Kopperman’s Fine Foods & Delicatessen went further back than Euclid Avenue. Myron Kopperman’s grandfather opened a grocery and deli on Franklin Avenue more than a century ago. It closed in 1969, but soon Myron and his pal Sanford Rich took the plunge at 386 N. Euclid, combining kosher deli food with such decidedly un-kosher items as a bacon–and–chopped liver sandwich.
The double storefront was packed with cases of edibles, high-end wines, and huge posters from a circus museum. Kopperman’s was among the first to offer sidewalk seating, with chairs that looked as if they’d come from Paris cafés.
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Corned beef from New York’s Carnegie Deli, ribs smoked in house, and bad menu puns (Tongue Fu, Radishing Beauty) were taken for granted. Years ago, comedian Alan King wrote a book called Is Salami and Eggs Better Than Sex? The version at Kopperman’s came close. And the potatoes, fried with onions and a healthy dose of paprika, were unmatched.
Five years ago, Kopperman’s was sold to Darin Jenkins and Brian Shearrer, who operated Hartford Coffee Company. They closed the doors for good two years later because of one partner’s illness. We still dream about those potatoes.
