A Visit to Kosher Cajun NY Deli
As thousands of football fans descend upon New Orleans for the Super Bowl, those looking for a kosher dining experience are in for a treat.
Kosher Cajun NY Deli, the only kosher market in town, is gearing up to provide delicious kosher meals to visitors from across the country. Kosher customers can indulge in outstanding Southern Louisiana cuisine with a kosher twist from the only kosher meat game in town. From classic New York deli fare to mouth-watering New Orleans specialties like kosher “shrimp” po boy, chicken & sausage jambalaya, and red beans & rice with sausage.
On my visit to the Kosher Cajun, the store was full with observant Jews and non-Jews who wanted great kosher food. On my flight down to New Orleans from New York to cover the Super Bowl for The Jewish Press, I saw other frum people vacationing who all ended up at Kosher Cajun for lunch. I personally went for the kosher “shrimp” po boy and the jambalaya which were fantastic and like nothing I had ever tasted in New York.
Kosher Cajun is a fully loaded kosher grocery store and casual sit down deli; I observed a frum family eating lunch and then shopping by stocking up for their yeshiva break vacation on bulk packages of Cholov Yisrael Shtark cheese and other staples.
Located in the heart of Metairie, a short drive from the Superdome, Kosher Cajun NY Deli is a charming market and deli that offers a unique blend of Southern hospitality and Jewish charm.
Owner Joel Brown, a native New Orleanian, has been serving the community with passion for 37 years, and his market has become a staple for kosher food in the city. We had the opportunity to visit and sit down with Joel and talk about his eatery, the Super Bowl, the impressive sports shrine full of football and other memorabilia around the store, and what visitors can expect from his establishment.
The Jewish Press: What does Super Bowl week mean for you as the only kosher market in town?
Joel Brown: Being born and raised in New Orleans, I had a kosher market for 37 years now. New Orleans is a very big convention city, always lots of people visiting. And of course very special, Super Bowl being this next Sunday, a week away.
We do a lot of business with the Superdome and the arena. We do kosher meals for them and we already have many orders going through food service, catering for some of the suites at the Superdome.
So it’s big business for you?
It is, it is. We’ve got tons of orders for the weekend. People have already started to come in, at least a week early, doing business, other frum reporters and just people with the NFL.
How many kosher meals do you think you are going to be making connected to the Super Bowl?
Hundreds, I’d have to say. We do meals for all the restaurants also, so one can go and eat with their colleagues at any of the non-kosher restaurants, but food through us, double wrapped, sealed, China dishes, real silver, good food and a great ambiance that you’re eating with your colleagues on dishes.
How long have you been in this location for?
Thirty-seven years. Started at 19 as a small grocery and then expanded over the years. It was smaller and then got bigger, bigger.
Is the community growing with you?
It is a community definitely growing. We’re growing as a small Jewish community, but half our business is non-Jewish trade. We are a New York deli that happens to be kosher. We’re like a gourmet store – tons of baked goods, a hundred different kinds of wine.
Can you tell us more about your wine selection?
I mean, for a small, mostly Reform Jewish community, having a hundred plus (kosher) wines works for us. People who know good wine, anyone walking in, sees our selection, knows Israeli wines are top notch, top rated, and more than half the wines we carry are Israeli wines.
What other specialties do you offer?
Tons of baked goods we bring in from New York, like rugelach and babka. We’re getting ready to make, we make kosher King Cakes for Mardi Gras.
Do you ship those Mardi Gras King Cakes?
We do ship them, absolutely. We’ll have that on our website (koshercajun.com), and we ship all around the country every week.
If somebody’s coming to the game, do they need to put in an order in advance or just show up?
It’s good, you know, if you want delivery, place your order in advance and we deliver to the hotels or just come right in – we make fresh food right off the menu. We have deli platters, we will have a Super Bowl menu with chicken wings and lots of other good stuff.
Kosher Cajun NY Deli is a must-visit destination for anyone looking for delicious kosher food in New Orleans during the Super Bowl. With its unique blend of Southern hospitality and Jewish charm, this market and deli is the perfect place to indulge in some amazing kosher cuisine. So be sure to stop by Kosher Cajun NY Deli during your Super Bowl visit or New Orleans trip and taste the magic of kosher Southern Louisiana cuisine for yourself! Located at 3519 Severn Ave., Metairie, LA.
(With additional reporting by Joseph Aron)
