Best Pastrami Sandwich Joint in SF?

[kalikahuna]

6 mo. ago I moved back to SF after a 5 yr stint in West LA. While PPQ, Burma Superstar and my other assorted faves have made my tummy happy...I just now was overcome by a wave of hunger for a big ass pastrami sandwich that would bring me to the brink of cardiac arrest while a grad student in LA. I'm talking 6 inches tall, greasy, yummy authentic jewish pastrami sandwich on rye. I wouldnt mind some chopped liver and gribenes on the side to go with it. Where do I have to go!?

[Robert Lauriston]

Unfortunately you'd probably need to go to L.A. for that. Here's a discussion of various wannabes etc.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/349843

[david kaplan]

If your standard is Langer's, you've been spoiled. My favorite local pastrami is at Golden Gate Meat Co. in the downtown Ferry Building. Their pastrami is cut thinner and is fattier and juicier than Langer's: it's a totally different style though also very good.

Living in SF, there are four things on my cravings list whenever I go to LA : E. Hollywood Thai, K-town Korean, ramen, and Langer's pastrami, not necessarily in that order.

[Munching Mark]

While not a classic Jewish diner presentation, I have found AK's subs to be a good deal for the money...they have a location at 25th and Clement (decent meat counter there also) and one on Eighth Street (SOMA), that closes earlier...

[ML8000]

Oddly, you might try Lee's Deli with branches all over downtown. Will it be as good as Cantor's...no but it will be cheaper and they will toss on a couple of fist fulls of pastrami for like $4 bucks. If it's not enough meat, ask for more..another buck. Ask for it hot and it will be dripping with all that artery clogging goodness. Bread is okay. Might try Saul's in Berkeley. BTW, I thought Langer's p-sandwich was dry...too dry.

[Skunk2Racer]

You probally didn't order the hand Cut, FATTY pastrami....

[Deeg67]

I think Miller's East Coast West on Polk is pretty darn good for pastrami (flown in).

[Civil Bear]

I believe the rye is flown in (half baked), but the pastrami is prepared in-house.

[Deeg67]

Nope, according to the owner they get the pastrami from the East Coast. They do source the corned beef (never tried it) from a local family that's been making it since the 20's.

[Civil Bear]

Ah, I stand corrected. I remebering hearing something about the corned beef on "Check Please." I'm guessing they get it from Robert's Corned Meats on Bryant.

[sugartoof]

I tried East West yesterday, and the pastrami looked, and tasted identical to Boar's Head.

It also happened to be sitting in a case full of Boar's Head product, with a stack of other perfectly uniform pastramis (the corned beefs were the only naturally irregular meat there). I had asked before ordering, and they said the stuff wasn't the mass produced junk, but the flavor with what they served was unmistakable.

Maybe they did at one time import their meat, or maybe they use the Boars Head as a back up for when they run out each month, who knows....maybe they just mean it comes from a Boars head plant on the East Coast, since it originated in NYC?

[mrs bacon]

That is a sad report, indeed, as I recall Miller's used to fly their pastrami in from NY.

I'm from the Detroit area (a secret excellent Jewish deli destination, and I'm familiar with the coastal gold standards of Katz's and Langer's. Finding good authentic pastrami here in the Bay Area is a bit futile, I'm afraid. I had some hopes for the sandwich at Golden Gate Meats in the Ferry Building after reading positive reports here, but it fell far short.

That said, I'm never unhappy with my pastrami at AK Sub. It's my go-to place when I get a craving.

[sugartoof]

Luckily this is a great all around sandwich town even if they do fall short on a stripped down classic Pastrami on Rye, where there's nothing masking the meat, or even just Jewish style deli.

I've never tried AK Sub, but I was raised on Submarine Center. Who knows what kind of meat they use, because it doesn't even matter once they get done with it!

[nerdigrrl]

David's Delicatessen
474 Geary St
San Francisco, CA 94102-1223
4152765950

I forget how fatty the pastrami is here, but the sandwiches were piled high. They also have chopped liver, which my husband says is quite good. He thought David's is reminiscent of an East Coast deli.

[Robert Lauriston]

David's is intended to be reminiscent of an East Coast deli, but Miller's East Coast West puts more effort into getting the food halfway right.

[Lori SF]

Not like the LA standards of a few places but Marina Deli on Chestnut makes a pretty good one.

[margieco]

Morty's deli is excellent. Granted I had bites of a corned beef reuben but I suspect the pastrami is good as well.

[Robert Lauriston]

I'm not sure that's a safe assumption. For example, Saul's corned beef is much better than their pastrami.

[Robert Lauriston]

Wood Tavern's pastrami sandwich, while not traditional, is worth the trip to Oakland.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/490347

[Fog City Kid]

Not being Jewish, I think the best Pastrami in S.F. is at Tommy's Joint. Van Ness @ Geary...

[virtualguthrie]

I just tried the Pastrami @ Tommy's the other night. I really liked the flavor but the meat was pretty tough and chewy. I got the end of the brisket so it seemed like maybe the piece was just a little dried out. Is it usually a little more tender? I would definitely recommend if it's not usually this dry/tough. I will try again soon and report back.

[baron45]

I occasionally get the hot pastrami sandwich for $5.50 and can never remember it being dry or tough. But perhaps I always get it at lunchtime when there is a higher turnover rate as compared to dinner time.

[Fine]

I grew up in a family of sit-down comics (it was hard to get through dinner if all my uncles were there without choking or falling off the chair laughing at the corny one-liners): One oft-repeated motto: Good (fill in the blank) is good, but bad (ditto) isn't bad either.

I don't believe that holds true for pastrami (or, I suspect, other cherished ethnic favorites). Plus, it's too damn full of salt, fat, and other awful-for-you things to bother with unless it's wonderful and on great, preferably corn, rye. Mustard is up to personal taste (I like untraditional Russian Sweet-Hot). I also want great half sours (half-cured dill pickles--made in salt brine withou any vinegar--to the uninitiated), and fresh cole slaw and potato salad along side.

I like LA's Canter's a lot but still miss SF's Solomon's.