Stanley Tucci Says This New York Deli Is “Heavenly”

Every New Yorker has their favorite pizza spot, their favorite bagel spot and their favorite deli. And notable Kantonah, New York native Stanley Tucci has his own opinions on his go-to spots in the Big Apple. In a recent Instagram post, Tucci shared the deli spot that he had to visit while in the city promoting his new book, What I Ate in One Year. 

“Last week in NYC I had the most delicious lunch in the middle of our press days,” the Searching for Italy host wrote in the caption of the new post. The must-stop spot for a flavor-packed, comforting lunch is 2nd Ave Deli—which can be found on 3rd Avenue, but Tucci has been going so long, he remembers its original namesake location.

Learn what the actor orders, AKA what you should order the next time you’re in New York. And if you’re not planning on visiting anytime soon, we found some recipes for you to recreate Tucci’s “delicious” meal at home.

First up, Tucci went traditional with an order of matzo ball soup.

“I’m so excited ‘cause this is not easy to find in London,” Tucci exclaims as he sits in front of his first course. He specifically orders chicken matzo ball soup with noodles, which is bound to be comforting as a matzo ball soup-chicken noodle soup crossover. Matzo ball soup is a brothy soup starring matzo balls, made with matzo meal (crushed unleavened flatbread) that’s a staple in Jewish cuisine.

Tucci’s verdict on the taste of the soup? “Oh my god, it’s heavenly. It’s one of the best chicken matzo ball noodle soups I’ve ever had. So delicious.” If you can’t sprint to 2nd Ave Deli to order this cozy bowl, we have some recipes for you (and Tucci) to try at home. For starters, our Matzo Ball Soup with Carrot & Dill takes 20 minutes of active prep time and only 7 ingredients, some of which you may already have on hand. And if you’re in the mood for a noodle-based soup, our Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken is beloved by our readers.

Tucci pairs the soup with a sandwich, and he is going all out by ordering a prime New Yorker meal: a pastrami sandwich on rye with coleslaw and pickles.

“Look at that, how beautiful all that fat is,” he admires his sandwich while adding mustard to the inside. “I’m taking the rest back to the hotel. So good.”

Our Turkey Pastrami Sandwich is a leaner version of Tucci’s deli order, and it has the fixings he loves: cole slaw, rye bread plus added apple and Swiss cheese. And for a high-protein breakfast, this Quick Pastrami Hash & Eggs uses up the flavorful meat in a unique yet tasty way.

This is bound to be a stop on our lists for our next journey to New York—right after we take a trip to Italy and try Bobby Flay’s favorite sandwich.