30 Gem St, Brooklyn, NY 11222

If you’ve ever ordered Lox on your bagel in New York, there’s a high chance that it came from ACME Smoked Fish a 4th generation family business which has been serving up the freshest catches to both locals and visitors for decades.

Their Nova (smoked salmon for those of us in the UK) has become extremely popular over the years and they are now one of the main suppliers to a large number of bagel places and delis in New York City.

ACME was founded in 1906 by Harry Brownstein, a Russian immigrant to New York and has been run by the family ever since.

Fish Fridays at ACME Smoked Fish

Although ACME is a producer and wholesaler, every Friday they open up to the public for what was once a secret, Fish Friday. Here anyone can come and buy ACME products directly to enjoy at home.

Until 2020, Fish Friday was never advertised but due to the popularity of ACME there used to be large queues of people from the local area coming to eat bagels, fish salads and take home bags of ACME fish for their families.

In the post-COVID era, ACME no longer serves fresh food to eat on Fish Friday but you can still order their products to take home with you.

Orders must be made online from midnight on Saturday for the following Friday here
Collections must be made in person between 8 am and 1 pm

Directions

(taken directly from their website)

From Brooklyn

Take the G train to Nassau Avenue Station. Use the Norman Avenue exit (the back of the train coming from Manhattan and Queens; front of the train coming from Brooklyn).

When you exit the station, you will be at the intersection of Manhattan Avenue and Norman Avenue. Orient yourself on Norman Avenue to walk toward Lorimer St. (if you pass Leonard St , TURN AROUND, you are walking in the wrong direction).

Walking in the correct direction, you will pass Lorimer St. , Guernsey St. , Dobbin St. and Banker St. until you reach N 15th St . Make a right on N 15th St. , bearing to your right onto Gem Street.

From Manhattan

Take the L train to Bedford Avenue. Exit on the Bedford Avenue side of the station and walk West to Wythe Ave. Make a RIGHT on Wythe and walk to N. 15th Street. Make a LEFT on N. 15 and walk down Gem St. to the entrance of Acme.

Tours

Although they don’t do official tours if you’re nice enough and ask in advance you might be able to have a quick look around the facility. We weren’t able to do this when we went as we asked last minute and they didn’t have any staff available but they seemed keen to facilitate us!

Email us at thehungrysoles@gmail.com and we’ll give you the names and emails of the people we spoke to if you want to try and get a facility tour organised.

Signature Dishes

Smoked Salmon: Acme's smoked salmon is legendary, known for its delicate texture and depth of flavour. It's a must-try for first-time visitors.
Whitefish Salad: For those who enjoy a creamy, flavourful spread, the whitefish salad is an excellent choice. It pairs beautifully with their freshly baked bagels.