Katz’s Deli New York’s #1 smoked beef sandwich! A century-old establishment frequented by US presidents, celebrities, and even Gorbachev.

Lacking lavish décor, Katz’s Delicatessen, a simple, old-fashioned century-old Jewish restaurant in New York, founded in 1888, has attracted numerous American dignitaries, including former Presidents Clinton, Reagan, Carter, Kennedy, and Roosevelt. Even former Soviet Communist Party Secretary Gorbachev dined here during his visit to New York. Countless other American celebrities have also flocked to the restaurant, no wonder the owner repeatedly lamented that the walls are already covered with nearly eight hundred photographs, and there’s no room left for more

In 1888, The Icelandic brothers opened a small deli called “Iceland Brothers” on Ludlow Street in New York’s Lower East Side. In 1903, Willy Katz joined, and the shop was officially renamed “Iceland & Katz.” In 1910, Willy’s cousin, Benny, joined, buying out the Icelandic brothers’ shares and formally establishing Katz’s Delicatessen. In April 1917, their fellow countryman, Harry Tarowsky, also joined the partnership. During subway construction, Katz’s Delicatessen moved across the street to its current location. This vacant lot on Houston Street (pronounced “House-ton,” after a Dutch immigrant of the same name) was piled high with barrels of meat and pickles before the current store was added between 1946 and 1949. 

Born in the Lower East Side of New York

In the early 20th century, the Lower East Side was home to millions of new immigrant families. Due to limited public and private transportation, a close-knit community formed, making Katz’s Restaurant a central gathering place. Every Friday, neighbors would come to enjoy hot dogs and baked beans—a tradition at Katz’s. 

Send your son in the army a salami sausage

During World War II, the owner’s three sons were all serving in the army, and the family tradition of sending food to his sons became the company’s slogan: “Send a sausage to your son in the army.

During the heyday of the Yiddish theater, this restaurant was always packed with actors, singers, and comedians from various theaters on Second Avenue and the Houston Street National Theater. Although the Yiddish theater era has passed, Katz Restaurant still has many celebrity patrons, whose photos now adorn the restaurant’s walls. 

Family business for over 100 years

The next change of ownership occurred after Willie Katz’s death, when his son Lenny took over the shop. In the late 1970s, Benny Katz and Harry Tarrovsky both passed away, and the shop was inherited by Benny’s son-in-law Artie Maxine and Harry’s son Izzy Tarrovsky, respectively. However, by the mid-1980s, the new generation of owners realized they had no immediate family members to inherit the business. In 1988, on the occasion of the shop’s centennial celebration, old friend and restaurant owner Martin Dale, along with his son Alan (then chef and manager of a neighboring deli) and son-in-law Fred Austin, officially became partners

Alan’s son, Jack, officially joined the store at the end of 2009 and is currently in charge of all major operations. 

Meat, their pride and joy

Every week, thousands of tourists from around the world flock to Katz Deli to enjoy the legendary deli’s delicious sandwiches, platters, and meats. But what truly makes Katz Deli so special is the people of New York City themselves, who have made it an integral part of the city’s culture and history. They enthusiastically spread the word, bring friends to try it, and even write books and make movies about it, always returning for a bacon and rye bread.

A long history alone cannot build a reputation worth boasting about, so they always insist on winning with quality. That’s what truly sets them apart. They use only the finest beef to make their corned beef, smoked beef, brisket, and other exquisite dishes. Their corned and smoked beef are cured using a slower method that preserves the meat’s natural flavor to the fullest extent, without the addition of any chemicals, water, or other additives to speed up the curing process.

Their finished products are cured for up to 30 days, while commercially available cured beef is usually cured using pressure injection (or “pumping”), completing the process in just 36 hours. Yes, you read that right, 30 days versus 36 hours. Now, which meat do you think tastes better?

Highlights

This place has also been the filming location for hundreds of movies and TV series. In one of the movies, “When Harry Met Sally,” during a meal, when they discuss matters between men and women. When it comes to climax，Sally couldn’t help but laugh heartily, attracting strange looks from many people. A woman ordering food utters the classic line: “I’ll have what she’s having.”