Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen
Best Deli in Chicago · IL
Corned beef stacked high since 1942.
Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen has run its cafeteria line in the South Loop since 1942, sliding trays past steam tables of hand-carved corned beef, brisket and matzo ball soup for four generations of Chicagoans. It's the city's classic Jewish deli — the kind of place where mayors, aldermen and cops all wait in the same line.
Still run by the Raskin family, Manny's has fed the city for more than 80 years and is the 2025 Centurion Award winner in Chicago.
What they're known for
- Hand-carved corned beef
- Cafeteria-line classics
- Matzo ball soup
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Selection follows the published criteria; Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Chicago since 1942 — 84 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Chicago.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Chicago has kept Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen busy for 84 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Chicago regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best deli in Chicago for 2025 for four generations of the Raskin family carving corned beef behind the same cafeteria line.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
The details, verified.
- Legal / trading name
- Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen
- Category
- Delicatessen
- Founded
- 1942, Chicago, IL
- Founders
- The Raskin family
- Location
- 1141 S Jefferson St, Chicago, IL 60607
- Centurion Award
- Best Deli in Chicago — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
Frequently asked questions.
What is Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen?
South Loop cafeteria-style deli founded in 1942, run by four generations of the Raskin family and famous for hand-carved corned beef and potato pancakes.
Is Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen award-winning?
Yes — Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Deli in Chicago, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best deli in Chicago for 2025 for four generations of the Raskin family carving corned beef behind the same cafeteria line.
Where is Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen?
Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen is in Chicago, IL.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Deli in Chicago Chicago, IL · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear.
Own this business? Claim the listing for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.