rd Avenue according to a statement from the restaurant’s Facebook page:
“After 32 years, Kornblatt's will be closing at the end of March. We truly appreciate all of our customers and we are sad about closing. Please come visit us before our last day,” the restaurant wrote in a Facebook post-Sunday.
Kornblatt’s Deli opened in the space next door to escape from New York Pizza in early 1991, creating a small stretch of New York culture in Northwest Portland. And 20 years after opening in Portland, Kornblatt’s received national acclaim with a review in The New York Times — which named the deli the “Best in the (North)West.”
In a review that year, David Sarasohn wrote that “Kornblatt’s is the closest Oregon has yet come to New York,” praising the bagels, smoked whitefish, nova lox, and “the best pastrami sandwich in the vicinity.”
The past years have not been kind to Portland’s small crop of New York delis. After more than 50 years in business, Rose’s Deli closed its flagship location, also on Northwest 23rd Avenue, in 2011, followed by several suburban satellite locations. After 15 years alongside Portland’s Ace Hotel, Kenny & Zuke’s recently downsized to a bagel-focused restaurant in North Portland. Beetroot, a “modern Jewish deli,” also in Northwest Portland, lasted just over a year before falling victim to the pandemic.
Kornblatt's Deli, the cherished Portland Delicatessen that was once described by the New York Times as one of the truly great New York delis outside the five boroughs will shut down after 32 years of serving New-York-style freshly-baked bagels, hot pastrami, traditional Reuben sandwiches and more in the Rose City.
Portlanders have just a few weeks to dine with Kornblatt’s Delicatessen before it closes this month. You can visit the restaurant at 628 NW 23rd Ave., from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day.
Author’s Note: This article is solely for information purposes. The embedded links and information shared in the article are attributed to archive.nytimes.com, oregonlive.com, and facebook.com.
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