This is kind of a big dill: The long-awaited kosher pickle restaurant of our dreams has finally arrived. More than two years after the original announcement, The Pickle Guys have finally opened their latest and greatest shop, Diller.
Located right next to The Pickle Guys, the gourmet pickle store in lower Manhattan, owner Alan Kaufman opened the gates to his fried pickle heaven on June 26th.
Originally slated to serve kosher burgers and chicken sliders, Kaufman pivoted away from the planned meaty menu for Diller and swapped it with a vegetarian one. The restaurant is certified kosher.
What can you expect at Diller? For starters, a neon, pickle-shaped sign that says, “Not just a side piece, I’m the main dish,” according to Time Out.
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Diller will serve its signature dish, Fried Pickles, of course, with the customer’s choice of nine different house-made sauces: dill-and-yogurt Diller Sauce, Comeback Sauce, Turmeric Honey Mustard, and the spicy Death Sauce, to name a few.
The thick, crunchy, fried dill pickles — did we mention they’re also gluten-free?— is a given, though. Taking inspiration from their Lower East Side surroundings, Diller’s menu has an array of items that combine recipes from the Jewish and Asian communities in the neighborhood. Get ready to dig your teeth into the Reuben Egg Roll, made with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and pastrami-spiced lentils; Diller Fries, which are double-fried and made with vinegar brined potatoes; Jalapeno Poppers; and Pickled Okra Rice Balls.
That’s not all, folks! Diller is also serving the infamous Beyond Burger with bread-and-butter pickles, caramelized onions, melted cheese, and chipotle aioli sauce. YUM!
Aside from pickles, Diller also offers a variety of fried vegetables: okra, baby corn, string beans, and mushrooms. Is there anything that can’t be fried? Nope!
You’re going to need something to wash all that pickle goodness down, and Diller is prepared. For now, the snack shop is offering two non-alcoholic drinks, Watermelon Lemonade and Pickled Pineapple Lemonade, with plans to introduce a third — booze included — called the Pickle Monster.
Booze or no booze, we can’t wait to visit. Heads up — the space is fairly small with 10 or so stools. Once they’re settled, Diller plans to add tables outside for more seating. The Diller website is still under construction, but the shop is currently open from 10:00 a.m. to midnight.
