Katz's Delicatessen

Katz's opens at 8am and the line is already forming. By noon it snakes out the door. This is not a tourist trap — every New Yorker goes here too, usually a few times a year, because the pastrami is objectively the best in the world and has been for 135 years.

Order the pastrami on rye. That's it. Hand-carved, piled three inches high, served with a pickle and mustard on a paper plate. Tip the carver at the counter (he'll slide you a tender first slice while he works — that's tradition). Find a table. Commit to the experience.

**Local tip:** The order process is old-school New York. You get a ticket at the door and don't lose it (there's a $50 fee for lost tickets). Line up at the counter for the meat, separate line for drinks. Table service is on the right side with a different menu — skip it and eat at the counter for the full experience. Takes 45 minutes on a Sunday, 15 minutes on a Tuesday.

**Best for:** Lunch, first-time visitors to NYC, anyone who hasn't had pastrami done right. Yes, it's the deli from *When Harry Met Sally*.