Beloved Brooklyn Diner Plans To Close After Nearly 60 Years

BROOKLYN, NY— After nearly six decades of slinging kosher breakfasts, the couple behind Lieberman's Luncheonette plans to close its doors after selling its Borough Park location.

At the corner of 16th Avenue and 48th Street, the diner became an oasis for New Yorkers observing Jewish dietary laws governing the preparation and consumption of food.

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The restaurant's compact dining room has four wooden tables that seat a total of 12 people, along with a counter that accommodates 10 more.

Even so, owners Shloimie and Roz Lieberman offer skeptical customers a tour of the back room, where they store the kosher products used in the kitchen.

"I have nothing to hide," Shloimie Lieberman told Patch.

Jewish dietary law also prohibits consuming blood, so the Liebermans inspect each egg for blood spots before cooking it, discarding any eggs with them.

That ritual unintentionally bred the best egg breakfasts in the City, where the eggs go into trays set over ice until a customer orders an omelet or an egg sandwich.

Then a cook prepares each order in an individual pan in front of the customer, following the method Liberman's mother, Tillie, used decades ago.

Every dairy product meets the couple's kosher requirements, including milk, cheese and butter certified to a standard known as Cholov Yisroel, which some observant Jewish customers specifically seek.

The Lieberman's philosophy hinges on a meticulous kosher practices, and a commitment to quality that even its non-Jewish customers can appreciate.

His dad, Jacob, ran grocery stores in East New York, Brownsville and Sheepshead Bay.

"My father, may he rest in peace, had a lamp where he used to candle each egg in the carton," Liberman said.

When the original owners sought a buyer because the husband had fallen ill, a relative encouraged the Libermans to consider taking over.

Jacob Liberman bought the business in 1968 and built their lives around it.

The couple plans to retire if they sell the building, listed for $2.8 million, but the restaurant has not set a closing date.

For Liberman, the decision follows 55 years in the business. Roz has worked alongside him for decades, helping run a restaurant that demands early mornings, long commutes and constant attention to detail.

"We have grandchildren and we want to spend some time with them," Lieberman said.

Roz Lieberman has also considered volunteering to drive people to medical appointments.

Shloimie Lieberman, meanwhile, may spend more time studying at his synagogue.

The couple lives in Staten Island and typically leaves home around 6 a.m.

They now stop at a kosher bakery to collect rolls and other supplies before heading to Borough Park, where traffic on the Staten Island Expressway can delay opening until after 8 a.m.

The couple usually returns home around 5 p.m., after the restaurant closes and employees clean the dining area and kitchen.

Their daughters have pursued careers outside the restaurant.

One manages a hotel spa in New Jersey, while the other works in high-end custom jewelry.

"I wouldn't want them to have this kind of life," Liberman said

The approximately 1,600-square-foot, two-story corner building at 4801 16th Ave. is listed through Douglas Elliman agents Adam Gerber, Rick Rosa and Shahriar Zim.

The property sits along 16th Avenue, directly across from Chase Bank, in a commercial corridor lined with shops, restaurants and other businesses.

Liberman has no plans to dictate whether the restaurant survives under new ownership. He also cannot guarantee that the next operator will maintain the same kosher standards, recipes or cooking methods.

Over the decades, Borough Park has become more heavily populated by Hasidic Jewish residents, Liberman said.

The couple has not announced a final closing date, and the restaurant remains open while they pursue a sale.

For now, the pans are still heating, the eggs are still being checked, and the next chapter remains unwritten.