Junior's
Encyclopedia
Junior's is a restaurant
at the corner of Flatbush Avenue Extension
and DeKalb Avenue
in the New York City borough
of Brooklyn
(386 Flatbush Avenue Extension). The restaurant also has an outlet inside Grand Central Terminal
in Midtown Manhattan
, one in the Times Square
area, and one in the hotel lobby of MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Connecticut
. The restaurant was founded by Harry Rosen in 1950. According to the restaurant, it was named Junior's after Rosen's two sons, Walter and Marvin. In 1982, Governor Mario Cuomo
declared May 27 as Junior’s Restaurant Day.
According to GO Brooklyn, "At the corner of Flatbush and DeKalb avenues in Downtown Brooklyn, there has been a diner run by the Rosen family since 1929. In 1950, the name was changed to Junior's, and it has been serving its famous cheesecake
and other goodies ever since. The interior of Junior's was modernized in 1983 after a major fire in the restaurant. The diner was featured in the Brooklyn Public Library's children's book of Brooklyn landmarks, "Brooklyn Pops Up."
Rosen worked with master baker, Eigel Peterson, on the Rosen family's recipe to create the cheesecake known today as "The World's Most Fabulous Cheesecake" based on a recipe that was in the Rosen family for three generations.
In 1981, when the restaurant caught on fire, a crowd of people watching the firefighters started chanting "Save the Cheesecake!" However, the fan base is not limited to Brooklynites. A Kuwaiti prince was known to have taken several Junior's cheesecakes back with him. The delight of critics, the cakes have been sold nationwide through various outlets, including the television shopping network, QVC
. In 2010, Junior's defeated fellow New York City cheesecake shop Eileen's Special on an episode of Food Feuds as Michael Symon
's choice for best cheesecake in New York City.
In the 2003 Making the Band
2 Season Two, "Da Band
" was assigned to walk to Brooklyn and get a slice of cheesecake from Junior's for Sean P. Diddy Combs. They also filmed their single "Tonight" from their 2003 album "Too Hot for TV
" in front of the restaurant.
In addition to cheesecake, Junior's features deli sandwiches (particularly corned beef and pastrami), ten ounce steakburgers, cheese blintz
es, and unique onion rings.
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
at the corner of Flatbush Avenue Extension
Flatbush Avenue (Brooklyn)
Flatbush Avenue is one of the major avenues in the New York City Borough of Brooklyn. It runs from the Manhattan Bridge south-southeastward to Jamaica Bay, where it joins the Marine Parkway Bridge, which connects Brooklyn to the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens...
and DeKalb Avenue
DeKalb Avenue
DeKalb Avenue is a street in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, with the majority of its length in Brooklyn. It runs from Woodward Avenue in Ridgewood, Queens to Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn...
in the New York City borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
(386 Flatbush Avenue Extension). The restaurant also has an outlet inside Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
, one in the Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
area, and one in the hotel lobby of MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. The restaurant was founded by Harry Rosen in 1950. According to the restaurant, it was named Junior's after Rosen's two sons, Walter and Marvin. In 1982, Governor Mario Cuomo
Mario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
declared May 27 as Junior’s Restaurant Day.
According to GO Brooklyn, "At the corner of Flatbush and DeKalb avenues in Downtown Brooklyn, there has been a diner run by the Rosen family since 1929. In 1950, the name was changed to Junior's, and it has been serving its famous cheesecake
Cheesecake
Cheesecake is a dessert consisting of a topping made of soft, fresh cheese, usually on a crust or base made from biscuit , pastry or sponge cake. They may be baked or unbaked...
and other goodies ever since. The interior of Junior's was modernized in 1983 after a major fire in the restaurant. The diner was featured in the Brooklyn Public Library's children's book of Brooklyn landmarks, "Brooklyn Pops Up."
Rosen worked with master baker, Eigel Peterson, on the Rosen family's recipe to create the cheesecake known today as "The World's Most Fabulous Cheesecake" based on a recipe that was in the Rosen family for three generations.
In 1981, when the restaurant caught on fire, a crowd of people watching the firefighters started chanting "Save the Cheesecake!" However, the fan base is not limited to Brooklynites. A Kuwaiti prince was known to have taken several Junior's cheesecakes back with him. The delight of critics, the cakes have been sold nationwide through various outlets, including the television shopping network, QVC
QVC
QVC is a multinational corporation specializing in televised home shopping. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, United States, QVC broadcasts in five countries as QVC US, QVC UK, QVC Germany, QVC Japan and – QVC Italy to 200 million households...
. In 2010, Junior's defeated fellow New York City cheesecake shop Eileen's Special on an episode of Food Feuds as Michael Symon
Michael Symon
Michael D. Symon is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. He is seen regularly on Food Network on shows such as Iron Chef America, Food Feuds, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate, as well as Cook Like an Iron Chef on the Cooking Channel...
's choice for best cheesecake in New York City.
In the 2003 Making the Band
Making the Band
Making the Band is an ABC/MTV reality television series that exists in separate iterations, each iteration focusing on a specific music act. It spawned musical acts O-Town, Da Band, Danity Kane, Day26, and Donnie Klang...
2 Season Two, "Da Band
Da Band
-Career:During the preliminary period 40,000 participants tried out for a spot in the group but Diddy narrowed it down to six artists. For several weeks the group was subjected to vigorous and sometime demeaning tasks, including walking from midtown Manhattan to Brooklyn to purchase a Junior's...
" was assigned to walk to Brooklyn and get a slice of cheesecake from Junior's for Sean P. Diddy Combs. They also filmed their single "Tonight" from their 2003 album "Too Hot for TV
Too Hot for TV
Too Hot for TV is the first and only album by rap group Da Band. Da Band was formed by Sean Combs on the show Making the Band. The album was the only one put out as a group as they disbanded sometime after its release. The album spawned two singles "Tonight" and "Bad Boy This, Bad Boy That", and...
" in front of the restaurant.
In addition to cheesecake, Junior's features deli sandwiches (particularly corned beef and pastrami), ten ounce steakburgers, cheese blintz
Blintz
A blin, blintze, or blintz is a thin pancake. It is somewhat similar to a crêpe with the main difference being that yeast may be used in blini, but not in crêpes.-Etymology, origins, culture :...
es, and unique onion rings.