Unearth The Voyage
New York City delis aren’t just sandwich shops. They’re stubborn little pieces of the old city that refuse to disappear.
In a place where rent climbs, storefronts flip overnight, and “new and improved” usually means smaller and pricier, these counters keep doing it the classic way. This list rounds up 12 legendary NYC delis that won’t modernize the menu or soften the tradition.
The kind of spots where the pastrami still hits like a solution and the attitude is part of the order. A few of them feel so unchanged, you’ll swear the city outside is the thing that’s out of place.
1. Katz’s Delicatessen (Lower East Side)
Walking into Katz’s feels like stepping onto a movie set, except the pastrami is real and the line is always longer than you expect. This Lower East Side legend has been slicing meat at the same East Houston Street address since 1888, back when the neighborhood was packed with Jewish immigrants who demanded the real deal.
The ticket system they use might confuse first-timers, but it’s part of the charm. You grab a ticket at the door, order at the counter, and whatever you do, don’t lose that slip of paper or you’ll pay a hefty lost-ticket fee on your way out.
The countermen still hand-carve every sandwich while you watch, piling on enough pastrami to feed a small army.
I once made the mistake of ordering a full sandwich instead of splitting one with a friend. Let me tell you, Katz’s doesn’t do dainty portions.
Their sandwiches are architectural marvels that require both hands and a serious appetite. The meat is perfectly spiced, impossibly tender, and stacked so high you’ll need to unhinge your jaw like a python.
Sure, it’s pricey and always crowded, but some New York experiences are worth the hassle.
2. Russ & Daughters (Lower East Side)
Smoked fish might not sound glamorous, but Russ & Daughters has been making it an art form since 1914. This isn’t your typical deli because technically it’s an appetizing store, which means they specialize in dairy and fish rather than meat.
The distinction matters to old-school New Yorkers who know their food history.
The original Houston Street shop still operates with the same attention to detail that made it famous over a century ago. Behind the counter, staff slice lox with surgical precision and explain the difference between Nova, belly lox, and gravlax to confused tourists.
Everything is displayed like jewelry in a case, from the glistening kippered salmon to the various cream cheese schmears.
Fourth-generation family members still run the operation, refusing to cut corners or modernize away the soul of the place. You can taste the difference in every bite of their bagel sandwiches, where silky smoked salmon meets perfectly schmeared cream cheese on a chewy bagel.
The line moves slowly because they take their time with each order, exactly as they should. This is food that demands respect and patience, both of which Russ & Daughters has earned many times over.
3. Barney Greengrass (Upper West Side)
Barney Greengrass calls itself the Sturgeon King, and nobody’s arguing with that claim. Since 1908, this Upper West Side institution has been serving smoked fish to New Yorkers who remember when the neighborhood was affordable and the deli counter was the center of social life.
The space itself looks like it hasn’t been redecorated since Eisenhower was president, which is exactly the point. Cramped tables, no-nonsense waitstaff, and a menu that hasn’t chased food trends.
You come here for eggs and lox, not avocado toast. The fish is phenomenal because they’ve been sourcing and smoking it the same way for over a century.
What strikes you immediately is how unapologetically old-school everything feels. There’s no Instagram-friendly lighting or carefully curated vintage aesthetic.
This place is genuinely vintage because it never changed. The sturgeon is buttery and rich, the scrambled eggs come fluffy and generous, and the whole experience feels like breakfast at your Jewish grandmother’s house if she happened to be an excellent cook.
Weekend mornings bring serious crowds, but the turnover is quick because people eat, pay, and make room for the next hungry customer. That’s the New York way, and Barney Greengrass wouldn’t have it any other.
4. 2nd Ave Deli (Murray Hill)
Some people get emotional about the original Second Avenue location closing, but the spirit lives on at the Murray Hill spot. This kosher-style deli serves the kind of comfort food that makes you understand why New Yorkers are so particular about their delis.
Everything here is big, bold, and unapologetically traditional.
The matzo ball soup deserves its own paragraph because those floating spheres of joy are legitimately the size of softballs. They’re fluffy, flavorful, and swimming in golden broth that could cure whatever ails you.
The pastrami and corned beef get hand-carved to order, piled high on rye bread with just enough mustard to make things interesting.
Open daily in Midtown East, this place serves tourists and locals with equal enthusiasm. The menu reads like a greatest-hits album of Jewish deli classics: knishes, latkes, blintzes, and enough pickles to keep a small village in vegetables for winter.
Portions are generous enough to share, though you probably won’t want to. The vibe is loud, crowded, and quintessentially New York, where conversations overlap and waiters move with practiced efficiency.
You’re not here for a quiet, romantic dinner. You’re here to eat your feelings and remember when food was simple, hearty, and made without apology.
