Katz's Delicatessen

The ticket-and-counter ritual that's been slicing pastrami by hand since 1888, unchanged and unbothered by time.

Grab your ticket, elbow up to the counter, and tip the carver before he even starts slicing—that's how you get the good end pieces. The pastrami arrives glistening and peppery, stacked absurdly high between two thin slices of rye, and it tastes exactly like it did decades ago because almost nothing here has changed. Expect a line, expect noise, expect to eat standing up if the room's packed—this is New York eating in its most unfiltered form.

Best for: First-time visitors, late-night cravings, out-of-towners who want the real thing