- Attraction: Harold’s New York Deli
- Location: 1173 King Georges Post Rd, Edison, NJ 08837
- Industry: Delicatessen
- Website: https://www.haroldsfamousdeli.com
Walk through those glass doors and prepare yourself for a sight that’ll make your jaw drop.
Harold Jaffe—who spent over a decade at Manhattan’s legendary Carnegie Deli—brought his expertise to Edison and created something genuinely spectacular.
This isn’t your average deli experience where you order a sandwich and call it lunch. At Harold’s, a single order can turn into three or four meals, and the desserts are so massive they need their own zip code.
The restaurant combines the best of two New York institutions: the iconic Carnegie Deli’s portions and the Claremont Diner’s comfort food excellence.
What makes this place unforgettable isn’t just the size of everything (though we’ll get to that), but the quality behind those gargantuan servings. This is authentic New York deli culture thriving in the heart of New Jersey.
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The Pastrami: This is what Harold’s hangs its hat on, and for good reason. Hand-carved, smoky, and spice-edged, the pastrami arrives piled nearly a foot high with eight slices of fresh rye bread. The large sandwich rings in around $45-50, but it legitimately feeds three to four people.
Even ordering the junior size gives you enough tender, juicy meat for multiple meals. The pastrami gets hand-brined and smoked in-house, resulting in meat that’s moist, flavorful, and remarkably tender with just the right amount of fat marbling throughout.
The Corned Beef: Right alongside pastrami as the dual star of the menu, the corned beef gets freshly roasted and sliced to order. You’ll find it perfectly seasoned with that classic pink hue and satisfying texture.
The meat comes piled so high you might wonder how physics allows the sandwich to stay together. Like everything else here, one sandwich easily becomes multiple meals.
The Triple-Decker Combinations: Want to try multiple meats? The combo sandwiches let you mix pastrami, corned beef, roast beef, and turkey with Swiss cheese stacked between layers of rye. These towers of deli excellence come with enough protein to fuel a small army.
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Discover MoreThe Reuben: Picture this—a tidal wave of melted Swiss cheese cascading over Harold’s incomparable pastrami, mild sauerkraut, and sweet Russian dressing, all on rye bread. The cheese alone makes this worth ordering, and you’ll find the sauerkraut adds tang without overwhelming the star ingredient.
Breakfast Done Big
The Pancakes: Calling these pancakes is like calling the Grand Canyon a ditch. Each pancake measures roughly the size of a 16-inch pizza and you literally have to slice it like a pizza to serve it. A single pancake easily feeds two to three people, while a stack of three will satisfy six or more.
The chocolate chip version comes loaded with chips throughout the fluffy, golden batter. The blueberry pancakes arrive bursting with fruit. These monsters are made from Harold’s own buttermilk batter recipe.
The Breakfast Sandwiches: An egg sandwich with Taylor ham and cheese on a bagel arrives as possibly the biggest breakfast sandwich you’ll encounter anywhere. We’re talking two to three servings of Taylor ham, multiple scrambled eggs, and cheese all piled onto one bagel. One sandwich can legitimately cover breakfast for your entire table.
The Potato Pancakes: Crispy, golden, and enormous, a single potato pancake (or latke) runs about $20 and provides more than enough for multiple people as a side. They arrive well-oiled and onioned, with that perfect contrast between the crunchy exterior and fluffy interior.
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The Matzo Ball Soup: This deserves its own spotlight. The matzo ball arrives roughly the size of a cantaloupe—no exaggeration—floating in an enormous amount of rich, flavorful chicken broth. One order serves six people.
The broth is traditional, comforting, and hits all the right notes, while the matzo ball itself stays fluffy and light despite its intimidating size.
The Pickle Bar: Harold’s claims to have the only pickle bar like this in America, and it’s quite the experience. You’ll find over 20 varieties including kosher pickles, half-sours, pickled tomatoes, sour pickles, spicy pickles, and more.
The selection runs from mild and briney to aggressively sour and garlicky. There’s also the Health Salad—Harold’s playful take on coleslaw—which becomes a favorite for many first-timers.
The Knishes: These mammoth knishes come in both potato and kasha varieties. Well-oiled and thoroughly onioned, they arrive with a satisfying weight and rich flavor. The kasha knish in particular gets high marks from those familiar with traditional Jewish deli fare.