5. Sarge’s Delicatessen & Diner (Murray Hill)
Sarge’s operates on the principle that more is more, especially when it comes to sandwich construction. This diner-deli hybrid in Murray Hill has been feeding night owls and hungry New Yorkers since 1964, serving up monster sandwiches that defy the laws of physics and good judgment.
The menu is a novel-length document that offers everything from traditional deli fare to full diner breakfasts served any time of day. That’s the beauty of a place like Sarge’s: you can order pastrami at midnight or pancakes at 3 PM, and nobody bats an eye.
Indoor dining is currently open, maintaining that classic diner atmosphere where fluorescent lights and Formica tables create the perfect late-night eating environment.
What makes Sarge’s special is its commitment to the diner-deli concept without trying to be trendy or upscale. The sandwiches arrive towering and overstuffed, requiring strategic planning to eat without making a complete mess.
The staff has seen it all, from post-theater crowds to early morning delivery workers, and they serve everyone with the same efficient, no-fuss attitude. It’s not fancy, it’s not trying to be fancy, and that’s precisely why it works.
Sometimes you just need a massive sandwich and a cup of coffee, and Sarge’s delivers exactly that without any unnecessary complications.
6. Pastrami Queen (Upper East Side)
Pastrami Queen takes its name seriously, ruling over the Upper East Side with perfectly seasoned, hand-carved meat that puts pretenders to shame. This isn’t some corporate chain trying to replicate deli culture.
The original UES location still operates with the same dedication to scratch cooking that built its reputation decades ago.
The pastrami here gets the royal treatment it deserves. They cure it, season it, smoke it, and steam it using traditional methods that can’t be rushed or automated.
When you order a sandwich, you’re getting meat that was prepared over days, not hours. The result is tender, flavorful pastrami with that perfect pink smoke ring and enough peppery crust to make your taste buds sing.
Beyond pastrami, they serve the full roster of deli classics prepared with the same attention to detail. The corned beef is equally impressive, the hot dogs are all-beef and snappy, and the sides taste homemade because they are.
There’s something reassuring about watching your sandwich being assembled by someone who clearly knows what they’re doing. No measuring, no recipes, just muscle memory from making thousands of sandwiches exactly right.
That’s the kind of expertise you can’t fake or learn from a manual, and it’s what keeps Pastrami Queen on the throne.
7. Liebman’s Delicatessen (Riverdale, The Bronx)
The Bronx doesn’t get enough credit for its food scene, but Liebman’s has been holding it down in Riverdale since 1953. This full-service kosher deli operates seven days a week, serving the kind of traditional Jewish deli food that’s becoming harder to find even in New York.
Everything here follows kosher dietary laws, which means no mixing meat and dairy and strict adherence to traditional preparation methods. For some people, that’s a religious requirement.
For others, it’s just a guarantee that the food is made according to time-tested standards that ensure quality and flavor. The result is deli food that tastes like it should, without shortcuts or compromises.
The atmosphere is neighborhood-friendly rather than tourist-trap flashy. Regulars come in and the staff knows their orders, which is becoming a rare thing in modern New York.
The sandwiches are properly proportioned, the soups are made from scratch, and the pickles are exactly as sour as they should be. I appreciate places like Liebman’s because they’re not trying to be the next big thing or attract Instagram influencers.
They’re just making good deli food for people who want to eat well, same as they’ve been doing for seventy years. Sometimes consistency is more valuable than innovation, especially when the original formula was already perfect.
8. Zabar’s (Upper West Side)
Zabar’s isn’t a sit-down deli in the traditional sense, but leaving it off this list would be criminal. This Upper West Side institution has been a Broadway landmark since 1934, serving as equal parts gourmet market, deli counter, and New York cultural touchstone.
The place is always packed with locals who know exactly what they want and tourists trying to navigate the organized chaos.
The counter culture here is legendary. Behind the glass, workers slice lox, carve cheese, and package prepared foods with impressive speed and efficiency.
You take a number, wait your turn, and when called, you’d better know your order because the person behind the counter has fifty other customers waiting. It’s not rude, it’s just New York efficient.
The selection is overwhelming in the best possible way. Smoked fish from around the world, dozens of cheese varieties, prepared salads, baked goods, and enough coffee to caffeinate the entire neighborhood.
Prices are reasonable considering the quality and location, which explains why the place is perpetually mobbed. Shopping at Zabar’s requires strategy and patience, but the payoff is access to some of the best specialty foods in the city.
You’re not just buying groceries here. You’re participating in a New York tradition that has somehow survived rent increases, chain store invasions, and every other threat to authentic local businesses.
