From Brooklyn Roots to an Orange County Icon
Since 1967
Some stories start with a recipe. Ours starts with a Brooklyn kid named Stan Weinstein, born in 1921 and raised in a Depression-era brownstone apartment on Avenue K in Brooklyn. Stan grew up surrounded by the heartbeat of the neighborhood deli – the steam, the chatter, the comfort, the characters. Those early memories never left him.
After serving as an Army radio specialist in India during World War II, Stan returned home, married his sweetheart Eleanor, and set out to build a life defined by hard work, hospitality, and family. That journey eventually brought the Weinsteins west to California, where Stan found success in the restaurant world — first with the roller‑skating carhops of Richie’s Drive‑In, then with the beloved Cookies Family Restaurant.
But one dream never faded: bringing a true New York deli to Orange County.
On October 8, 1967, Stan and two partners transformed a small coffee shop on Tustin Avenue into a neighborhood deli unlike anything around. One partner had a young son named Benjie, and the group chose to name the deli after him — a warm, personal touch that perfectly matched the spirit Stan wanted to create.
For more than fifty years, Stan — and later his son Lloyd and daughter‑in‑law Noriko — built Benjies into a local institution. Generations grew up on the pastrami, the Matzo Ball soup, the familiar booths, and the feeling that this was a place where everyone belonged.
A New Chapter, Rooted in Family
Today, Benjies continues under the care of four people whose own story is built on loyalty, teamwork, and chosen family: Chanele, Jayme, Sean, and Gary.
Jayme and Chanele have been friends since childhood — teammates on the softball field, and the kind of friends who show up for every inning of life. When their families grew, their husbands, Sean and Gary, fit right in. Over decades of shared milestones, backyard barbecues, and unwavering support, the four became more than friends. They became family.
So when the opportunity arose to carry forward the Weinstein legacy, it didn’t feel like a business decision. It felt like the natural next chapter in a story built on connection.
As the new owners and operators of Benjies, they bring that same team‑first energy, that same sense of family, and that same commitment to community into every corner of the deli.
Tradition, Preserved With Heart
While the faces behind the counter have changed, the soul of Benjies hasn’t. The classic recipes remain. The warm, familiar atmosphere remains. The timeless New York deli spirit — the one Stan brought with him from Avenue K — remains.
We’re here to honor the past, serve the present, and welcome the future with open arms.
So pull up a chair. Order your favorite sandwich. Become part of the family.
From Brooklyn to Orange County — and from our family to yours — welcome to Benjies.
