The Best Of New York Food

The The Best Of New York Food deli sits one block from the East River at 150 Water St, where sandwiches arrive wrapped and stacked before lunch crowds gather. Mid-morning the counter already hums with orders ranging from pastrami on pumpernickel to shaved turkey on rye, plus sides like pickles and hot peppers that travelers swear keep them going all afternoon. Breakfast trays of bagels and lox slide across the same counter that later serves Reubens the size of small footstools, all under one low ceiling that seems to act like a speed bump for hungry footsteps.

Phone in hand, regulars dial (212) 952-1890 to chase down sides of potato salad or coleslaw that sometimes vanish before noon, while late-day stragglers slide in for paper cups of coffee that never run lukewarm. The neighborhood flips between bankers and tugboat crews within the same block, so the menu stays simple: hot pastrami, roast beef, and a rotating brisket that announces itself by the smell drifting toward the waterfront. No glass cases, no chalkboard specials—just a straight line of sliced meat ready to meet the bread.

From the corner you can spot the place by the steam rising from the sidewalk and the thin red awning that snaps in the harbor breeze. Grab the directions here to avoid circling the block and you’ll arrive before the sandwiches run out. The Financial District’s rhythm is all about minutes and deliveries, which is why this deli keeps the slicer running even when the sidewalk empties.