The NY Deli & Diner — UB’s only all-kosher dining location — and Pistachio’s Bread Box reopened Monday for the spring 2023 semester after a near three-year hiatus. The two eateries have remained closed for an extended period of time after the pandemic due to the national labor shortage, according to Raymond Kohl, director of marketing and communications at UB Campus Dining & Shops.
Bread Box Deli, which is located inside Pistachio’s on the second floor of the Student Union, will be accepting orders through the GET app and will be open Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The menu will feature returning student favorite paninis like the Montana, the Buffalo Chicken and the Brooklyn, Kohl said.
The NY Deli & Diner is located in Talbert Hall and will be available for takeout only. Kosher breakfast foods, sandwiches, roasted chicken plates and chicken shawarma pita will be served, among other menu items, Kohl said. The kosher deli is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The university hired a new Mashgiach (a person who ensures an establishment is in compliance with kosher standards), Moshe Morrison, ensuring the NY Deli & Diner will maintain its kosher status.
Rabbi Sara Rich, executive director of Hillel of Buffalo, says the reopening of the NY Deli & Diner is an important step toward catering those who observe kosher dietary laws, who had been left with only grab-and-go options at CDS locations for three years. The deli will also serve those who only eat halal food.
“We hope the reopening will help students eat well and feel good,” Rich said. “For some students, this menu will be the comforting taste of home. For others, it is an opportunity to try new foods and broaden their horizons. In all cases, we are grateful to the university for their commitment.”
Rich says the closure of the deli due to COVID-19 and staffing shortages has been challenging for everyone. Now that the establishment is back at UB, her main focus is to make sure the deli meets the needs of the campus community.
“I hope everyone will eat, enjoy and bring their friends,” Rich said.
Amy Maslin is a sports editor and can be reached at amy.maslin@ubspectrum.com
Katie Skoog is an assistant features editor and can be reached at katie.skoog@ubspectrum.com
