18 Must-Visit Jewish Delis In America

The Jewish deli has been a staple of the American culinary scene since the late 1800s, when immigrants from Europe came to New York and Los Angeles and started serving foods from the old countries. After all, what could be more quintessentially American than a massive corned beef or pastrami sandwich, served on mustard-smeared bread sliced thin enough that it's barely there, and washed down with a salty pickle and a black cherry or Dr. Brown's cream soda?

Some old-school deli orders, like the liverwurst sandwich, you rarely see any more, but many other less familiar staples became widely embraced, though diners in New Jersey had to learn the hard way that a sloppy Joe in a Jewish deli is not going to bring back memories of school cafeterias, and is, instead, a triple-decker cold cut sandwich. With Jewish delis becoming such a cherished institution, there are many to choose from; here are some of the best the country has to offer.

Katz's is the ultimate embodiment of a New York Jewish Deli. The oldest deli in a city known for them, Katz's can trace its legacy back to 1888, and it's still going strong. 

This is the place to be if you want to experience what the cultural touchstone is all about, and not just to do your best "When Harry Met Sally" homage. Being a landmark does come with downsides: the food is expensive – the signature pastrami sandwich runs a cool $30.95 — and the lines can be...  intense. That doesn't diminish the quality, or the feeling of history that comes from biting into one of those massive stacks of meat. Try the Katz deli employee menu hack and get a side knish, slice it in half, then pile the meat in between the two sides of the knish. If you are going the traditional route, just make sure to avoid the rookie mistake of ordering white bread for your sandwich.

katzsdelicatessen.com

(212) 254-2246

205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

Ask citizens of Los Angeles what the best Jewish deli in the region is, and you're likely to ignite a debate between two places: Brent's or Langer's (apologies to the other challengers). While younger than some, Brent's is generally considered to be the most well-rounded of the L.A. Jewish delis. 

Cheese blintzes served with sour cream and strawberry preserves, stuffed cabbage (which is one of Ukraine's must-try comfort foods), and kasha varnishkas (a dish of bowtie pasta with buckwheat groats) are some popular appetizers before you get to the sandwich options. There's the classic corned beef and brisket, but there are also more adventurous items like hot tongue, chopped liver, and rare roast beef.

brentsdeli.com

Multiple locations

If you're trying out Brent's, the natural next step is to also give Langer's a shot, if only in the interest of science. After all, you might as well make a day of it. 

If Brent's is the jack-of-all-trades, Langer's is more of a specialist. Sure, it has all the familiar staples, but there's one item that it's known for: the pastrami. Langer's doesn't just make a good pastrami sandwich. It makes one of the best pastrami sandwiches in the country, or, as writer Nora Ephron proclaimed in 2002, possibly the best in the world. The meat is steamed for up to five hours until it can fall apart on your fork, and that time and care make all the difference. The No. 19 — pastrami, Swiss cheese, and coleslaw with Russian dressing — is the go-to here.

langersdeli.com

(213) 483-8050

704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057

If there's any city that you can trust to find the perfect intersection of Jewish culinary tradition and meat sandwiches, it's Chicago, once known as The Slaughterhouse of the World. Manny's Cafeteria and Delicatessen has been in business since 1942, and while the prices might be eye-opening, the food is worth it. 

If Langer's is where you go to get top-flight pastrami and Katz's is where you go to have what she's having, then Manny's is where you go to get some of the best corned beef this side of Ireland. Piled ludicrously high atop two thin slices of bread with a slather of spicy horseradish mustard, this is in many ways the perfect sandwich. The recipe has been passed from son to son, and the dedication to the craft shines through in every bite. Potato pancakes, liver and onions, and short ribs are other favorites. It has become a pit stop for politicians such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Barack Obama, and is such a favorite of Obama's former chief of staff, David Axelrod, that it's been described as his second office.

mannysdeli.com

(312) 939-2855

1141 S Jefferson St, Chicago, IL 60607

Zingerman feels like everything a Jewish deli should be. Shelves are stacked high with fresh-baked bread, salamis are piled in the deli section by the dozen, and there are even free samples of fresh-baked cookies if you're lucky. 

There are plenty of reasons to come to this Ann Arbor destination, but one stands out above the rest: its signature sandwich has a strong claim as one of the best Reuben sandwiches in America. The corned beef is made with love and attention, utilizing freshly squeezed garlic juice used instead of garlic powder for maximum flavor. That attention to detail is what has made it a destination for meat-lovers the world over, resulting in what the restaurant claims is about 50,000 No. 2 Reuben sandwiches made each year.

zingermansdeli.com

(734) 663-3354

422 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

While most of the delis on this list cling to the traditional ways, the James Beard-nominated Larder Delicatessen and Bakery in Cleveland has a more modern spin. Chef Jeremy Umansky takes global ingredients and techniques and adds them to the rich cultural heritage, resulting in Larder being named one of the best Jewish Delis in America.

