Samuel’s Opens, With Bagels and Deli Sandwiches Aplenty
Samuel’s has officially arrived, and reservations for the all-day Sansom Street restaurant are now officially available, starting with its August 10 opening.
Open straight from morning to night with full menus serving up American Jewish-inspired food, Samuel’s is the latest restaurant from chef-owner Michael Schulson (Via Locusta, Double Knot, Sampan, et al.) — and it’s located directly above red sauce sister restaurant Giuseppe & Sons.
Here’s what you need to know about Samuel’s.
Editor’s note: As of November 2023, Samuel’s has rebranded into a new concept, Bar Lesieur.
1. There’s a good backstory.
And it starts in the past: Once upon a time, Schulson’s grandfather (“Poppy”) immigrated from Russia and Poland to the Bronx, where he opened a kosher butcher shop. He would bring home cuts from the shop, and his grandmother (“Nanna”) would make the young Schulson soups, schnitzel, and so on. Samuel’s is an ode of those memories.
2. It’s a true all-day affair.
As in, first Resy at 9 a.m., open straight through the day until to the last one at 8:45 p.m.
A brunch menu is served during the daytime, with housemade foods aplenty: lox, breakfast sandwiches, pierogis, latkes (with caviar, for good measure), challah French toast, egg creams, cured meats, and a host of deli sandwiches, from reubens and corned beef to BLTs and tuna melts. At 3 p.m., the dinner menu kicks in. (More details on that below …)
3. Know the people who feed you.
The team has a ton of talent here. The day-to-day operations are led by baker Nick Brannon (formerly of Parc) and pastry chef Abby Dahan (also a Parc vet, who you also might know from the Bake School). They’ve been popping up around town, and now they’re ready to showcase their skills at Samuel’s with housemade challah, babka, rugelach, linzer cookies, black-and-white cookies (!), and of course, all sorts of bagels.
4. Don’t miss dinner though.
The fried chicken (pictured above) might well end up being the headliner during the evening hours, but you’ll also find a full dinner menu led by pigs in a blanket, pot pie, chopped steak, soda floats, and a whole bunch of cocktails and vodka options.
Pro tip: In addition to dine-in options, there will also be takeout and catering available.
