What does Junior's cheesecake recipe use instead of graham cracker crust?

Junior's cheesecake recipe uses sponge cake instead of a graham cracker crust.

That unusual base is part of what distinguishes Junior's famous New York-style cheesecake. The restaurant says the formula was developed from a Rosen family recipe passed down for three generations, with master baker Eigel Peterson helping create the version known as “The World's Most Fabulous Cheesecake.”

Junior's opened in Brooklyn in 1950, although the Rosen family had operated a diner at the site since 1929. Its cheesecake became a signature of Brooklyn's Jewish-American food culture, alongside deli sandwiches, blintzes, and other classic dishes.

A common mix-up is assuming every American cheesecake uses crushed graham crackers. Cheesecake bases vary widely: some use pastry, shortbread, cookies, or no crust at all. Junior's sponge cake is softer and lighter than a crumb crust, so “pretzel crust,” “phyllo dough,” and “shortbread” are not the canonical answer for this recipe.