Chef Eric Greenspan has opened Mish Delicatessen on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles, offering a modern take on Jewish deli cuisine that blends nostalgia with inventive twists. The restaurant, which debuted in June, features a diverse menu inspired by Jewish culinary traditions spanning North America, Europe, and the Levant. Greenspan, known for his previous work at establishments like the Foundry and Maré, partnered with restaurateur Bill Chait to create a bright, spacious venue characterized by high ceilings and abundant natural light.
Mish Delicatessen’s offerings range from breakfast through dinner, emphasizing reimagined Jewish comfort foods with bold flavor combinations. Among the standout dishes is Greenspan’s take on matzo brei, a Passover staple that he prepares by soaking matzo in a cardamom-infused French toast batter, scrambling it with scallions, seasoning generously with black pepper, and finishing the plate with a fried egg and a touch of maple syrup. This version diverges from the traditional wet-versus-dry debates surrounding matzo brei and has garnered enthusiastic responses for its crisp texture and complex seasoning.
The menu further includes signature items like wagyu beef and lamb koobideh formed into small meatballs glazed with a sweet tomato and sumac sauce, and a shakshuka dish presented as “toad in the hole” with griddled challah, tomato jam, and a distinctive “Jewish Chili Crunch” condiment. Greenspan also elevates kreplach by stuffing the dumplings with a blend of beef salami, brisket, and pastrami, frying them in rendered chicken fat, and serving them in an intensely flavored chicken jus with the chili crunch topping.
Traditional deli staples receive a contemporary treatment as well. Bagels are boiled in a spiced liquid and baked in a cherry wood-fired oven, imparting a subtle smokiness to the dense, chewy dough. Sandwiches are crafted using locally sourced pastrami and brisket developed in collaboration with RC Provisions. The restaurant’s namesake sandwich, the EG Deluxe V2, combines both meats with melted cheese and tomato jam on schmaltz-grilled rye, presenting a condensed but richly flavored alternative to conventional towering deli sandwiches.
The bakery, led by Dara Yu, offers items such as black and white cookies that depart from the standard cake-like texture in favor of a crumblier sugar cookie style coated in chocolate and vanilla icing—a departure that has divided diners. Other sights include potato latkes made in a more mashed potato style rather than shredded, reflecting Greenspan’s willingness to challenge established expectations while acknowledging traditional roots.
Mish Delicatessen operates daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with street parking available. The beverage program, overseen by Julian Cox, features specialty coffees, matcha, and brunch-oriented cocktails, with plans to introduce an evening service called Bar Mitzvah that will emphasize cocktails. The restaurant’s prices range broadly, with breakfast items from $9 to $19, sandwiches between $13 and $29, and hand-carved meats from $14 to $34.
With this opening, Greenspan positions Mish as a contemporary Jewish deli that respects culinary heritage while pushing boundaries, offering diners an experience that is both familiar and refreshingly original.