A Jewish deli has its roots in Eastern European cuisine, but it is an American culinary revolution. Ushering in a new era of cured meat and other Jewish delicacies more than a century ago, Ashkenazi Jews introduced a significant change to American culture.
Although New York was the center of Jewish delis at the beginning, now you can find many great ones in major cities of the United States.
From pastrami and corned beef sandwiches to pickles and soups, here are the top 20 Jewish delis in the United States serving the best delicatessen food.
Top 21 Jewish Delis in the US
21. Wexler’s Deli [Los Angeles, CA]
Chef Micah Wexler started Wexler’s Deli in 2012, and soon it became a go-to spot for people obsessed with in-house cured beef and smoked salmon.
Wexler’s prepares pastrami on site, which was praised by Jonathan Gold, a late restaurant critic. He wrote in the LA Times that Wexler’s pastrami is “The O.G.”
The owner uses his culinary skills and Jewish heritage to maintain the deli’s reputation as one of the best in LA.
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20. Brent’s Deli [Los Angeles, CA]
Brent’s Deli has a specific local customer base and attracts the people of San Fernando Valley.
It’s a classic Jewish deli with a clientele that has probably never set foot in another deli. However, considering the food it serves, the customers do not need to go anywhere else.
Brent’s black pastrami Reuben sandwich can compete against any classic deli in the US. It has a thick stack of meat on rye with Swiss, Russian, and kraut dressing.
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19. Steingold’s [Chicago, IL]
Steingold’s was started in 2017 by a couple who changed the Jewish deli scene by introducing their most unexpected but delicious menu item—the Sister-in-Law sandwich.
With hot smoked pastrami, fresh kimchee, and anchovy mustard, the sandwich garnered the eatery its reputation.
The menu also features seasonal flavor-of-the-month bagels. So far, some of their best ones have been the French fries and frosty bagel and Flamin’ Hot Cheese Bagel.
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18. Perly’s Delicatessen & Restaurant [Richmond, VA]
Perly’s is short for Perlstein’s. It’s a classic Richmond lunch room with a deli heritage that most locals and visitors have forgotten.
However, a local restaurateur saw the value in Perly’s and revived it back to its glory. He actually fell in love with storefront Art Deco style, but at least that was enough to showcase the deli’s well-executed classics.
If you are ever visiting the city, you should try the matzo ball soup, Oy Vey sandwich, and Chazerai.
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17. Stage Deli [West Bloomfield Township, MI]
Stage Deli is operated by second and third-generation Goldbergs, who continue to keep Jack Golberg’s dream alive. The man started his first deli in 1962 with his wife, Harriet Victor.
Originating as Stage & Company, the name of this deli references the original location in Oak Park, where stage actors would come to visit.
Stage Deli’s most popular menu item is Mark Beltaire salad. It’s made with lean corned beef, turkey breast, stuffed cabbage, and cheese blintzes.
The deli also has classic delicatessen fountain drinks and dishes that pay tribute to movie and musical titles.
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16. Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen Restaurant [Houston, TX]
Kenny & Ziggy’s opened in 1999 to preserve the Jewish deli culture. As a third-generation deli owner, Ziggy Gruber knows how to run a deli and offer delicious meat items to the clientele.
He spent most of his childhood behind the counter with his grandfather and became a trained culinary artist at the Cordon Bleu.
His decades of effort have brought Kenny & Ziggy’s menu to seven pages and 400 items to accommodate all their customers.
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15. Josh’s Deli [Surfside, FL]
The Michelin Guide has listed Josh’s Deli in Surfside, Florida, as a recommended spot for deli meat lovers.
Surfside is a historically significant place for Jews in Miami, and despite the eatery referring to itself as “kind of a deli,” the menu clearly shows how culturally accurate they are in their offerings.
You’ll find everything from a corned beef sandwich to classic matzo ball soup.
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14. The General Muir [Atlanta, GA]
The General Muir is an Atlanta-based Jewish deli with classic deli menu items such as matzo ball soup, pastrami, corned beef, lox, and bagels.