Like any other spot on this list, you're going to find pastrami here. But are any of the other delis brining their pastrami for three days in koji, the ultimate meat marinade? Don't worry — the mold spores in koji are safe, and the desire to innovate at Larder doesn't take away from the feeling of comfort that comes when you bite into one of these special sandwiches. Don't neglect the ample selection of pickles, which includes plums, kosher dill carrots, sweet mustard green tomatoes, and rhubarb.

larderdb.com

(216) 912-8203

1455 W 29th St, Cleveland, OH 44113

New York is likely the first place that comes to mind when you think of Jewish delis, but you probably don't get too far down the list before you hit New Jersey, and Hobby's Deli in Newark is one of the best the Garden State has to offer. Hobby's has been called a top-10 deli in America by some and has been praised for having the best pastrami in America by others, as it proudly proclaims on its website. It also has the motto "Established before you were born," which, technically, is true.

While the current family owners, the Brummers, have "only" been running it since 1962, there has been a deli in that location since at least 1910. It's such an institution that the street it's on was dubbed Hobby Plaza by the city of Newark in 2014. It also happens to be a favorite of anyone in need of some nourishment before hitting a New Jersey Devils hockey game, as the Prudential Center is a six-minute walk away. 

hobbysdeli.com

(973) 623-0410

32 Branford Pl #2723, Newark, NJ 07102

If you're an out-of-towner, you could be forgiven for not knowing that Skokie, Illinois, is the place to go for elite deli food. The town has a vibrant history of Jewish heritage post-World War II, with a Jewish population of around 40,500 people by 1977. 

As is the case with Manny's in Chicago, where Jewish neighborhoods and a history of high-quality meat intersect, can't-miss delis are sure to follow. Enter Kaufman's Bagel and Delicatessen, which boasts some of the best sandwiches in the city. The pastrami is good, the matzo ball soup is nourishing, but the star of the show is the New Jersey Bypass sandwich. This two-tiered monstrosity (a word meant as the highest compliment) puts to rest the age-old question of pastrami or corned beef with a dignified solution: Why not have both stacked on top of each other?

kaufmansdeli.com

(847) 677-6190

4905 Dempster St, Skokie, IL 60077

When it comes to this topic, I have a simple rule: if you're good enough to last over a century as a Jewish deli on the Upper West Side, you're good enough for me. Barney Greengrass, also known as the Sturgeon King, has been a staple among New York's deli diners since 1908. 

The sheer variety of the food offered will blow newcomers away and make it a must-try. You can get smoked meat sandwiches here, but, as the nickname suggests, this is really the spot to be if you're looking for smoked fish. Sturgeon is what the deli is most famous for, but it also has caviar, pickled herring in cream sauce, kippered herring, and smoked salmon so delicious it earned the title of Anthony Bourdain's best breakfast in NYC as well as Andrew Zimmern's second-favorite lox and cream cheese stop in New York City.

barneygreengrass.com

(212) 724-4707

541 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

We know your New York deli dance card is getting dangerously full, but we have to add just one more option. Over in the Bronx and Westchester sits Liebman's Deli, a neighborhood staple in the former since 1953. 

Liebman's might not have the instant name recognition of Katz's, but that's a matter of branding, not quality. It is considered one of the best in the country, with fluffy matzo balls, some of the finest pastrami in New York City, and old-school classics like kreplach (beef-filled dumplings) soup. It also has specialties like hot dogs wrapped in knish dough and tongue polonaise, which features beef tongue simmered in raisin gravy. If there's one thing you have to try, it's the Liebman's Favorite: an open-faced mountain of pastrami and corned beef served with fries and gravy-soaked dermas, a meatless sausage made from matzo meal and animal fat.

liebmansdeli.com

Multiple locations

There are times you might find yourself in the heart of Indianapolis with an unquenchable hankering for pastrami and black-and-white cookies. So what should you do? Head to Shapiro's Delicatessen, of course.

Shapiro's sandwiches are not for the faint of heart, but their prestige isn't just predicated on size. These sandwiches are seriously delicious, with recipes honed since 1905. It boasts of being the oldest single-family deli in America, having originally opened its doors in 1905 after the Shapiros emigrated from the USSR, but its roots go even further back than that. According to restaurant lore, the family's predecessors ran a grocery in Odessa, Ukraine, in 1795, giving them the claim of over two centuries of family-run deli experience. Don't neglect the cherry cheesecake, which is considered one of the best in town. 

shapiros.com

Multiple locations

Katzinger's is another Midwest must-try when it comes to the Jewish deli scene. As with many good delis, there's a small but lively grocery inside selling cakes, cheeses, and, naturally, pickles out of a wooden barrel, but let's be real — you're here for the sandwiches. 

