Established 1921 City New York City | Street address Manhattan State New York | |
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Lindy's is a deli and restaurant with two locations in Manhattan, New York City, at 825 7th Avenue (at 53rd Street) and 401 7th Avenue (at 32nd Street). Lindy's is best known for its original incarnation which opened in 1921 on Broadway. It is currently owned by the Riese Organization.
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History
Lindy's was opened by Leo "Lindy" Lindermann (died 1957, Parkinson's disease) and his wife Clara on August 20, 1921, and was located at 1626 Broadway, between 49th and 50th Streets. A second location was opened at 1655 Broadway in 1929. The original Lindy's location closed in 1957. In 1969, the 1655 Broadway location was acquired by Longchamps restaurants, who closed the restaurant in September 1969 to convert it into a steak house (it became a Steak & Brew and later a Beefsteak Charlie's).
Damon Runyon was a big fan and wrote the restaurant into his books as "Mindy's." The musical Guys and Dolls, based on Runyon's writings, immortalizes Lindy's in one of its songs.
Milton Berle frequented Lindy's almost on a nightly basis.
Jewish Mafia icon Arnold Rothstein claimed Lindy's as his favorite "office" and would stand on the corner, surrounded by bodyguards, and conduct business outside.
On April 5, 1956, Abraham Telvi, a mobster and hit man, attacked journalist Victor Riesel with acid, blinding him as he left the restaurant.
Lindy's was especially well known for its cheesecake, which was at times credited as perhaps the most famous in the United States. The cheesecake was immortalized in Guys and Dolls, where Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson sang its praises.
The commonly told "Waiter, there's a fly in my soup" joke is theorised to have originated at Lindy's during its original incarnation.
Rebirth
The "Lindy's" name and concept was resurrected in 1979 by New York City restaurant operator the Riese Organization, who determined that the name had fallen into the public domain, and later obtained the trademark.