Holy Schnitzel, a family-owned eatery known throughout New York and New Jersey for its creative and delicious sandwiches, burgers and soups, has opened in Crown Heights. Full article, photos
By Libby Hertz – COLlive
Photo: Yossi Gerfi
“It’s called Ahava, or love.” Yakov Benaltabaowner of Holy Schnitzel. “It’s a special spice that we put on all of our dishes.”Holy Schnitzel recently opened a Crown Heights location at 262 Kingston Avenue between Lincoln and St. John’s streets, under the direction of Crown Heights’ Beis Ding.
Known for its mouthwatering sandwiches, burgers, and soups, Holy Schnitzel is the perfect place to gather with friends or enjoy an affordable family getaway.
Starting this family-friendly restaurant was a family project. “We accidentally let it get so big,” Benaltabá says. “One day, when I was living in Staten Island, my neighborhood restaurant closed, and my grown son called me.”
“Aba,” he said, “let’s take over the restaurant.”
At the time, Benaltaba was in finance and his son was in the entertainment industry. At first, the father resisted. “He didn’t know much about the food industry,” he says. It took a lot of persuasion, but Benaltaba finally agreed. After learning about the industry, the family brainstormed names. “We kept kicking around names,” he says. They eventually settled on the name “Holy Schnitzel.”
“We all agreed it was perfect.”
Today, Holy Schnitzel is known throughout New York and New Jersey for its inventive and delicious sandwiches. One of the most popular dishes is the Holy Toasty, a delicious combination of cornflake-crusted schnitzel, pastrami, lettuce, tomato and pickles. Not in the mood for a burger? The Pulled Brisket Meat Sandwich is an all-time favorite, with pulled brisket, buffalo or garlic mayonnaise on a bun, served with crispy coleslaw. Other menu items include juicy beef sliders, tasty wraps and loaded fries.
There are always a variety of sauces to choose from, including Holy Sauce, Chimichurri Sauce, Asian Sesame, and delicious mayonnaises like Spicy Mayo, Garlic Mayo, and Jalapeño Mayo.
The extensive options menu includes the option to build your own rice bowl or try the Holy Kids Meal, and the popcorn chicken and chicken fingers are always favorites for kids and adults alike.
Vegetarian options are also available for those on special dietary plans.
Every dish is prepared fresh for customers. “We don’t make food that was prepared yesterday or two hours ago,” Benaltaba says. “Everything is prepared fresh.” Bochurim’s special of $12.99 includes a sandwich, drink and fries. A family of four can enjoy a delicious meal for between $40 and $60.
Holy Schnitzel is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., with lunch specials from 11 to 3 p.m.
On Motzei Shabbos, they open one hour after Shabbos and close at 1 a.m. Don’t miss their Thursday specials, including their delicious Challa Schnitzel and their hearty signature cholent.
“We opened Holy Schnitzel for the community,” Benaltaba says, “This is what Hashem wants us to do. This is what he instructed us to do. We love bringing Jews together to eat good kosher food. For this, we are grateful to Hashem.”