The Katzinger's Reuben (a corned beef delicacy) is hard to pass up, but the deli also has a similar version with chopped chicken liver added to it, known as Steve's Cross Currents, and the Bill, Gary and Beuford's Upper Yough Reuben (aka the No. 39) was featured on the Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate!"

katzingers.com

Multiple locations

It's hard to stand out in the Bay Area when it comes to the sandwich game. After all, San Francisco is the city that invented Dutch crunch sandwich bread and helped popularize sourdough bread.

But even with all the competition such innovation spawned, Saul's Restaurant and Delicatessen has managed to distinguish itself as one of the best sandwich spots in the area. While the owners changed in 2022, it has continued on in the tradition that has made it so beloved, serving classics like liver and onions and Reubens along with innovations like a corned beef sandwich with mayonnaise and jalapeno-cilantro zhoug. If you're looking for something in the poultry family, the chicken schnitzel with challah breading and za'atar is a favorite.

saulsdeli.com

(510) 848-3354

1475 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94709

Mamaleh's is a relative newcomer on the scene, boasting that it's been "noshing in since 2016." But what it lacks in experience, it makes up for in Yiddish lessons, creative drinks (homemade celery soda or sparkling pickled cucumber lemonade, anyone?), and all the classics.  

The baked goods are considered some of the best that the Boston area has to offer, starting with Mamaleh's homemade bagels, challah rolls, and bialys. On the sweet side, the deli has its "soon to be world-famous chocolate cake" and a chocolate babka French toast, among other items And then there's the fish. For $40, you can get the smoked fish platter for two, which comes with whitefish salad, lox, cream cheese, all the fixings, and two homemade bagels.

mamalehs.com

Multiple locations

Confidence is a major part of performance, so when Famous 4th Street Deli advertises itself as "the best deli in America," we want to take the claim seriously. Luckily, it's hard to find too much fault with the claim. After all, if there's one thing Philly knows, it's thinly-sliced beef sandwiches.

This Michelin-recognized deli has been in operation since 1923, slinging sandwiches the size of zeppelins, potato pancakes, and a delicious special matzo ball soup with kreplach, noodles, rice, and kasha. The pastrami and eggs are a must-try for breakfast, but once lunch rolls around, it's time to try the sandwiches, whether the traditional style or the open-faced brisket smothered in gravy. Plus, it wouldn't be a Philadelphia without the restaurant's Famous Cheesesteak, which contains brisket, pastrami, and corned beef.

famous4thstreetdelicatessen.com

(215) 922-3274

700 S 4th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Attman's Deli has been a mid-Atlantic landmark since 1915. And in that time, it has earned its reputation as one of the best Jewish delis in the country the hard way. Did you know that Baltimore has a stretch of street called Corned Beef Row? 

Out of all that history, Attman's has emerged as the king of the corned beef. The Reubens are universally loved, and there's no better place to eat it than in the Kibbitz Room, which is what the restaurant calls its attached dining room. The place also offers more off-the-beaten-path items like hot dogs topped with bologna, Maryland crab soup, and The Gay Liveration, which features corned beef, chopped liver, Swiss cheese, lettuce, and sweet Bermuda onion.

attmansdeli.com

Multiple locations

We couldn't help but make one last stop in the Tri-State Area. Harold's Famous Deli, in Edison, New Jersey, is not cheap, but what it lacks in wallet-friendliness, it makes up for in dedication to scale. 

The claim to fame is sandwiches meant to be shared. The monster pastrami sandwich serves two to three people and runs for $48.95, while the extra large, which serves four to seven, is $105.95 (individual sandwiches, known as "the junior," are also available starting at $27.95). The matzo ball soup is $35.95 and is recommended for three people. Even the pancakes are meant to be shared, and start at $26.95 for a single flapjack. If you're not scared away by those prices, you're in for a real treat because this isn't a gimmick restaurant. The meat is well-cooked, the kid's menu includes fried clams, and did we mention there's a complimentary pickle bar?

haroldsfamousdeli.com

(732) 661-9100

1173 King Georges Post Rd, Edison, NJ 08837

Philadelphia isn't the only Pennsylvania city boasting mean deli eats. Squirrel Hill Market, located in one of Pittsburgh's most prominent Jewish neighborhoods, might not have the same name recognition as some of the other entries here, but it's no less deserving. 

This is a smaller establishment than many of the others on the list, with a more limited grocery selection, but when it comes to layering on the corned beef, there is no skimping. The restaurant advertises its sandwiches as containing "one full pound of what you've been missing," alongside other sizable selections such as a footlong pastrami or corned beef dog (yes, there's a hot dog in there somewhere), and even a Reuben bowl.

squirrel-hill-market.square.site

(412) 475-8495

2130 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217

To create this list, I used a variety of methods to ensure that the scope reached as many corners of the country as possible. Many of the recommendations come from years of personal experience as a dedicated hunter for the perfect smoked meat sandwich, a quest passed along by my father, whose recommendations also helped shape this list. Others were added due to overwhelming consensus among reviews and online commenters.