Miami Beach Stories
Wolfie's: fifty years of cheesecake at 21st and Collins.
· 2 min read · Miami Beach
In 1947 Wilfred 'Wolfie' Cohen, a former Catskills busboy, opened Wolfie's at 21st and Collins, and it became an institution almost overnight. Towering corned beef on rye, bowls of pickles and coleslaw landing on the table before you even ordered, and a dining room that hummed into the small hours, seven days a week.
The corner that never closed
Everybody came. Beach regulars after a swim, showfolk after the late set, and as regulars told it, names like Frank Sinatra and Jackie Gleason in the booths. Cohen went on to open the equally loved Rascal House up the beach. Wolfie's finally served its last towering sandwich in the early 2000s, and old Miami Beach misses it still. For decades, if you said Collins Avenue and sandwich in the same breath, you meant Wolfie's.
Where to find us on Collins
Green Market sits at 5101 Collins Ave in Miami Beach, open 7am to 10pm every day. Coffee from the espresso bar starts at $2.50, combos from $5.79. Walk in from the beach, or order on WhatsApp at +1 (305) 876-4513 and we deliver across Miami Beach.
Quick answers
- What was Wolfie's in Miami Beach?
- In 1947 Wilfred 'Wolfie' Cohen, a former Catskills busboy, opened Wolfie's at 21st and Collins, and it became an institution almost overnight. Towering corned beef on rye, bowls of pickles and coleslaw landing on the table before you even ordered, and a dining room that hummed into the small hours, seven days a week.