Where To Get The Best Pastrami Sandwich In NYC, According To Anthony Bourdain

New York City's food scene is truly unmatched. The best part about wandering through the city is that you can find countless varieties of food from all over the world on every block. And sure, the high-end restaurants serve incredible meals. But less-known, little restaurants (you know, holes-in-the-wall) serve up some unforgettable dishes, too. No one knew this better than author, celebrity chef, and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain, who spent so much of his life exploring food and cultures across the world.

Bourdain passed in 2018, but his legacy, his food and travel recommendations, and his incredible gift for storytelling live on. His lists of favorite restaurants and favorite places to travel are still held as badges of honor for establishments all over the planet. That rings true for the still-popular lists of Bourdain's top spots across the five boroughs of New York City, but particularly for one iconic staple of the Big Apple: pastrami sandwiches. There's nothing better than a massive pastrami sandwich on rye from a classic American Jewish deli, which have had a lasting cultural impact on the United States. But Bourdain had a clear favorite which is documented all over the internet: Pastrami Queen in New York City.

Pastrami Queen is legendary in New York City. Bourdain said many times that the deli's pastrami on rye is the sandwich he "craved the most when he was abroad." In an interview with Variety, he said it's the thing he gets first when he's back in New York, noting Pastrami Queen's version is "if not the best, among the very best. Just a good, nice mix of fat and lean. It's the real deal, served warm on fresh, soft rye bread with the right kind of mustard. Good pickles... It's a quintessential New York meal for me." Bourdain may not have been much a dessert guy, but he couldn't say no to a savory sandwich.

Pastrami Queen's website says its recipe is top secret, "refined over generations of delicatessen veteran Aficionados." But the deli does say, "our hand-cut Pastrami is first brined, then seasoned, dried and smoked, resulting in juicy, crumbly, and fiendishly good sandwiches with a satisfying balance of smoke and sweet spice. In-store, the pastrami is heated and steamed for 24 hours to achieve peak moisture and tenderness." There are now four Pastrami Queen locations across New York City. However, if you're not headed to New York City anytime soon, you can always try to smoke your own pastrami with our extremely detailed guide.