For some heading into Yankee Stadium, Court Deli is a necessary pit stop. It’s the longtime diner two blocks east of Yankee Stadium, at 161 Street and Walton Avenue.
Greece-born and Bronx-raised Peter Katsihtis has been the owner for nearly three decades.
What You Need To Know
- It’s a must-win Tuesday for the Bronx Bombers, who play in Game 4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium in the World Series, if they want to hang on
- The Yanks being in the World Series is a boost for the local economy, including for businesses like Court Deli, a longtime diner that’s been serving Yankees fans for nearly 30 years
- Peter Katsihtis, owner of Court Deli and president of the 161 Street Merchants Association, says the Yankees don’t just play in the Bronx, they also give back to their Bronx community like during Thanksgiving and Back to School time
“I have been a Yankee fan for all these years, you know, I go back, way back with the old stadium, we used to see a lot of families that used to go,” Katsihtis said.
The love he has for his favorite baseball team is easy to spot in his diner: memorabilia of the franchise during different eras, and pictures of star players throughout the years. Katsihtis says the Yankees don’t just play in the Bronx, they’re part of the neighborhood, giving back to their Bronx community.
He’s seen it as the president of the 161 Street Merchants Association.
“They give me turkeys that we distribute to senior citizens and shelters [for Thanksgiving]. Recently I gave away 1,500 going back to school backpacks that were given to me by the Yankees,” Katsihtis said.
The diner gets packed even eight hours before a post-season game, given the buzz around the Yankees’ bid for another World Series title.
“Let’s go Yankees, let’s go Yankees,” says one of the servers at Court Deli.
The enthusiasm fills Yankees fans with hope and pride, and for Katsihtis and other business owners, it helps fill their cash registers.
“Pretty excited, the business as well because you know we get that extra flow,” Katsihtis said. “People are very happy, very enthusiastic and very supportive.”
It’s a family-run business that’s feeding hungry fans before games, a hub he hopes provides the next generation of lifelong Yankees fans with the same place to relax and fuel before each first pitch.
“Customers that come in and they tell me this is my son or this is my daughter, and I remember when they were that young and it’s like wow this is exciting, and you see them wearing a Yankee hat or Yankee shirts, you know, it’s very exciting,” he said.
Katsihtis said the Yankees generally prefer to be low-key about the work they do around the community, but he’s grateful for their support over the years.