Irving's Opens In Farmingdale, Serving Pastrami And More

FARMINGDALE, NY — Irving's, a sandwich shop specializing in pastrami, opened in Farmingdale in October.

Andrew Fenton, who runs the shop with his daughter, Gianna, and son, A.J., said he is very excited about opening the eatery, which is at 180 Merritts Road.

"It's such a pleasure to be in Farmingdale," Andrew Fenton told Patch. "I love the people of Farmingdale. They are so great. We look forward to serving them for many years to come and hope they stay updated on our updates and new exciting menu items."

Irving's was founded on pastrami, but its menu also carries steak sandwiches, burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, knishes, milkshakes and more.

The sandwich shack has only been open for a little over a week, but Fenton is impressed with the traffic it has already received from the local community.

"We couldn't have asked for a greater response from any community on Long Island," he said. "We are so appreciative of the way the people have come out and supported us."

Irving's originally opened in Woodbury in March 2018. However, the family closed its first shop to focus on Farmingdale, where it is able to serve sandwiches for less money than in Woodbury. All sandwiches at Irving's are now $9.95 as opposed to $15.

Andrew was a teenager when the key to the pastrami sandwiches were entrusted to him in the early 1980s by a man named Irving. Irving was in his 80s and near death when he gifted his grandfather's original pastrami recipe to Andrew, who promised he would one day share the sandwiches with the world.

Andrew used the recipe to cook for his kids, though Gianna and A.J. encouraged him to branch out and make more sandwiches than the original pastrami, American cheese and secret sauce concoction that is now known as Irving's Favorite.

The shop is takeout, though a courtyard will be set up in the back where people can sit at picnic tables and listen to music after getting their food at the front window.

Irving's pastrami melts differ from that of the traditional Jewish sandwiches through a two-step cooking process and the addition of cheese to practically everything on the menu.

"We are nothing like anything else," Gianna Fenton said in a previous interview. "We have cheese on everything. If you want it plain, that's fine. But us, if anyone knows what a Jewish pastrami sandwich is like, we're the total opposite. It's not even comparable."

Irving's journey is only getting started, Andrew Fenton said.

"Together with the support of the people, we hope to open stores across the tri-state area and eventually nationwide."