9. Schaller & Weber (Yorkville, Upper East Side)
Yorkville used to be New York’s German neighborhood, and Schaller & Weber is one of the last reminders of that heritage. Since 1937, this old-world butcher and deli has been producing traditional German sausages, smoked meats, and prepared foods on Second Avenue, refusing to modernize away the techniques that made them famous.
The shop feels like something transplanted from a European market. Sausages hang from the ceiling, the meat counter displays cuts you won’t find at your average supermarket, and the staff actually knows how to properly butcher and prepare traditional German specialties.
Their bratwurst, knockwurst, and frankfurters are made in-house using recipes that haven’t changed in decades.
What impresses me most is their commitment to craft in an era of mass production. They still make everything by hand in small batches, using natural casings and traditional smoking methods.
The result is sausage that actually tastes like something rather than generic meat tubes. Beyond sausages, they offer prepared foods like potato salad, sauerkraut, and German pastries that round out the authentic experience.
The neighborhood has changed dramatically since Schaller & Weber opened, with most of the German community long gone. But this shop remains, serving both nostalgic customers who remember old Yorkville and new generations discovering what real sausage should taste like.
10. Faicco’s Italian Specialties (West Village)
Faicco’s has been a West Village fixture since 1900, back when the neighborhood was actually Italian rather than expensive. This classic Italian specialty shop operates on a simple principle: walk in, point at what you want, and they’ll build you a sandwich that makes you understand why Italian delis are a completely different category from Jewish delis.
The sandwiches here are legendary for good reason. Fresh mozzarella, quality cold cuts, roasted peppers, and crusty bread combine into something greater than the sum of their parts.
They’re not trying to impress you with fancy ingredients or complicated preparations. The magic is in the quality of the components and the skill of the assembly.
When your sandwich arrives, it’s hefty but balanced, with every bite delivering the perfect ratio of meat, cheese, and vegetables.
The shop itself maintains that old-school Italian market vibe, with cured meats hanging from the ceiling and cases full of prepared foods, cheeses, and imported goods. There’s no seating, no ambiance, no Instagram-worthy decor.
You order, you pay, you leave. That’s the whole experience, and it’s perfect.
Some of my best lunches in New York have been Faicco’s sandwiches eaten while walking through the Village, which is probably exactly how they’re meant to be enjoyed anyway.
11. Defonte’s Sandwich Shop (Red Hook, Brooklyn)
Red Hook feels like Brooklyn before Brooklyn became a brand, and Defonte’s fits right into that aesthetic. This neighborhood sandwich shop has been operating at the same address since 1922, serving massive Italian sandwiches to longshoremen, locals, and anyone willing to make the trek to this somewhat out-of-the-way corner of Brooklyn.
The sandwiches are serious business here. We’re talking about proper Italian heroes piled high with quality meats, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and oil and vinegar that soaks into the bread just right.
They don’t skimp on portions, and they don’t apologize for the mess you’ll make eating one. That’s part of the charm.
A good Italian sandwich should require napkins and possibly a change of shirt.
What I respect about Defonte’s is the complete lack of pretension. This isn’t a hipster recreation of an old-school sandwich shop.
It’s the actual thing, still operating with the same no-nonsense energy that made it a neighborhood staple a century ago. The staff isn’t particularly chatty or concerned with customer service theater.
They make sandwiches, you eat them, everyone’s happy. Red Hook has changed over the years, but Defonte’s remains exactly what it always was: a working deli serving working people who want a good sandwich without any unnecessary complications or inflated prices.
12. Di Palo’s Fine Foods (Little Italy)
Little Italy has shrunk to barely a few blocks, but Di Palo’s remains a genuine article in a neighborhood increasingly dominated by tourist traps. This family-run Italian specialty shop has been on Grand Street since 1925, selling imported cheeses, cured meats, olive oils, and other Italian products with the kind of knowledge and passion that can’t be faked.
The counter is where the magic happens. Staff members, often family members who’ve been working here for decades, guide you through selections of mozzarella, parmigiano, prosciutto, and dozens of other products you probably can’t pronounce correctly.
They’ll offer samples, explain differences between regions and aging processes, and help you build the perfect cheese board or sandwich components. It’s educational and delicious at the same time.
Shopping here feels like visiting a specialty shop in Italy rather than a store in New York. The selection is carefully curated, focusing on quality over quantity.
Prices reflect that quality, but you’re paying for products that are legitimately superior to what you’d find at a regular supermarket. The family takes obvious pride in what they sell, and that enthusiasm is contagious.
Even if you came in just planning to grab some mozzarella, you’ll probably leave with a bag full of things you didn’t know you needed but definitely do. That’s the Di Palo’s experience, and it’s worth every penny.
