August 26, 2022 / 10:16 AM / CBS New York

NEWARK, N.J. - For co-owner Michael Brummer, there's something lyrical about a busy lunchtime at Hobby's Delicatessen. 

"It's like a symphony orchestra. You have the guys slicing the corned beef and pastrami—that could be the violins. You have the screaming and yelling—that's probably the drums," he said.

He and his brother Marc are embracing a return to the bustle after the COVID-19 pandemic forced their restaurant to close for more than two years. 

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Hours and offerings may be limited as Hobby's regains its footing, but favorites remain on the menu, including the top-selling sandwich number five, which combines corned beef, pastrami, cole slaw, and Russian dressing.

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For the Brummer brothers, Hobby's means more than potato pancakes and matzo ball soup, Above all, it's a legacy.

"There's been a delicatessen here since at least the 1910s," Michael said. "It's been in our family since 1962."

In 2014, the city of Newark honored the deli's rich history by designating its address Hobby's Plaza.

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In decades past, Marc and Michael worked alongside multiple generations of family, all of whom remain in memory.

"My father is there watching over me," Michael said. "Our mother just passed away, but she's in the walls."

He learned from his grandmother the proper way to count money at the register.

"I still do it the way she taught me," he said.

Hobby's Delicatessen 32 Branford Pl #2723 Newark, NJ 07102 (973) 623-0410 https://hobbysdeli.com/

Elle McLogan joined CBS2 in September 2017 as a digital reporter for CBSNewYork.com.

First published on August 26, 2022 / 10:16 AM

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©2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.