Katz's The Place to be
Katz’ Famous Pastrami Sandwhich Source: Kyle Murphy
New York City is filled with many famous restaurants, offering some of the best food the world has to provide. It is the city of eateries, from fresh bagels to delicious cheesecake slices.
However, one place stands out as the most iconic. If you visit the Lower East Side of Manhattan, you will come across Katz’s Delicatessen. The whispers of this establishment echo around the city, and the food explains why that is the case.
As soon as you walk in, the feel of a proper 1950s diner welcomes you. On arrival, you are given a ticket which you later use to pay for your food. At the counter, chefs are already cutting up slices of meat and preparing them for hungry customers.
Opened in 1888 by the Iceland Brothers, it was originally called the founders’ surname. However, as time passed, the two brothers were joined by Willy Katz and eventually were bought out by Willy’s cousin Benny to form the now famous Katz Deli in 1910.
With the Katz now in charge, the shop went through a complete revamp as they changed location to across the street, changed the name and brought in their landlord Harry Tarkowsky as part of a new partnership.
Although business was booming, both Katz’ and Tarkowsky, unfortunately, passed away. So by the mid-1980s, the family business was taken over by Lenny Katz (Willy’s son), Artie Maxstein (Benny’s son-in-law) and Izzy Tarkowsky (Harry’s son).
The new owners started to worry as they realised no current family members could carry on the business once they passed. However, all hope was not lost after their close friend and fellow restaurateur Martin Dell, his son Alan and son-in-law Fred Austin agreed to buy into the partnership. This occurred on the 100th anniversary of the store in 1988.
Fast forward to 2022, and the store is busier than ever with Alan’s son Jake, who joined in 2009 and is now the sole owner and in charge of all operations.
Katz is renowned for its pastrami sandwiches. The sandwich is the most popular item on the menu, and it’s no surprise. Pastrami slices in between two mustard spread pieces of rye bread. The succulent sandwich is an experience that all meat eaters should have at least once in their life.
The $26 price tag may put some people off, but for a handmade sandwich made with the best slices of pastrami the land has eaten, you will not be disappointed.
Another popular item on the menu at Katz is their egg cream. An egg cream is a New York creation involving either vanilla or chocolate sauce, milk and seltzer water. That’s sparkling water to us Brits. Despite the name, no egg is actually involved in the drink, which is a confusing concept. However, the sweet and fizzy drink pairs perfectly with the salty pastrami sandwich.
With the store being known all across the city, it has been visited by some huge celebrities. When a big name comes to visit, they are featured on a huge wall that stretches across the store, filled with photos of other celebrities.
Examples of people who have come to the store include Hip-Hop group Wu-Tang Clan, boxer Mike Tyson, former Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and the list goes on.
Talking about celebrities, the famous deli is also shown in the 1989 rom-com ‘When Harry Met Sally’ starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. The deli appears in the memorable “I’ll have what she’s having” scene, which has become an iconic moment in cinema history.
If you visit the store, there is a sign pointing to a table where the exact scene happened. So if you ever want to sit at the table and re-enact the iconic moment, it is advisable to come down early as peak hours are at lunchtime.
Katz’s Delicatessen is a New York City institution and is a place you should definitely stop by. With a location opening soon in Brooklyn, the Katz hype train is certainly not dying off and is here for the long journey.