Best Dishes at Katz's Delicatessen

Similar treatment to the pastrami but with corned beef — also hand-carved fresh daily. The corned beef has a slightly less smoky profile than pastrami but is equally tender and well-seasoned. The two meats are nearly indistinguishable in quality here, though pastrami is the more famous order. Katz's goes through 8,000 pounds weekly.

The signature dish that made Katz's famous. The pastrami is steamed, hand-carved at the counter, and served fresh on rye with mustard. Katz's serves 15,000 pounds of pastrami weekly, indicating the consistency and volume. The meat is tender, salty, and smoky from the cure. This is what every deli in America tries to copy but few match.

Katz's version of the classic. Corned beef is layered with melted Swiss, tangy sauerkraut, and house-made Russian dressing, then the whole sandwich is grilled until the bread crisps up. The contrast of warm, crispy bread and juicy meat inside is textural bliss. Some order this as their go-to over the plain pastrami.

Warm, comforting soup that pairs perfectly with pastrami. The matzo balls are light and airy, the broth is gently seasoned, and it arrives piping hot. Often ordered as a half-sandwich combo with any of the major meats. This is quintessential Jewish comfort food and Katz's does it right.