4
House of Glatt
Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Glatt kosher butcher and deli that does not get much press outside of Crown Heights. Appeared on one qualifying list, where it placed second.
2.0
avg rank 1 list
NYC Pastrami, Ranked
There is no shortage of lists ranking pastrami sandwiches in New York City. The problem is that every list has its own agenda: a top pick on one is buried at the bottom of another. So instead of adding one more opinion, we pulled 30 ranked lists from food blogs, newsletters, and local guides published between 2024 and 2026, and let the aggregate do the talking.
How this works: For each list, we recorded where every restaurant placed: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on. We then calculated each restaurant's average rank across all the lists it appeared in. Lower average rank is better. A place that tops two lists beats a place that consistently sits at #5 on seven lists. No points for just showing up. Only mainstream publications were excluded (NYT, Eater, Grubstreet, Infatuation, Thrillist, and similar). 30 sources total; 23 restaurants ranked.
1
Parkview Diner
Bath Beach, Brooklyn
Tied #1
Won Best of Brooklyn pastrami in both 2024 and 2025. Almost entirely unknown outside the borough's local food circles, which is part of why the average rank looks so clean: the lists that mention it put it first.
1.0
avg rank 2 lists
1
Moe's Pastrami & Burger
Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn
Tied #1
Opened 2023. Halal-certified. Won the Brooklyn Metropolis moving blog ranking outright and drew a 4/4 from the PeterKto food blog: edging Katz's 3/4 in a head-to-head. A commenter on Robert Sietsema's Substack called it the best in the boroughs after five decades of eating.
1.0
avg rank 2 lists
3
Katz's Delicatessen
Lower East Side, Manhattan
Appeared on 14 lists, more than any other restaurant, and held the top position on most of them. The average rank of 1.3 confirms it is not just the most famous; it is genuinely the consensus best. The main complaints are the price ($28.95), the lines, and the tourist density. None of that changes what is in the sandwich.
1.3
avg rank 14 lists
5
Hometown Bar-B-Que
Red Hook, Brooklyn
Fri-Sun only
Texas BBQ-style hot-smoked pastrami, available Friday through Sunday. John Tanner's BBQ blog argued it surpasses Katz's on raw flavor. For anyone who prefers the smoked brisket end of the spectrum over the steamed deli style, this is the pick.
2.8
avg rank 4 lists
6
2nd Avenue Deli
Murray Hill / Upper East Side
Consistently in the top three across seven separate lists. Hand-carved, thickly sliced, and made with brisket-cut pastrami. Critics frequently note the broth as a hidden strength. The UES location is more manageable than the Murray Hill branch on weekends.
3.1
avg rank 7 lists
7
Pastrami Queen
UES / UWS / Moynihan Train Hall
Anthony Bourdain's publicly stated favorite. Machine-sliced rather than hand-carved, which increases surface area and concentrates flavor. Appeared on 11 lists: second only to Katz's: and consistently landed in the top three. The Moynihan Hall location has made it more accessible than it used to be.
3.4
avg rank 11 lists
8
Junior's Restaurant & Bakery
Downtown Brooklyn
Tied #8
Better known for cheesecake, which may be why the pastrami tends to get overlooked. Appeared on four lists at an average position of 3.5.
3.5
avg rank 4 lists
8
Butcher Block
Sunnyside, Queens
Tied #8
The only Queens entry in the top ten. Appeared on two lists at an average rank of 3.5. Largely unknown outside the neighborhood.
3.5
avg rank 2 lists
10
Liebman's Deli
Riverdale, Bronx
The only Bronx entry. Kosher, lean-cut pastrami with a 70-year history. Appeared on six lists and consistently described as the best-value option in the dataset. The trip to Riverdale keeps the tourist count low.
3.7
avg rank 6 lists
11
Sarge's Delicatessen
Murray Hill, Manhattan
Open 24 hours, which explains some of its following among people who did not plan ahead. Appeared on five lists at an average rank just under four. Reliable rather than exceptional.
3.8
avg rank 5 lists
12
USA Brooklyn Delicatessen
Times Square, Manhattan
Appeared on one list, placed fourth.
4.0
avg rank 1 list
12
Mendy's NYC
Midtown, Manhattan
Appeared on one list, placed fourth.
4.0
avg rank 1 list
12
Murray's Sturgeon Shop
Upper West Side, Manhattan
Known primarily as a smoked fish shop. Appeared on one pastrami list, placed fourth.
4.0
avg rank 1 list
15
Mile End Delicatessen
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
Montreal-style smoked meat rather than New York-style pastrami. A different sandwich, technically. Appeared on three lists at an average rank of 4.3.
4.3
avg rank 3 lists
16
S&P Lunch (fmr. Eisenberg's)
Flatiron, Manhattan
Est. 1928, rebranded. Robert Sietsema called it third in the city and the best value in the dataset at $18. Appeared on three lists at an average rank of 4.7.
4.7
avg rank 3 lists
17
Majestic Delicatessen
Times Square, Manhattan
Appeared on one list, placed fifth.
5.0
avg rank 1 list
18
Frankel's Delicatessen
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Appeared on seven lists: the same count as 2nd Avenue Deli: but the average rank is 5.3 versus 3.1. Frequently praised for its pastrami Reuben specifically. The sandwich is well-regarded; it just tends to sit in the middle of the lists rather than at the top.
5.3
avg rank 7 lists
19
David's Brisket House
Bed-Stuy / Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Halal-certified with 70 years of history in Brooklyn. Appeared on seven lists, the most of any restaurant outside Katz's and Pastrami Queen. The average rank of 5.9 reflects wide recognition but consistent lower placement: a presence rather than a destination.
5.9
avg rank 7 lists
20
Morgan's Brooklyn Barbecue
Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
Appeared on one list, placed sixth.
6.0
avg rank 1 list
20
Essen New York Deli
Midwood, Brooklyn
Appeared on one list, placed sixth.
6.0
avg rank 1 list
22
Lenny's Grill and Deli
Manhattan
Appeared on one list, placed seventh.
7.0
avg rank 1 list
22
Defonte Sandwich Shop
Red Hook, Brooklyn
Appeared on one list, placed seventh.
7.0
avg rank 1 list
Sources: 30 ranked lists from food blogs, Substack newsletters, local guides, and community award sites published 2024-2026. Mainstream publications excluded. Reddit was inaccessible to our crawler and is not represented. Full methodology and source list available in the research files.