The Pioneer Valley is known for many things: bucolic nature, several excellent colleges and even the Yiddish Book Center. But lox? Matzo ball soup? Not so much.
The area’s whitefish desert is no more. Northampton welcomed Lichter & Levin Delicatessen on July 9, which took over the longtime Roost coffee shop space on Market Street. It fills a culinary void in an area otherwise known for its eclectic food scene. Here, there are lines out the door for egg creams, whitefish salad and even many vegan and gluten-free items. Here are five things to know about the city’s hottest new restaurant.
Co-owners Emily Lichter and Ben Levin are music managers (Lake Street Dive, Lucius). They met co-managing the band I’m With Her and bonded over their shared longing for Jewish food in the Pioneer Valley. Despite the area’s colorful food scene, this was a gap.
“We’re both Jewish, and we’re very connected to our families and our lineage. We’d travel and then come back to Western Massachusetts. We’d be like, ‘I just want matzo ball soup. There’s no Jewish deli, the comfort food of our life.’”
Yes, there’s a vibrant soundtrack.
The idea started with a viral Instagram post. The pair posted a logo for their as-yet fictitious company (“Lichter & Levin: Open for Brunch and Linner”) on their socials—which had only modest followings. But even the notion of a Jewish deli in Western Massachusetts got attention: The logo went viral, without a business.
“The next thing we knew, everyone in town wanted us in their storefronts. We were taking meetings with investors, and people wanted to go in on the deli. The demand was insane,” Lichter says.
The locals seem to love it. “We opened on July 9, and the line was so long and the demand was so high that, after two days, we actually had to close to regroup,” Lichter says. “Everybody kind of had that same feeling: This was a Jewish food desert for too long. You can’t get this kind of food in any direction for miles. I think people come in and feel a sense of familiarity and nostalgia.”
The duo run the restaurant with co-owners Matt Wool and executive chef Alex Hanley. Hanley’s menu has all the classics — many of them vegan. You’ll find pastrami, corned beef, whitefish salad, egg salad and lox. Many traditional dishes have vegan counterparts.
“We can serve the entire community. You can come with any person with any food preference, and they can find something, [including] tons of gluten-free food. We super-serve,” Lichter says. (Scope the menu here.)
Hanley, who comes from a fine-dining background, says the menu is full of “elevated classics.”
As such, everything, from the challah to rugelach to house-smoked pastrami, are made on-site except for the bagels, which come from Comfort Bagel in Holyoke. However, the restaurant isn’t kosher, although co-owner Levin is fully kosher and finds plenty to love on the menu.
Up for a road trip? Visit from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Wednesday through Monday.