A New Yorker’s deli order defines them just as much as the trains they take in the morning. “What’s your go-to bodega order?” was even asked at the 2025 mayoral debate. If you’re going to visit NYC, a city known for its sandwiches, you should take your cues from the locals. Here are five of the best deli sandwiches in the Big Apple, endorsed by professional chefs who live in the city.
Related: America’s Best Delis
Italian Special, Faicco’s Italian Specialties
Courtesy of ItalianEnclaves
“The Italian at Faicco’s on Bleecker Street is hands-down my favorite in New York City,” says 2006 F&W Best New Chef Jonathan Benno, culinary director of Four Twenty Five. This Greenwich Village deli specializes in cured meat and imported Italian goods. After four generations, John Faicco sticks to the classics. The Italian Special, for instance, has prosciutto, capicola, soppressata, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, and roasted peppers, all layered on fresh hero bread. “It’s almost big enough for two people, but it never works out that way.”
The Italian Combo, Sunny & Annie’s Deli
For 2025 F&W Best New Chef Telly Justice, chef and co-owner of HAGS, the perfect Italian combo comes from Sunny & Annie’s deli in the East Village. “I have a lot of opinions on what makes a great sandwich and I could write an essay about the complex simplicity of a Sunny & Annie’s sub,” she says. “They use the best bread, they slice the meat and cheese fresh to order, the vibe of the place is immaculate, and the prices are neighborhoody.” The sandwich comes with ham, salami, provolone, lettuce, and tomato on a hero, but Justice recommends adding hot peppers, as well.
Katz’s Pastrami, Katz’s Delicatessen
Katz’s Delicatessen in Manhattan’s Lower East Side has long been a tourist destination thanks to its appearance in the 1989 film When Harry Met Sally. And, according to 1997 F&W Best New Chef Dan Silverman, vice president of Standard International Hotels, its hot pastrami sandwiches are well worth traveling for. “My favorite deli sandwich is and always will be pastrami on seeded rye with extra pickles at Katz’s,” he says.
Katz’s is among the oldest Jewish delis in New York City — the iconic spot has been curing, brining, and smoking its pastrami in-house since 1888. The sandwiches are simple: a hefty amount of hot, fresh, thick-cut pastrami on seeded rye with a smear of mustard, always served with a side of dill pickles. “The pastrami is smoky, peppery, and piled so high it defies gravity,” says 1999 F&W Best New Chef Rocco DiSpirito. “And guaranteed to leave mustard on your shirt.”
Classic Banh Mi, Saigon Social
Courtesy of Saigon Social
Sure, the banh mi from Saigon Social, a Vietnamese restaurant in the Lower East Side, isn’t technically a deli sandwich, but if 1988 F&W Best New Chef Daniel Boulud praises it as his favorite, we simply have to include it on this list. “It’s bright, bold, perfectly balanced, and every element hits its mark,” he says. “From the crackly, airy baguette to the richness of the chicken liver pâté, and the layers of Vietnamese ham and head cheese, it’s just an incredible combination. And then you’ve got the pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro, mayo, and jalapeño bringing it all together with that perfect, tangy, creamy, spicy bite.”
Related: Daniel Boulud’s Ultimate Guide to Eating in New York City
Bacon, egg and cheese, the local bodega
You’d be hard pressed to find a New Yorker who doesn’t love starting their mornings with a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on a kaiser roll (aka “hard roll”). But which deli makes it best? According to chefs, it’s whichever deli is closest. “You can get it on almost every block and it is the perfect sandwich for all occasions,” says 2022 F&W Best New Chef Calvin Eng, chef and owner of Bonnie’s. He usually gets his BEC at Hana Food in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Sydell Group culinary director and 2015 F&W Best New Chef Bryce Shuman visits his local bodega on 23rd and Madison Square Park. “I’ll order a bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll with ketchup and hot sauce. Unbelievable.”
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