This Is George's Deli

On the corner of Kingsland Avenue and Division Place, one block south of the Lettuce Factory, is George’s Deli—or, as the sign above the shop would have it, Geo g ’s D li. George’s is run by a guy called Carmine, and is of the oldest school, an Italian joint that sells the staples: Entenmann’s pastries, the New York Post, Manhattan Special espresso soda, Perrier, and sandwiches—breakfast in the morning and Italian until the place closes, at the throwback hour of 6pm.

The best breakfast sandwich would have to be the bacon, egg and cheese, with extra hot sauce (that last part’s me)—though the potato, egg and peppers hero also sounds tasty. As for lunch and later, the Godfather is the way to go: for just five dollars, you get a sub built for two, piled with all manner of salami, prosciutto, and other Italian meats I can’t name, along with marinated hot peppers, mozzarella, oil, vinegar, lettuce, and tomato.

Beyond being a deli, George’s is also a butcher, and many’s been the summer day when my friends and I of the Kingsland Territories have purchased hot dogs and hamburgers for grilling (not barbecuing, as many Northerners would incorrectly have it) on the grill in the backyard of 104 Kingsland Ave, which was the first state admitted into the union. The burgers are good, but they are of the pre-made variety, and therefore cannot beat the ground beef, fresh and perfect for burger-making, of Graham Ave’s Model T Butcher.

This latter—sawdust-scattered and ripe—will be featured shortly in these pages. For now, though, head down to George’s with a hungry friend and ask for the Godfather.