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Discover MoreThe Hot Dogs: The Go, Giants, Go! platter features two giant hot dogs with a giant potato knish, plus heated portions of Heinz vegetarian beans and sauerkraut. The dogs get slashed and appear to be deep-fried, creating a nice chewy skin while keeping the interior super-garlicky and juicy.
Desserts Worth Skipping Dinner For
The Cheesecake: Rich, creamy New York-style cheesecake that tastes primarily of cream, cheese, and eggs without heavy lemon or vanilla flavoring. The recipe has evolved over the years, but it remains dense and satisfying.
A single slice feeds three people generously and sits on a thick graham cracker crust. You’ll find varieties like strawberry-topped and cherry-topped versions.
The Layer Cakes: The chocolate fudge layer cake is legendary here. We’re talking slices that measure around 14 inches tall—yes, tall—and are roughly the size of a small child’s head. These aren’t just impressive to look at; they’re genuinely delicious. The chocolate stays moist and rich throughout every towering layer.
Other Sweet Treats: The apple turnover is available in a “world’s largest” version that’s perfect for parties. The Napoleon and other cream-filled pastries arrive in proportions consistent with everything else at Harold’s—which means enormous and designed for sharing.
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The Dining Room: Harold’s features a 300-seat dining room that feels surprisingly spacious rather than cavernous. Mirrored walls make the interior feel even more expansive, and the open kitchen lets you watch those gigantic platters being assembled.
The tables are generously spaced, giving you room to spread out when your food arrives.
The Vibe: This is classic New York Jewish deli through and through—think traditional diner tables and chairs with that timeless deli aesthetic.
The laminate menus, the bustling energy, the sight of massive platters being delivered to neighboring tables—it all contributes to an authentic experience. You might even spot Harold himself schmoozing with customers throughout the restaurant.
The Yiddish Touch: Napkins at every place setting contain a Yiddish glossary, offering a fun learning opportunity while you wait for your food. It’s a charming detail that honors the cultural roots of Jewish deli tradition.
The Crowds: Harold’s packs in locals and travelers alike. On weekends, the parking lot fills with minivans and SUVs belonging to large families ready for their deli feast. Expect lines out the door during peak times, especially Sunday afternoons. Getting there early helps, though even with a wait, the reward is worth it.
Planning Your Visit
The Pricing Reality: Prices run high here—expect $45-50 for large sandwiches, $26-27 for junior sandwiches, and $20 for sides like a single potato pancake.
But here’s the thing: when you factor in that each order genuinely feeds multiple people and provides several meals worth of leftovers, the value proposition shifts dramatically. You’re not paying deli prices for a single lunch; you’re essentially buying dinner for your family.
Sharing is Expected: The menu explicitly notes how many people each dish feeds, and there’s no sharing charge. Harold actively encourages sharing, which is how this place is meant to be experienced. Don’t try to order like you would at a typical restaurant or you’ll leave with enough food to feed a block party.
The Location Challenge: Situated next to the Edison Hotel at the intersection of the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 287, Harold’s sits in an industrial park area that’s easy to miss.
GPS sometimes directs you to a parking lot behind the building. The setting isn’t picturesque, but once you’re inside, the food makes you forget all about the surroundings.
Parking Situation: There’s a dedicated parking lot that fills up quickly during busy periods. Arrive early on weekends or prepare to circle for a spot.
Best Times to Visit: Weekday lunches are less crowded than weekend meals. If you’re coming for breakfast, getting there right when they open at 7 AM gives you the best shot at avoiding waits.
Family-Friendly Factor: This place thrives on family gatherings and large groups. The massive portions make it perfect for sharing with kids, and the novelty of the enormous servings keeps younger diners entertained. However, it’s not specifically geared toward young children in terms of amenities.
The Leftover Situation: Bring a cooler if you’re traveling from far away. You will leave with leftovers—guaranteed. Many people report getting three to four additional meals from a single visit. Pro tip: if you want extra bread to make sandwiches at home with your leftover meat, there may be a small charge per slice.
Harold’s New York Deli
📍 1173 King Georges Post Rd, Edison, NJ 08837
