Junior's Restaurant in NYC celebrates National Cheesecake Day

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Cheesecake took center stage at Junior's Restaurant in Times Square on Tuesday.

Kevin Brody was in high spirits at Junior's on 49th Street and Broadway, celebrating National Cheesecake Day with his two co-workers. The iconic New York restaurant unveiled its new Raspberry Supreme Cheesecake, and Brody couldn't be more excited about it.

He shared his enthusiasm for both the trade show he is attending while in the city and the cheesecake.

"The only thing better than the show is my raspberry cheesecake," Brody said. "This thing is an absolute 10! I want to get through this so I can eat that. That's all I'm doing. I'm working my way back to you babe. Right here. Thing is outrageous."

A Brooklyn native who now lives in Florida, Brody reminisced about his childhood visits to Junior's. "I grew up in New York. I’m a Bay Ridge, Brooklyn boy. I've been to Junior's downtown on Fulton Street. I used to go there all the time."

The Raspberry Supreme Cheesecake features layers of creamy raspberry cheesecake and moist yellow cake, topped with rich raspberry jam and white chocolate mousse.

Brody's co-workers joined in the celebration, with one enthusiastically exclaiming after tasting the cake, "The only thing I can say is holywackamoly!"

Miles Ellis, the director of operations for Junior's Restaurants, commented on the festive atmosphere. "It's a fun vibe in here today," he said.

Ellis emphasized that Junior's has been a New York institution for generations, with cheesecake at the heart of its success. While the original plain cheesecake remains its top seller, he noted that the strawberry-topped version is also highly popular.

In preparation for this special day, Junior's added extra staff to handle the anticipated crowds. Despite challenges like rising ingredient costs, Ellis remains optimistic. "We believe we've done our best at tamping that back as best we can, but sure, it's been a little bit of a challenge. But it seems to be normalizing at this point."

With National Cheesecake Day offering $5 off all slices with the purchase of an entree, it was the perfect occasion for Brody and his colleagues to enjoy the rich flavors of Junior's legendary cheesecake while celebrating their connection to New York.