All their products are made in-house under the careful supervision of chef Todd Ginsberg.
The deli offers standard breakfast and lunch meat for their customers, but the dinner menu is entirely gourmet.
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13. Zingerman’s Delicatessen [Ann Arbor, MI]
Since Zingerman’s opened in 1982, they have been preparing their soups from scratch. Matzoh ball, kreplach, and Jewish chicken broth—all are in-house specialties served with a range of other things like chopped liver, knishes, noodle kugel, and potato latkes.
Our Complete Guide to Kreplach
Zingerman’s is best known for its pastrami, corned beef, and Reuben sandwiches that are made using rye or pumpernickel bread, regular mustards, Swiss and muenster cheese, and deli meat.
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12. Manny’s Deli [Chicago, IL]
Manny’s Deli has moved many times since 1942, but the owners and the legacy remain the same.
Now operated by the third and fourth generation of the founders, Manny’s has settled in a Chicago neighborhood with a modern look.
The expresso bar and the subway tiles give a new appearance to the deli, but the oxtail stew Thursdays and lamb shank Mondays remain the same.
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11. Shapiro’s Delicatessen [Indianapolis, IN]
Shapiro’s brings its corned beef from Chicago and pastrami from Brooklyn, but the pile-high sandwich with rye bread or egg bun remains completely local.
Since 1905, Shapiro’s has been operating out of Indianapolis, making people fall in love with their cured meats and smoked pickled tongue.
Despite the corned beef and pastrami popularity, it’s hard to deny that Shapiro’s best creation is peppered beef. If you are ever in town, don’t forget to grab a bite!
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10. Canter’s Deli [Los Angeles, CA]
Canter’s Deli is a Los Angeles institution, serving up some of the best Jewish deli food in Los Angeles.
Personally, this is the deli I have eaten at the most!
Canter’s has been around for over 70 years and has all the deli food you will enjoy. My personal favorites are the pastrami sandwiches and the matzoh ball soup is also excellent! For a change of pace be sure to try the mash-mash soup – it has chicken and noodles added to the typical Matzoh Ball Soup.
The deli has the old school vibe which is one of the reasons my friends and family LOVE it. For example, stained glass windows on the ceiling.
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The deli counter has a comprehensive assortment of every jewish dessert, cookie and other treats for you to enjoy. The Hamantashen for example are huge.
Inside, there is the main seating area. And there is also a second seating area up a few stairs. The small bar area is in the back of this section and this is where many famous Hollywood bands played as they were coming up on the LA music scene.
Be sure to see our complete guide to Canter’s Deli– all the info you need to know about this legendary Los Angeles deli!
9. Hobby’s Deli [Newark, NJ]
In 1962, the Brummer family started a minimal deli in Newark, New Jersey, not knowing how the following years would turn the city upside down.
Luckily, the riots did not affect Hobby’s Deli, and it survived the disastrous event, eventually thriving as one of the best delis in Newark.
Hobby’s serves homemade mushroom barley soup, chopped liver, and potato pancakes, with other deli creations.
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8. Langer’s Delicatessen Restaurant [Los Angeles, CA]
Langer’s pastrami and rye bread are prepared off-site under specific instructions, and they are the two best products offered at this Los Angeles deli.
The best sandwich at Langer’s is #19; it’s a stack of hand-carved pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and rye bread. The sandwich is not only the best one in Los Angeles, but it’s also one of the best deli sandwiches in the world!
If you are new to Langer’s, order traditional pastrami with rye before trying out #19 to honestly appreciate the taste.
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7. Call Your Mother [Washington D.C.]
Call Your Mother is a “Jew-ish” deli that opened its first store in 2018 to pay homage to the popular sentiment shared by Jewish mothers.
Started by Chef Andrew Dana and his Culinary Institute of America-trained wife, Daniela Moreira, the deli is a mix of Brooklyn and Boca.
If there’s a place in D.C. for all things bagels, this is it! Call Your Mother has seven locations and five local farmer’s market stalls in the city.
