The Great Nosh. Credit: Jason Rivera

The Great Nosh Returns to Governors Island

8 Minute read

15 May 2026

Devorah Lev-Tov

Journalist

Copy link

A one-day festival celebrating Jewish culinary culture returns to New York with exclusive restaurant collaborations, live demos, music, and picnic-style dining on Governors Island.

Returning to Governors Island for its second year, The Great Nosh brings together some of New York City’s most exciting restaurants for a one-day food festival on June 21, 2026. The centerpiece of the event is a series of exclusive collaborations pairing Jewish chefs and establishments with non-Jewish counterparts to create original dishes available only at the festival.

Presented by Jewish Food Society, the nonprofit focused on preserving and celebrating Jewish culinary heritage, The Great Nosh invites guests of all backgrounds to explore New York’s diverse food culture through chef collaborations, live music, storytelling, and hands-on activities. The picnic-style festival will also feature arts and crafts programming, a natural wine and spritz bar, and other interactive experiences throughout the day.

“We wanted to create an experience where guests could really relax, slow down, and take their time exploring incredible flavors and sips in a gorgeous picnic setting,” said Naama Shefi, founder of Jewish Food Society and creator of The Great Nosh. “What began as an idea to celebrate Jewish food and the contribution it has made to the fabric of New York City has become an opportunity for chefs, artists, and communities of all backgrounds to come together.”

This year’s collaborations include pairings between some of the city’s most established names and newer restaurants and creators, including:

Katz’s Deli and Santo Taco
Dhamaka and Moonrise Bagels
Kabawa and GERTIE
Sailor and K’Far
Russ & Daughters and Bonnie’s
Sushi Noz and Malka
Zabar’s and Van Leeuwen
Ops and Honey & Co.
Bartolo and Monday Diner
Hamburger America and Breads Bakery
Café Carmellini and La Boîte
Natoora and Alimentari Flâneur
Hani’s and cookbook author Jake Cohen
NARO and Thea

Each collaboration will debut a dish created exclusively for the festival. Among the early reveals: Bonnie’s and Russ & Daughters are serving steamed turnip cakes with everything bagel seasoning and smoked salmon; NARO and Thea Bakery are offering a Korean fried chicken sandwich on challah; and Santo Taco and Katz’s Deli are combining Katz’s signature pastrami with escabeche, habanero, and avocado salsa on an heirloom corn tortilla.

“The collaboration between Katz's Deli, which has been around for 138 years, and Santo Taco, which is just celebrating its first birthday, presents a Pastrami Taco dish that is both of the moment and steeped in tradition,” says Shefi. “It is truly such a vibrant dish!”

Beverage offerings include a natural wine bar from The Four Horsemen, an Italian spritz bar by i Cavallini, and tahini iced coffee from Think Coffee in collaboration with Soom.

Returning after becoming a crowd favorite last year, the Grandmas Tent will once again be hosted by Gail Simmons and Pati Jinich. Simmons is a host and judge on Top Chef, while Jinich is a James Beard Award-winning TV host and cookbook author. The programming features live, storytelling-driven demonstrations from intergenerational pairs of cooks, including Arielle Nir and her mother Michal, Dana and Amalia Schneider, and Trina and Jessica Quinn. Together, they’ll prepare family recipes from across the Jewish diaspora, including Hungarian palascinta, Moroccan pastilla, Ukrainian piroshki, and Yemenite jachnun. Many of the featured recipes and family stories are also archived on the Jewish Food Society website.

Beyond the food programming, The Great Nosh will also feature a beading workshop with Susan Alexandra, flower crown making with Mulberry Florals and Lady Bird Floral, and a painting studio created by The Jewish Museum. Live music will be provided by Havurah.

Tickets ($36) are on sale now at The Great Nosh. Each guest will receive a picnic blanket and tote bag with admission.