Katz's Delicatessen
Best Deli in New York · NY
Hand-carved pastrami on Houston Street since 1888.
Since 1888, Katz's Delicatessen has been the definitive New York deli — a cavernous, ticket-in-hand institution on the corner of Houston and Ludlow where hand-carved pastrami on rye is still the city's benchmark. It is the oldest deli in New York, and after more than 135 years it remains family-run and stubbornly, gloriously itself.
The ritual hasn't changed: take a ticket at the door, order pastrami or corned beef cured and smoked in-house, and watch a carver slice it to order across the counter. Generations of New Yorkers, tourists, servicemen ("Send a salami to your boy in the army") and filmmakers have squeezed onto its Formica tables beneath a ceiling of hanging signs.
Katz's now ships its cured meats nationwide, but the Lower East Side original is the one that earned its place in the city's mythology — and the 2025 Centurion Award for Best Deli in New York.
What they're known for
- Hand-carved pastrami on rye
- House-cured corned beef
- Hot dogs, knishes & matzo ball soup
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; Katz's Delicatessen met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in New York since 1888 — 138 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in New York.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: New York has kept Katz's Delicatessen busy for 138 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by New York regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best deli in New York for 2025 for over 135 years of hand-carved pastrami, Lower East Side landmark status, and lines that still wrap the block.
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
- Katz's Delicatessen
- Category
- Delicatessen
- Founded
- 1888, New York, NY
- Location
- 205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002
- Centurion Award
- Best Deli in New York — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
Frequently asked questions.
What is Katz's Delicatessen?
Lower East Side delicatessen founded in 1888, still hand-carving pastrami and corned beef at the corner of Houston and Ludlow.
Is Katz's Delicatessen award-winning?
Yes — Katz's Delicatessen is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Deli in New York, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best deli in New York for 2025 for over 135 years of hand-carved pastrami, Lower East Side landmark status, and lines that still wrap the block.
Where is Katz's Delicatessen?
Katz's Delicatessen is in New York, NY.
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 Deli in New York New York, NY · 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 Katz's Delicatessen
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Katz'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.