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6. Hymie’s Deli [Merion Station, PA]
Embracing the changing world, Hymie’s Deli is an old-school Jewish deli enjoying its Suburban location since 1955.
Located at Merion Station, Hymie’s offers all classics, including butter cookies, black and whites, rugelach, latkes, roasted turkey sandwiches, corned beef, and salads.
They also have seasonal items such as hamantaschen and non-classic items like breakfast burritos.
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5. Jack’s Deli and Restaurant [Cleveland, OH]
One of the most popular eateries in Cleveland is Jack’s deli. It’s been serving corned beef to Cleveland natives since 1980.
The deli is inspired by the traditional cuisine of Czechoslovakia, where the founder, Jack Markowitz, grew up. Jack’s is a full-service deli with smoked meat and fish, a wide range of soups, and other homemade goods.
When you are visiting Cleveland, grab a bite of Reuben sandwich or corned beef on rye with a chocolate phosphate to taste the best of Jack’s.
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4. Larder Deli and Bakery [Cleveland, OH]
Larder is another popular deli in Cleveland with Jeremy Umansky, a fermentation master, in charge of curing the meat.
Umansky is a James Beard award-nominated chef obsessed with Jewish food and koji. He is also the co-owner of Larder alongside Allie La Valle Umansky, a pastry chef.
They serve koji-cured pastrami rubbed in mushroom powder with in-house rye and homemade mustard. The sandwich has a unique taste, almost impossible for anyone else to replicate.
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3. Frankel’s Delicatessen and Appetizing [Brooklyn, NY]
If you are ever in New York and ask about the best Jewish delis, you are likely to hear Frankel’s more than once.
It’s a visible New York staple that redefines the meaning of delis in New York.
Although it’s a new establishment, Frankel’s has solidified its place in Brooklyn food history with amazing breakfast sandwiches, including the most popular one with smokey pastrami, egg, and cheese on a challah roll.
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2. Liebman’s Delicatessen [The Bronx, NY]
Liebman’s serves one of the finest pastrami in New York. Joseph Dekel acquired Liebman’s in the 1980s and renovated the deli to attract new customers.
The recipes remained the same since it was established, but he got the old staff to train a young man, named Marcello. He is now the head chef of Liebman’s and trains new kitchen staff for the deli.
Dekel’s son, Yuval, brought the deli into the 21st century by introducing Liebman’s app.
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1. Katz’s Delicatessen [New York City, NY]
Katz’s has been a recurring mention on the list of top 20 Jewish Delis in the United States for a long time.
It’s an institution that has inspired numerous Jewish delis across the nation. With its corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, Katz’s has maintained a regular clientele for decades.
If you want the original taste of corned beef or pastrami with rye and mustard, Katz’s is the place to go.
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10 FAMOUS Must-Try JEWISH Foods in NEW YORK
Have you tried Jewish food in New York? Watch Fung Bros. visit every famous deli in New York and see which one they find best.
Summary
The top 20 Jewish delis in the United States have inspired the newer generations of deli owners to embrace change without losing the classic touch.
Now, it’s common to find a range of delis serving old-school hot pastrami sandwiches on one counter and modern fresh pizza bagels on the other. And if you want to go O.G., there’s always Katz’s and Liebman’s in New York!
Top 20 Jewish Delis in the United States – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why Is Katz’s Deli So Famous?
Katz’s is the last remaining original Jewish delis in the United States. It’s been around for more than a century and continues to serve the best pastrami and corned beef in New York.
What Is the Most Famous Deli in the World?
Carnegie Deli was the most famous deli in the world. Unfortunately, it was closed in December 2016.
Why Did Carnegie Deli in New York Close?
Following a legal battle with workers over wages in 2014 and an investigation over an illegal gas hookup in 2015, Carnegie closed the doors forever a year later, citing personal reasons.
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My name is Jay and I started this website to share my love of Deli Food. I am Jewish with Italian ancestry and grandparents who emigrated to the US from Poland, Russia and Turkey. This website is my celebration of the delicious flavors of international deli culture. Please feel free to send me your suggestions and feedback through the contact form.
