Best Deli Near Times Square | Pastrami, Bagels, BECs

For deli food near Times Square, Brooklyn Delicatessen is closest; Ben’s and 2nd Ave Deli are better for pastrami.

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The theater-district hunt for Best Deli Near Times Square has a split answer: the closest useful pick is Brooklyn Delicatessen on West 43rd Street, but the strongest old-school deli plates sit a little farther south and east. Times Square is better for speed and convenience than for the deepest pastrami culture in New York.

That does not mean settling for a weak sandwich. Within a short walk, you can get a fast bagel breakfast, a kosher deli lunch, a pre-show soup-and-sandwich stop, or a cab-worthy pastrami run that feels more like a real Manhattan deli meal.

Best single pick: choose Brooklyn Delicatessen if you are staying within two blocks of the theaters. Choose Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen if pastrami, corned beef, matzo ball soup, and a proper deli table matter more than being right on Broadway.

How Close Is The Best Deli Near Times Square?

Times Square’s closest strong deli option is Brooklyn Delicatessen at 211 West 43rd Street, steps from Broadway theaters and the 42nd Street subway hub. The better classic deli meals require a 7- to 25-minute walk, depending on how far you want to push beyond the tourist core.

For a pre-theater meal, distance matters as much as the sandwich. A two-minute walk can beat a better pastrami sandwich if you are holding a 7 p.m. curtain time and need a clean, predictable stop.

• Closest to Broadway theaters: Brooklyn Delicatessen.
• Best kosher deli near the area: Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen on West 38th Street.
• Best bagel run near Penn Station and Times Square: Best Bagel & Coffee on West 35th Street.
• Best true old-school detour: 2nd Ave Deli in Midtown East.

Times Square Delis Compared: Pastrami, Bagels, And Theater Timing

The strongest choice depends on what you mean by deli: hot pastrami, bagels and lox, a bacon-egg-and-cheese, or a sit-down meal before a show. Use this table first, then read the short picks below if you need the trade-offs.

Brooklyn Delicatessen Times Square

Brooklyn Delicatessen is the best first stop when you need a deli near the theaters, not a crosstown project. The Times Square location sits at 211 West 43rd Street, across from the Lyric Theatre, and its current posted hours run from 7 a.m. daily, with later closing on Friday and Saturday.

Order here when convenience is the point: pastrami, chicken noodle soup, turkey sandwiches, breakfast plates, or a bagel board before a matinee. The room is more polished and tourist-ready than old Lower East Side deli, but that can be useful when you have bags, kids, or a showtime.

Brooklyn Delicatessen is also the safest choice for visitors staying between Seventh and Eighth avenues who do not want to gamble on a tiny counter spot. It is not the most character-heavy deli in Manhattan; it is the one that solves the Times Square problem cleanly.

Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen

Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen is the stronger pick when you want classic deli food and can walk south to West 38th Street. The Manhattan location at 209 West 38th Street puts kosher-style comfort close enough to Times Square without paying for a fully Broadway-facing address.

Ben’s is the place to look for overstuffed pastrami, hot corned beef, chopped liver, knishes, stuffed cabbage, matzo ball soup, and deli sides. The practical order is one hot sandwich, one soup, pickles, and a side to share if you are not trying to lose the rest of the day to lunch.

For a theater visitor, Ben’s works best before an evening show if you start early. Walk time, ordering time, and the heavier food all argue for giving yourself at least 75 minutes before curtain.

Best Bagel & Coffee

Best Bagel & Coffee is the better deli-adjacent choice when breakfast matters more than pastrami. The shop at 225 West 35th Street posts weekday hours from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekend hours from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., making it useful before museums, trains, or checkout.

The order is simple: a toasted everything bagel with scallion cream cheese, a bacon-egg-and-cheese, or a bagel sandwich built for the walk back north. Lines can form, but counter service moves faster than a sit-down deli meal.

Best Bagel & Coffee is also easier to pair with Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, and hotels in the Garment District. For many visitors, that makes it more useful than a famous deli across town.

Ess-A-Bagel West 32nd Street

Ess-a-Bagel is the right pick when you want a more bagel-focused deli stop with smoked fish and a bigger appetizing-counter feel. The West 32nd Street location posts daily 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. hours and sits between Sixth and Seventh avenues.

The food leans breakfast and lunch: bagels, cream cheese, whitefish, smoked salmon, tuna, egg salad, and made-to-order sandwiches. Go earlier if you want the line to hurt less and the bagel case to feel full.

Ess-a-Bagel is not directly in Times Square, but the walk is straightforward. It makes the most sense on a day when you are also heading toward Herald Square, Koreatown, Penn Station, or the Empire State Building.

2nd Ave Deli Midtown East

2nd Ave Deli is the best true deli detour near enough to Times Square to justify a short ride. The Midtown East location at 162 East 33rd Street posts daily 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. hours for dine-in, pickup, takeout, and delivery.

This is the move when you want the fuller Jewish deli spread rather than a quick sandwich near the theaters. Pastrami, corned beef, brisket, matzo ball soup, chopped liver, latkes, and pickles are the reason to come.

The location is not a casual stroll from Broadway after a long day, so treat it as a planned lunch or dinner. Take a cab, use the 6 train to 33rd Street, or save it for a day that already points east.

What Should You Check Before Choosing A Deli?

Restaurant hours, inspection grades, and theater timing should decide your final pick more than online hype. New York City Health says its ABCEats tool lets diners look up inspection results for city restaurants, and the city conducts unannounced inspections at least once a year through the NYC restaurant inspection page.

For Times Square specifically, also check the hour you plan to eat. A deli that is perfect at 2 p.m. can be a mistake at 6:15 p.m. if you are competing with theater crowds, office workers, and hotel guests.

• Before a Broadway show: stay within 10 minutes of your theater unless you already have a table.
• For a serious pastrami meal: accept a longer walk or ride to Ben’s, 2nd Ave Deli, or Sarge’s.
• For breakfast: choose Best Bagel & Coffee, Liberty Bagels Midtown, or Ess-a-Bagel.
• For a group: pick a place with seating and a broad menu, not the tiniest counter with the longest line.

Where To Stay If Deli Access Matters

Times Square is a useful hotel base if your food plan is casual breakfasts, theater meals, and late-night convenience. Stay closer to West 35th to West 43rd streets if you want the best mix of bagels, delis, Penn Station access, and Broadway theaters.

For hotels near these deli stops, compare the blocks around Times Square, Bryant Park, and the Garment District on a map before choosing a room:

Pick The Right Deli For Your Meal

Choose Brooklyn Delicatessen when you need the closest reliable deli near Times Square and do not want to miss a show. Choose Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen when you want the stronger classic deli lunch within a short walk.

For breakfast, Best Bagel & Coffee is the cleanest call from the Times Square hotel zone, with Ess-a-Bagel worth the extra walk for a bigger bagel-and-smoked-fish order. For a fuller old-school deli meal, 2nd Ave Deli beats the immediate Times Square options, but only if you treat it as a real detour.

The practical ranking is simple:

1. Best overall near Times Square: Brooklyn Delicatessen Times Square.
2. Best classic deli within walking range: Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen.
3. Best breakfast deli stop: Best Bagel & Coffee.
4. Best bagel detour: Ess-a-Bagel West 32nd Street.
5. Best serious deli meal nearby: 2nd Ave Deli Midtown East.