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About Joshua Pollack

Owner of Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen

Joshua Pollack, owner of Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen, was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where he first fell in love with the city’s classic deli establishments that would inevitably shape his future. After graduating from high school, he took his passion for food and family out west to study at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Following graduation, Pollack launched his first business in live event production, touring with major musical acts like Pretty Lights and the String Cheese Incident. In 2011, he embarked on his next venture, purchasing and operating a medical cannabis facility. He then returned to University of Colorado (this time in Denver) to pursue a certification in entrepreneurship. There, he wrote the business plan for Rosenberg’s, which won second place in a university competition. This gave him the funds and support to make his dream a reality.

After months of construction and years of product development, Pollack opened the doors at Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen on July 26, 2014. Named after his mother and guardian angel, Karen Rosenberg Pollack, Rosenberg’s Deli is rooted in the two things Pollack is most passionate about – food and his family.

That same year, the Denver Office of Economic Development named Rosenberg’s the winner of the Welton Street Grant Challenge, a program to revitalize the Five Points neighborhood’s struggling Welton Street Corridor. With that grant, Pollack helped reduce the number of storefront vacancies from 50 percent to 10 percent, in only two years.  

Rosenberg’s has also received significant recognition by the Denver media. In 2014, 5280 Magazine named it the best new restaurant in the state. Additionally, Westword has recognized the deli for having the city’s best smoked fish program and its made a number of Eater Denver’s awards lists, including “So Hot Right Now” and the “38 Essential Restaurants.”

On a national level, Rosenberg’s was highlighted in a New York Times article about essential attractions for travelers visiting Denver. Pollack also was featured on an episode of “VICE Munchies.”  

Pollack is a member of the Chef’s Collaborative, a chef-driven model for promoting sustainable cuisine by teaching children, supporting local farmers, educating one another, and inspiring the public to choose good, clean food. He is also active in Denver’s Jewish community, which was recently acknowledged when the owners of The Bagel Store – the Denver-area’s foremost kosher bakery – approached him to take ownership their business upon their retirement. In 2017, Pollack and his team will take the helm of this establishment in the Jewish community, expanding their offerings to a full-service deli and several wholesaling accounts.  

Also in 2017, Pollack will open a second Rosenberg’s location in the Stanley Marketplace, while diversifying his portfolio with new concepts including an Italian deli and a pizza shop. He’ll also continue to elevate his recently launched City Pretzel cart, which will pop up at special events and semi-permanent locations around the city. 

A lifelong family man, Pollack is happiest spending time with his wife, Kara Pollack, and their one-year-old son, Jonathan.