After a wildly popular six-month run as a Jewish deli pop-up, Little Pickle is officially here to stay. The much-anticipated concept will re-open with its first brick-and-mortar location at the Esplanade on May 19th, 2025, reintroducing its crowd-favorite menu to eager fans and newcomers alike.
This fast-casual Jewish deli will be Phoenix’s new go-to for hand-rolled New York bagels with house made schmears, house-smoked salmon, and the city’s finest Pastrami — pro tip: make it a Reuben for the full effect! Morning must-haves range from the NYC bodega style egg sandwiches and traditional bagels and lox to handcrafted sandwiches for lunch like the already famous Pastrami, the house roasted fresh turkey sandwich, or the understated classic egg salad sandwich.
Brought to life by local restaurant players Rick Phillips and Peter Hearn under their 151 Hospitality umbrella, Little Pickle joins The Mercer, their elevated American Bistro and Martini destination. Rounding out the trio, their Mexican concept Camello will open in Fall 2025, just next door to its sister restaurants.
“We never imagined a pop-up would spark this much passion, but the response was overwhelming. People connected with it — it felt like a slice of New York,” says founder Rick Phillips in a statement.” “The Little Pickle is the kind of deli food I grew up with, it’s our love letter to the East Coast, reimagined for Phoenix. It’s playful, soulful food with real roots, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back—this time for good, Phillips continued.”
A few years ago, Phillips taught himself how to make smoked salmon to go with his NY shipped bagels. He started giving it out to his friends and bada-boom, once an opportunity to do a pop-up at the Esplanade presented itself, the Little Pickle Jewish Deli was born.
The Little Pickle was a nickname Phillips’ mother had for him when he was a baby, that he has since passed on to his daughter. Phillips felt it was a perfect name for the deli.
Little Pickle will open bright and early, serving up breakfast and lunch daily from 8a.m. to 2p.m. Whether you’re grabbing and going or lingering a little longer, Little Pickle makes it easy with counter service and takeout. For no lines, no waiting — guests can visit www.littlepickleaz.com for online orders to get straight to the good food. Hosting a gathering or feeding a hungry crowd? Little Pickle’s catering menu brings all the fun deli classics — from Bubby’s Brisket and hand-grated Latkes to Chopped Liver, Kugel, Babkas, and more.
Little Pickle strongly recommends using their online ordering system to avoid lines and wait time, “as much as we loved the support, we want to always make sure the customer experience is as friction less as possible. We hate waiting for food as much as anyone,” said Co-Owners of Little Pickle.
