Not Your Corner Deli

The late 1990s ushered in the unlikely combo of haute cocktails and comfort food, and Cafeteria restaurant was the place to see and be seen while noshing on mac ‘n cheese. And while culinary fads often fluctuate by the week, this one has stayed put. Now New York’s beautiful people have found a new home at Delicatessen, Cafeteria’s recently-opened pseudo step-sister. Indeed, the magazine Vanity Fair has already held an event here, and celeb sightings occur daily.

Delicatessen, with its chic décor and breezy ambiance, offers three distinct spaces available for private events. These include an upstairs dining room, which can seat 96 for a seated dinner or about 175 for drinks and appetizers; a skylit courtyard equipped with a hidden DJ booth that can accommodate 28 for a seated event or about 60 standing; and the “Minibar,” a dimly-lit, intimate downstairs lounge that can hold about 30 to 40 guests for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

The restaurant’s haute finger foods (think cheeseburger spring rolls and Reuben fritters) have already garnered much buzz, and can be found on the passed hors d’oeuvres menu, which costs $25 per person for two hours. For more substantial fare, three-course prix fixe meals are available at $27 per person for lunch and either $35 or $55 for dinner. Two-hour beverage services start at $35 per person for beer and wine, continue at $55 for well drinks and $60 for specialty cocktails. Delicatessen can also customize drinks and hors d’oeuvres. And in these economically tough times, Delicatessen represents a pretty good deal. “What we provide is value, but it’s also a really cool space,” notes owner Mark Thomas Amadei.

Indeed, being cool doesn’t mean just catering to celebrities. Delicatessen wants to be known also as a neighborhood spot, which is why it won’t normally offer complete buy-outs for private parties. Egalitarian, indeed. It’s nice to know that everyone can still party like a rock star.

Delicatessen is located at 54 Prince Street (at Lafayette Street), New York. To host an event, contact Travis Christ at 212-226-0211.

Lauren Shockey is a food writer who has contributed to publications including The New York Times Magazine, Gastronomica, Brides and ELLEgirl.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Delicatessen