New Breakfast Café Schmaltz Opens in Point Breeze
All Jeremy Asch and Abby Armstrong wanted was a good breakfast sandwich close to their Point Breeze home. “At some point, you say, ‘Screw it, I’ll do it myself,’” Asch remarked. Their determination led to the creation of Schmaltz, a new breakfast-and-lunch café located at 18th and Wharton Streets, featuring a curated menu of latkes, blintzes, and unique egg sandwiches served on house-baked English muffins.
Since its opening, Schmaltz has become a popular spot, with lines forming for its Friday-through-Monday service. One standout item is the sandwich crafted by Asch and chef Sam Chertock, which features an oniony potato pancake on a slow-baked egg. A special hoagie spread adds a local twist to the offering.
While Asch notes, “Are we breaking culinary boundaries? No,” the café prioritizes comfort over complexity. Diners can customize their sandwiches with gribenes (chicken skin cracklings) and schmaltz (rendered chicken fat).
The café joins other recent additions to the area, like Little Susie’s Coffee & Pie and Hannah K Cafe. Asch and Armstrong purchased the building at 1300 S. 18th St. in 2023, transforming it into an inviting space with varied seating options and a merchandise counter. The venue has a rich history, previously serving as a DIY music venue and art gallery.
Schmaltz operates with a casual, counter-service model, offering a deliberately limited menu that features signature items alongside a roasted beet salad and shawarma-spiced chicken salad sandwich. Notably, the café does not serve bagels, with Asch stating, “I will die on this hill. There’s a lot more to Jewish restaurants than the bagel.”
The culinary offerings are rooted in Asch and Chertock’s Jewish upbringing, with blintzes made from Asch’s family recipe and served with homemade jam. Asch’s journey into the culinary world began during the pandemic, after leaving a career in clinical research. Meanwhile, Armstrong’s background in operations management has proven invaluable in launching the café.
Chertock brings extensive restaurant experience to the team, previously working at notable establishments such as Zahav and Vernick Food & Drink. His discovery of Schmaltz was serendipitous, as he stumbled upon the name while biking through South Philadelphia.
Despite the cultural significance of the name “Schmaltz,” Asch emphasizes that the café is not kosher nor a political statement but rather focused on making good food. The neighborhood-centric approach aims to attract regulars from within the community rather than tourists, aligning with their desire to invest in and nourish the local area.
Schmaltz is located at 1300 S. 18th St. and is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday through Monday. For more information, visit schmaltzphilly.com.
