Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant serves a full menu of Jewish deli classics, but its most popular dish is a pastrami sandwich called the No. 19. (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times) ...

Of course, such attention to detail does not come cheap. At the time of writing, a pound of Katz's pastrami costs $40, while a single pastrami sandwich costs $28.95.

The pastrami dip sandwiches of Los Angeles are their own breed of sandwich, built upon the New York deli pastrami sandwiches that gradually made their way west in the 1930s and ’40s.

Brent Reaves, co-owner of Smokey John's Bar-B-Que, makes the famed pastrami sandwich on Oct. 17, 2024, on the last weekend of the State Fair of Texas. (Jason Janik / Special Contributor) ...

Earlier this year, the New York Times selected Katz’s pastrami sandwich as one of “57 Sandwiches That Define New York City,” where it was one of 11 Jewish sandwiches on the list.

They say a lot of people don’t realize pastrami is brisket. This year, Smokey John’s is believed to be the first vendor in the history of the state fair to make its own pastrami.

While it’s on par with other iconic NYC delis — Sarge’s Deli in Murray Hill charges $31.45 plus tax for a Reuben and $26.95 for pastrami and 2nd Avenue Deli charges $29 for pastrami — many ...

Serving what many have called the country’s best pastrami sandwiches — and even “the finest hot pastrami sandwich in the world,” according to Nora Ephron — Langer’s Delicatessen ...

Al and Jean Langer created much of the sandwich menu that’s still found today, from the iconic No. 19 (his father’s formulation) to his mother’s pastrami with cream cheese and tomato.