(Image: Ben and Esther’s)
Portland-born vegan Jewish deli chain Ben and Esther’s has aspirations of someday bringing its plant-based corned beef reubens to the East Coast. First, it will add a location on Capitol HIll.
With three delis already in motion — two in Portland, and one in San Diego — the company has announced its next expansion will be to Seattle.
But Ben and Esther’s isn’t saying where it will land in the already bagel-rich neighborhood, describing it in a social media post only as “the heart of Capitol Hill.”
While you’re noodling on where exactly a new vegan Jewish deli might best fit around Pike/Pine or Broadway, CHS is perusing Ben and Esther’s no-meat menu running from vegan lox made of roasted carrots to whitefish made of hearts of palm has developed from its 2019 start in Portland’s Roseway neighborhood.
“I’ve been plant-based for a long time,” owner Justin King told Eater PDX. “When I opened Ben & Esther’s, I was very business-minded, and I thought that opening a traditional Jewish deli would be good for business. After a year, I couldn’t reconcile that with my principles.”
King also says he has hopes of eventual East Coast expansion for the company.
But first, King will join Capitol Hill’s relatively robust Jewish food and drink scene amid the golden age of Capitol Hill bagels ushered in by the opening of Rubinstein Bagels on 15th Ave E last year. A new bagel bakery from Sea Wolf will extend the age to Montlake. The neighborhood also has its own homegrown Jewish deli. Dingfelder’s Delicatessen opened at E Pine and 14th in 2018 with stacked-high corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, kosher hot dogs, knishes, smoked fish, and bagels.
Where will Ben and Esther’s fit in? Stay tuned — or check the CHS comments — to find out.
You can learn more at benandesthers.com.
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