There are sandwiches, and then there is pastrami. It’s not just meat slapped between two slices of rye—it’s an art form, a culinary ritual passed down through immigrant delis and refined in smokers and brine buckets across the country. A great pastrami isn’t shy. It’s bold, smoky, pepper-crusted, and tender enough to pull apart with a glance. The fat should shimmer. The spice rub should speak in low, peppery tones. And if it’s served on rye? That rye better fight back.
The best pastrami takes time. First, the brisket or navel is brined for days—sometimes weeks. Then it’s rubbed with a pepper-coriander crust and smoked low and slow. The final step is steaming, coaxing the meat into that legendary tenderness. A great deli knows the sandwich is built at the slicer. Hand-cut? That’s gospel. Piled high? Of course. And mustard? Always. Now, let’s take a tour of the finest pastrami havens in the United States, where the meat speaks and the rye listens.
Katz’s Delicatessen – New York City, NY
If you haven’t stood in line at Katz’s, ticket in hand, and watched a counterman wield a slicing knife like a Stradivarius bow, have you even had pastrami? Katz’s has been doing it since 1888, and it’s still the benchmark. Their pastrami is brined for nearly a month, crusted in black pepper and garlic, smoked for three days, steamed until it trembles, then carved to order—thick or thin, your call. It’s a sandwich you eat with two hands and a prayer. Prices have climbed, sure, but so has the legend.
Langer’s Delicatessen – Los Angeles, CA
Across the country, Langer’s in L.A. might be the only joint that gives Katz’s a run for its money. Open since 1947, Langer’s serves a No. 19 sandwich that is, depending on who you ask, the apex of pastrami. It’s not just the meat—though their warm, hand-sliced pastrami is smoky, peppery perfection. It’s the bread. Their double-baked rye has the audacity to stay crisp under the weight of meat, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing. It’s the kind of sandwich that changes opinions and occasionally lives.
Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen – Chicago, IL
Chicago doesn’t mess around with sandwiches, and Manny’s is proof. Since 1942, they’ve served mountains of pastrami in their old-school cafeteria line. The meat is oven-roasted instead of smoked, giving it a subtler flavor, but don’t mistake that for weakness. Manny’s pastrami is tender, juicy, and piled absurdly high. Grab a bowl of matzo ball soup while you’re at it—this is Jewish deli fare the way it was meant to be.
Sam La Grassa’s – Boston, MA
Boston’s Sam La Grassa’s might not have the age of Katz’s or Langer’s, but they make up for it with bravado and creativity. Their pastrami sandwiches are assertive, unapologetically spicy, and often come with twists—chipotle mayo, hot cherry peppers, or toasted Italian rolls. It’s pastrami for the bold, the hungry, and those unafraid to stray from deli orthodoxy. But underneath the flair is serious technique—Sam knows his way around a brine.
Attman’s Delicatessen – Baltimore, MD
Attman’s has been a cornerstone of Baltimore’s old Corned Beef Row since 1915. Here, tradition reigns. The pastrami is seasoned with a family recipe, then slow-cooked to achieve that perfect bite—smoky, spicy, a little fatty, and entirely unpretentious. Served with slaw or mustard on rye or a kaiser roll, this is the pastrami your grandfather would recognize and probably respect more than you.
Zingerman’s Delicatessen – Ann Arbor, MI
Zingerman’s is the thinking man’s deli. Since 1982, they’ve brought an artisanal touch to everything they do—from their in-house bread to their house-cured pastrami. The Z-Man sandwich is a cult classic: crusty rye, smoky pastrami, Russian dressing, and a pile of attitude. Their operation is scholarly in its devotion to quality. You don’t just eat here. You learn.
Kenny & Ziggy’s – Houston, TX / Kenny & Zuke’s – Portland, OR
Whether you’re in Houston or Portland, the Kenny boys bring serious pastrami game. In Houston, Kenny & Ziggy’s brines their pastrami for 45 days and triple-smokes it to a rich, Texas-worthy flavor. It’s deli by way of barbecue pit. Meanwhile, Portland’s Kenny & Zuke’s leans Pacific Northwest with oak and juniper-smoked pastrami that’s thick-cut and assertive. Different approaches, same respect for the meat.
Shapiro’s Delicatessen – Indianapolis, IN
Shapiro’s has been serving pastrami since before most of us were born. Over 115 years old and still family-run, this Indianapolis icon keeps things classic. Their pastrami is smoked over hardwood for more than 10 hours, then thinly sliced and piled high on proper rye. No gimmicks. No bells. Just meat, bread, mustard, and pride. This is the pastrami you eat when you’ve had enough of trends.
The Final Slice
What makes great pastrami isn’t just technique—it’s reverence. These places don’t just serve sandwiches. They preserve a culinary lineage. Whether you like it fatty or lean, smoky or subtle, classic or jazzed up with chipotle, the perfect pastrami sandwich is still out there, waiting in a deli case behind a man with a knife and a look in his eye like he’s been slicing meat since Eisenhower was in office. You could do worse than follow the smoke trail to any of these places. Just don’t ask for mayo.
