Nate ‘n Al’s, the famed Beverly Hills deli that became a popular meeting spot for entertainment industry executives, will reopen for takeout and delivery on Friday, the Los Angeles Times reported.
In late March, the deli — owned by Irving and Shelli Azoff — announced it was closing its doors indefinitely due to the pandemic and a soon-to-expire lease. But on Thursday, Shelli Azoff told the Times that an agreement for a lease extension was made with the landlord, although it’s unclear how long the deli will be able to stay at its iconic location on North Beverly Drive. And if it cannot stay there, the deli may potentially move to Canon Drive — but Azoff said she didn’t “feel comfortable opening a sit-down restaurant again” in the near future due to the pandemic.
As for now, Nate ‘n Al’s will live on once more. And some of its celebrity clientele, including Kim Kardashian West, celebrated the news on social media.
BEST NEWS EVER!!!!!! https://t.co/KDU0odZbGc
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) May 14, 2020
The deli was founded in 1945 by Al Mendelson and Nate Rimer. Last year, a group of Hollywood executives and celebrities — including the Azoffs, Jeff Shell, Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford — stepped in to buy the deli, saving it from another potential closure.
“So many people contacted us when we closed, it was a great thing to see that kind of support,” Azoff said on Thursday. “It really shows you what this place means to the community.”