Pastrami King in Merrick to close

Pastrami King, one of Long Island’s last surviving kosher-style delis, will serve its last pastrami sandwich on Friday. Owner Joe Yamali said that his 20-year lease in Merrick is up and that he was unable to come to terms to extend it. 

With the distinctive crown logo printed on its awning, the capacious restaurant — its takeout area was larger than all of Great Neck's Kensington Kosher Deli — stood out on Merrick Road. It was opened in 2002 by Joe’s father, Abe Yamali, who had, back in the 1970s and '80s, owned the original Pastrami King in Kew Gardens. (That restaurant closed in 1998, emerging on Manhattan’s Upper East Side as Pastrami Queen.)

Pastrami King was not strictly kosher. Along with meat-based classics such as pastrami, corned beef and tongue sandwiches, chicken soup with matzo balls, stuffed derma, chopped liver and fried kreplach, it also served dairy items like cheese blintzes. And the menu went far beyond deli with burgers, pasta and Southwestern and Caesar salads.

The last decade has not been kind to kosher and kosher-style delis — Boomy’s and Ruven’s in Plainview, Deli King in Lake Success, the Bellcrest in Bellmore, Deli on Rye in Albertson, Delsen’s in Bay Shore and Commack Kosher Meats have all closed — but Yamali said that his business was strong and, if it hadn’t been for the lease dispute, he would have carried on..

Yamali said he is looking for a new location on the South Shore, and is considering establishing a ghost kitchen to sell takeout and/or a website to sell Pastrami King’s signature pastrami, which is cured with a proprietary mixture of spices.

As a parting gift, on Friday Pastrami King will be offering a free pint of matzo-ball soup to all customers, dine-in or takeout, one pint per party. 

Pastrami King, 196 Merrick Rd., Merrick, 516-378-5464, pastramiking.com. Open Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.