R.I.P. Yitz Penciner, the man behind the famous Toronto delicatessen

Yitz Penciner, the founder of Yitz’s Delicatessen at Eglinton Avenue and Avenue Road, died yesterday after a brief illness. Penciner, better known as Mr. Yitz, spent over 40 years supplying hungry midtowners with hot pastrami sandwiches and traditional Jewish comfort dishes, like cabbage rolls and knishes. He sold the business in 2000, but remains to this day one of the city’s deli legends. Click here to read a touching memorial from modern deli master Zane Caplansky.