Times may change, but our rich tradition of superb quality remains a constant. Since 1915, Butterfield has been part of New York City history.
Named for its original area telephone exchange, Butterfield began as a humble home delivery service to such illustrious families as the Astors and Rockefellers. But once Teddy "Mr. Butterfield” Appelbaum began knocking on our neighbors’ doors, we began finding the community roots that make us who we are today.
Our commitment to serving delicious food made with the best ingredients helped our original Upper East Side storefront grow into Butterfield Market, Catering, Gifts, and Cafes just two generations later. A family business in every sense of the word, we believe in warm, friendly service, attentiveness to detail, and above all, a great meal.
WE ARE ON A MISSION
To create the Butterfield Market Experience by offering the highest quality food that is fresh, delicious and enticing. Presented with style and care, inspired by trends and loyal to comforting classics. Customer service delivered with friendliness, professionalism and expertise in an environment that is warm, inviting and elegant. We hope to be a positive and enriching force for our guests, team members and for our surrounding community.
Meet The Family
Teddy Appelbaum started working at Butterfield Market in 1955 as a manager of the small grocery store, which was located on the east side of Lexington Avenue between 78th and 79th Street. At that time, the market specialized in produce, dairy and grocery items. Teddy’s wife of 60 years, Leah, grew up with her three siblings in Middle Village Queens above her parents' corner market. Edith and Sol Kurzer owned and operated the shop for many years specializing in dairy, grocery and appetizing items.
In 1974, Teddy and his son-in-law Alan Obsatz purchased the business from the existing owner and started expanding into specialty goods and prepared foods. Alan’s children, Joelle and Evan Obsatz, joined the family business 30 years later, and today all three are active partners. We are proud to be 4th generation grocers and carry on the iconic Butterfield legacy!
OUR EXECUTIVE CHEF
When it comes to food and cooking, Executive Chef Jorge Flores’ attitude is one of seeking joy. From an early age, he was surrounded by a kitchen culture that celebrated tradition and inspiration from fresh, local ingredients. His own culinary curiosity came as a surprise and led him straight into the kitchens of New York City, where he learned and refined his skills by experience alone. “Do something well, or don’t do it at all,” he might say. He is driven to this day by this same approach of precision and perfection, while never forgetting to trust the magic of good ingredients or a good recipe. For Chef Jorge, food is an adventure and a labor of love, a philosophy that can be tasted in every bite.
COMMITMENT TO GREAT FOOD
We are committed to making and selling only high-quality foods that are always fresh, taste amazing and look delicious with consistent flavor every day. Our menus and product lines are curated to be ever-changing based on seasonality and current trends while knowing our customer’s favorites and ensuring those classics are always available.
We believe in supporting small, local, artisanal food producers and forming meaningful relationships to help them grow and prosper along. We are also on a mission to find and offer the finest products from around the world.
COMMITMENT TO GREAT DESIGN
We aim to encapsulate the essence of who we are through design. Great care goes into our physical layouts to ensure optimal flow, product visibility and peak enjoyment for our customers. Through our graphic design, we hope to strike a meaningful balance between our rich history and our modern market feel.
We are incredibly grateful to work with the best and most talented design team, Christine and Eric Strohl from Strohl, Inc. Christine was the lead designer at Mucca Design, who developed our brand back in 2006. Strohl Inc now curates and oversees all brand material and concepts. Our dedication to detail ensures each piece goes together; be it our colors, fonts, signage, shopping bags, coffee cups, uniforms, delivery vans or stickers. Our brand tells our story and we hope to be part of yours.
Community Involvement
At Butterfield Market, we believe our business has an obligation to its surrounding community. We’re proud to be an active, long-standing neighbor—giving back, supporting those in need, and encouraging our team members to do the same. We’re here to stay, and we’re dedicated to making a lasting, positive impact.
Our community partnerships include the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen at All Souls Church on Lexington Avenue, where we help feed hungry neighbors each week, and the Ronald McDonald House, where we provide meals and comfort to families caring for sick children. We also contribute to local schools and nonprofits throughout New York City and proudly partner with national organizations such as Cycle for Survival, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and SAGE.
We’ve collaborated with Kenneth Cole for Mental Health Day, joining the Mental Health Coalition to raise awareness and help end the stigma surrounding mental health. Each October, we honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month with our pink vanilla layer cake—crafted by Chef Jorge—with proceeds benefiting the Cigler-Schneider Research Fund at the Weill Cornell Breast Center, supporting vital breast cancer research and treatment.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we provided 40,000 meals to frontline hospital workers and launched our Eat Local Initiative to support independent restaurants and chefs through a pop-up marketplace at our Madison Avenue location.
We’re also proud supporters of our local 19th Precinct Community Council, providing food and beverages for their monthly meetings for more than 20 years, helping to bring neighbors, officers, and community leaders together.
If you’d like to connect about a charitable event, partnership, or opportunity to make a difference, please reach out to us at community@butterfieldmarket.
