For Russ & Daughters, 2016 is starting off with a bang. Earlier this month, the Lower East Side appetizing store announced it would be opening a large production facility and retail shop at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Now the 102-year-old New York City institution has debuted a new restaurant and takeout shop in the Jewish Museum on the Upper East Side.
The 60-seat kosher restaurant is located on the museum’s lower level. An appetizing counter will open shortly. The decor pays tribute to both the Russ & Daughters shop on East Houston Street as well as the newer Orchard Street cafe. It was designed by Solomonoff Architecture Studio and features a 20-foot mural by artist Maira Kalman, commissioned by the Jewish Museum. It’s made up of 120 vignettes which, according to a press release, reflect “the artist’s appreciation of good food, shared human pleasure, and her sense that Russ & Daughters represents a New York City infused with a sense of character, yearning, and humor.”
The menu includes smoked fish platters, bagels and bialys from the new Brooklyn bakery, knishes, herring, salads, soups, egg creams, cocktails and desserts. Russ & Daughters at the Jewish Museum is open Sunday- Wednesday 11 a.m.- 5:45 p.m.; Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday 11 a,m.-4 p.m. Hours will be extended in the not-too-distant future.
The museum is located on 92nd Street at 5th Avenue.
A photo posted by Russ & Daughters (@russanddaughters) on
They are NOT kosher;
In the article it refers to it as “The 60-seat kosher restaurant is located on the museum’s lower level”.
Back in June 2014, I emailed Russ & Daughters about their kosher status and they responded
“Sorry, we are not kosher, just “kosher style.”
Unless the branch at the museum will seek out kosher supervision…..
It is true that the Lower East Side restaurant is not kosher. But the restaurant at the Jewish Museum IS kosher. It is overseen by “National Kosher Supervision,” under the auspices of Rabbi Aaron Mehlman.