He’s Catholic, Sicilian, and famous for burrata, not brisket. But in true Joey Maggiore fashion, he’s managed to make schmaltz sexy.
“Why the Jewish deli?” he says, grinning. “Why not? I’m a New York kid."
Chef Joey made his name on burrata and tequila at The Italiano and The Mexicano. Now he is winning hearts with schmaltz, spuds, and serious chutzpah.
"My family came from Sicily to New York, and everyone worked in and out of the delicatessens. Many of my friends were Jewish. I went to Bar Mitzvahs every weekend, or they came to my house for good Italian food. The Jews and the Italians, we're together, baby.”
He laughs, his voice rising with that New York rhythm.
Originally, he wanted to name his spot Patsy’s, after his grandfather Pasquale, a butcher who worked the deli counters of New York.
“We couldn’t get the name, so we said let’s just call it The Delicatessen,” he says. “It’s simple. It’s nostalgic. It feels like home.”
And that is exactly what The Delicatessen is, a love letter to comfort food and culture. The air smells like pastrami and black pepper, and the tables are filled with everyone from kids to bubbes.
“My grandma Alba used to make latkes all the time,” Joey says. “I still don’t know why. She’d fry them right next to the chicken cutlets. We called them 'lackeys' when we were kids. Onions, matzo meal, potatoes, black pepper. We smoke the black pepper here and cook them in schmaltz. That’s the chicken fat. The good stuff.”
He grins.
“It’s probably not kosher, but it’s delicious.”
At The Delicatessen, Joey does what he does best. He makes people feel at home. His menu is part Italian soul, part Jewish nostalgia, and all heart. And the latkes are served with both sour cream and applesauce.
“I’m a sour cream guy, but my wife loves the apple,” he says.
Baked goods like hamantashen are served year-round, the bagel bar is worth bragging about and the pastrami, Joey says, is his pride and joy.
“We brine it for seven days, smoke it for twelve hours, and steam it for two more,” he says. “When people walk in, they say, ‘We needed this.’ There’s nothing like it in Arizona. A lot of New Yorkers live here, and this brings them right back. You can taste the nostalgia.”
Ask him about Hanukkah, and Joey’s humor takes over.
“How many days of Hanukkah?” we ask.
“Twelve,” he says proudly.
“That’s Christmas,” we laugh.
“Oh right, eight. I knew that.”
He throws up his hands, smiling.
At its core, The Delicatessen isn’t about rules or religion. It’s about heart and humor and food that feels like family.
“Best bagels in town. Best pastrami in town. Best latkes in town,” he says. “Come on in... it's Hanukkah, Joey style. That’s love, baby.”
Grandma Alba's OG Latkes
Serves: 8–10 Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
6 lbs russet potatoes (peeled and grated)
2 medium white onions (grated and caramelized)
6 large eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup matzo meal
2 tsp salt, to taste
2 tsp black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
Schmaltz (rendered chicken fat), for frying
Method
Peel and grate potatoes, then soak in salted cold water for 10 minutes to release starch. Drain and squeeze dry with a towel or cheesecloth.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, flour, matzo meal, baking powder, salt, pepper, and buttermilk. Add potatoes and onions; mix well.
Heat ½ inch of schmaltz in a skillet over medium-high heat (350°F). Drop ¼-cup portions, flatten gently, and fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels or a rack and season with salt while hot. Serve crisp and warm.