Langer's Deli

In Short
At the same location since 1947, this stalwart Jewish deli is now the anchor tenant in a neighborhood that's more shabby, less chic. Open only till 4pm daily, the clientele is usually a mix of power-lunching downtown execs and old-timers revisiting the neighborhood for a nostalgic infusion of cholesterol. Langer's pastrami sandwiches have achieved almost mythic proportions. Swaddled between two slices of seeded rye bread, the thickly sliced, hand-cut pastrami is spicy and smoky. With nearly a dozen variations on the artery-clogging creation, it's necessary to order by numbers. No. 19 is the most popular rendition--pastrami piled high with Swiss cheese and coleslaw. A surprising hit is No. 65's unlikely pairing of cream cheese, tomato and pastrami, because you can't really go wrong with pastrami this good.