Zum Stammtisch's Pork Store to Close

Zum Stammtisch, a beloved German restaurant in Glendale, Queens, is closing its attached pork store on March 1st. While the restaurant itself will remain open, the closure marks the end of an era for a unique part of NYC's culinary landscape.

The pork store, operating since 2010, was known for its high-quality meats, prepared foods like potato dumplings and German potato salad, and hard-to-find imported German pantry staples. During the pandemic, they even expanded to online sales via Mercato.

The Decline of NYC Pork Stores

This closure highlights a broader trend: the dwindling number of traditional pork stores in NYC. These stores, often rooted in immigrant communities, are facing challenges, including rising costs and changing consumer preferences. Other recent closures include Morscher’s Pork Store in Ridgewood and G. Esposito & Sons in Carroll Gardens. Even the city's oldest pork store, Staubitz Market, is struggling to stay afloat. While some closures are due to retirement or landlord disputes, the overall decline points to a significant shift in the city's food scene.

While new butcher shops are emerging, they often lack the specialized focus and immigrant heritage that defined the traditional pork stores.

Zum Stammtisch's Future

The restaurant itself will continue operating, serving its popular German dishes, including jagerschnitzel and pretzels. It remains to be seen how the space previously occupied by the pork store will be used.

While Zum Stammtisch's restaurant will live on, the closure of its pork store represents a loss of a significant piece of NYC's culinary history and a testament to the changing dynamics of the city's food industry.