John Lennon's Last Meal Was Reportedly From An Iconic NYC Deli

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

There's a certain fascination the public seems to have with the last meals of celebrities — and James Dickerson covered the culinary send-offs of luminaries from the arts, film and television, music, politics, sports, and beyond in "Last Suppers: If the World Ended Tomorrow, What Would Be Your Last Meal?" According to Dickerson, John Lennon's final meal was reportedly from an iconic NYC spot: Stage Deli. Citing manager Gill Kashkin, Dickerson writes that Lennon ordered a corned beef (not to be confused with roast beef) sandwich and a hot tea during a late lunch on December 8, 1980. Later that night, he was fatally shot outside his residence on the Upper West Side.

Founded in 1937, Stage Deli was known for its gargantuan sandwiches (and a rivalry with nearby Carnegie Deli). Its fans, besides Lennon, included the likes of Mickey Mantle, Pete Rose, Adam Sandler, Donnie Wahlberg, Milton Berle, and others. The Stage Deli closed its doors for good in 2012, after 75 years in business.

Other accounts of John Lennon's last day call James Dickerson's version into question. According to reporting by Smithsonian Magazine, after spending the evening at the Record Plant working on the song "Walking on Thin Ice" (and a full day that included an Annie Leibovitz photo shoot and a long radio interview), Lennon and Yoko Ono discussed going to the Stage Deli — which would have been on their way home — for a late dinner but chose instead to go home to check on their young son, Sean.

Additionally, Smithsonian Magazine reports that John Lennon and Yoko Ono started their busy day at Café La Fortuna, and some sources believe Lennon's last restaurant meal occurred there. Located around the corner from the Dakota, where they lived, Lennon and Ono were frequent customers at the popular neighborhood café. As reported by Far Out Magazine, the singer enjoyed eggs Benedict and a cappuccino for breakfast that morning — a somewhat lighter choice than Lennon's known favorite, the iconic full English breakfast.