Langer's Delicatessen
Best Pastrami in Los Angeles · CA
The #19 has anchored MacArthur Park since 1947.
Langer's Delicatessen has been serving what many critics simply call the best pastrami in America since Al and Jean Langer opened it across from MacArthur Park in 1947. The secret is in the process — pastrami hand-cut and twice-cooked so it steams tender — and in the #19, the hot-pastrami-and-coleslaw sandwich on double-baked rye that made the place famous.
Now run by son Norm Langer, the Westlake counter has outlasted its neighborhood's ups and downs to remain a Los Angeles institution — and the 2025 Centurion Award winner for its category in L.A.
What they're known for
- The #19 — hot pastrami, coleslaw & Russian dressing
- Hand-cut, twice-cooked pastrami
- Double-baked rye
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Selection follows the published criteria; Langer's Delicatessen met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Los Angeles since 1947 — 79 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Los Angeles.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Los Angeles has kept Langer's Delicatessen busy for 79 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Los Angeles regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best pastrami in Los Angeles for 2025 for the hand-cut #19, a James Beard America's Classics award, and three generations of the Langer family behind the counter.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
The details, verified.
- Legal / trading name
- Langer's Delicatessen
- Category
- Delicatessen
- Founded
- 1947, Los Angeles, CA
- Founders
- Al & Jean Langer
- Location
- 704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057
- Centurion Award
- Best Pastrami in Los Angeles — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
Frequently asked questions.
What is Langer's Delicatessen?
Family-run Jewish deli across from MacArthur Park since 1947, home of the #19 pastrami sandwich and a James Beard America's Classics award.
Is Langer's Delicatessen award-winning?
Yes — Langer's Delicatessen is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Pastrami in Los Angeles, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best pastrami in Los Angeles for 2025 for the hand-cut #19, a James Beard America's Classics award, and three generations of the Langer family behind the counter.
Where is Langer's Delicatessen?
Langer's Delicatessen is in Los Angeles, CA.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Pastrami in Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Langer's Delicatessen
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Langer's Delicatessen (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear.
Own this business? Claim the listing for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.