A Jewish Deli Rolls Into Lincoln Park With Reuben Bagel Sandwiches

Following years of selling bagels at farmers markets and the From Here On food hall, Zeitlin’s Delicatessen is ready to open the doors to its first standalone restaurant. The Jewish deli will officially debut its new home on Tuesday, November 4, at 2203 N. Clybourn Avenue in Lincoln Park.

Zeitlin’s story began in 2019 when founder Sam Zeitlin started baking bagels from home and selling them to friends. After he was laid off during the pandemic, he moved to Austin to help launch deli and bakery Casper Fermentables. Eventually, Sam Zeitlin returned to Chicago and, along with his brother Hal Zeitlin, became a steady presence at farmers markets, pop-ups, and catering gigs.

“[Sam] always envisioned that the bagel trend was going to happen in Chicago, and he wanted to jump on it first,” says Zeitlin’s CFO Andres Zapata.

Zapata, who joined the company in 2023 to help expand operations, notes that the goal was always to move beyond seasonal markets, though the deli will continue to keep a footprint there. The team’s stall at the From Here On food hall in the Old Post Office, which opened in late 2023, gave them their first taste of daily customer interaction. “Our vision was always to open a store,” Zapata says. “We wanted a steady business model — people coming in, experiencing the entire place, the vibe, our customer service.”

The team scouted several neighborhoods before settling on Lincoln Park, where they already had a strong customer base. The 2,500-square-foot space — located next to Pequod’s — will double as both a restaurant and production facility. About two-thirds of the site is devoted to the kitchen, allowing Zeitlin’s to streamline its baking and produce larger volumes of bagels for its markets and wholesale partners. The new setup replaces the commissary kitchen Zeitlin’s had previously used and gives the company more control over production and quality.

The store menu features a broader selection of sandwiches and baked goods than were previously available. The bagels take their cue from New York, known for a dense, chewy bite. Customers can look forward to new items such as pastrami and corned beef Reubens and sandwiches filled with whitefish, tuna, or egg salad. There are also plans to bring back fan favorites like black-and-white cookies and chocolate babka.

“Our sandwich game is going to increase by about 50 percent of what we offered before,” Zapata says.

Designed as “a traditional deli with modern touches,” the space keeps Zeitlin’s familiar green-and-white palette and has 30 seats for those who want to dine in.

Much of the deli’s growth has been fueled by its fans. To help finance the new shop, the Zeitlins turned to WeFunder to raise $142,000, offering what they called the “Bagel Bond,” a promissory note that let supporters invest directly in the business. Zapata says the unconventional approach reflected the deli’s close relationship with its customers. “We have really strong engagement with our audience,” he says. “They really love the brand, and everything we do is for them.”

Investors who participated are named on a column inside the deli — a nod to the community that helped make the expansion possible. The menu will feature original sandwiches created by investors as well.

Zeitlin’s is the latest addition to Chicago’s growing bagel scene. In September, Dorothy’s Bakery opened a storefront in Lincoln Park, having also started out at farmers markets. Next spring, D.C. favorite Call Your Mother will make its Midwest debut in Wicker Park. While the city has never been known for its bagels, bakers are clearly working to raise the bar.

Like most openings, Zeitlin’s faced construction and permitting delays that pushed the timeline from summer to fall. But after months of work, the team is ready to welcome customers, starting with a soft opening featuring a limited menu from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Friday, October 31, and Saturday, November 1. The full menu will be available for the grand opening on Tuesday, November 4.

“At the end of the day, no matter what happens on the back end, you’ve got to deliver a quality product,” Zapata says. “Our customers deserve the best.”

Zeitlin’s Delicatessen is located at 2203 N. Clybourn Avenue. Opens Tuesday, November 4. Open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.