Katz's Delicatessen Inc   

Simply put, a New York meal without Katz's is like a corned beef sandwich without the corned beef. Arguably the classic of all classic New York Jewish-style delicatessens, Katz's has remained virtually unchanged since its inception in 1888. The vintage joint is one massive tin and aluminum space, sort of a minimalist-Berlin-immigrant-grunge-chic in what used to be the quintessentially ethnic Lower East Side. Leave your pretension at the door, grab a paper counter ticket and head straight for the cafeteria-style servers. The food is traditional kosher-style, and anyone who's anyone (including former presidents, movie stars, foreign diplomats and neighborhood natives) usually orders a piled-high deli sandwich. Lean pastrami, brisket and hot dogs are of the highest order, and the corned beef -- cured, slow-dried over 30 days and hand-sliced -- is so luscious it'll make you convert religions. -- Yon Motskin