These Popular West Coast Delis Rival the Classics Back East 

An elderly woman squeezed the arm of Martin McClanan, the CEO of Elephants Delicatessen in Portland, Oregon, and gave him a word of advice: Don’t ever mess with the Mama Leone’s chicken soup recipe.

“I didn’t realize a 90-year-old could have such strength!” McClanan says. 

It may be surprising to spot an Italian soup on a deli menu, but loyal customers like this show how a growing number of West Coast delis blend tradition with unexpected twists, inspiring the kind of devotion usually reserved for institutions back East.

When 2.5 million Jewish people immigrated to New York City between 1880 and 1920, about 60 percent found themselves on the Lower East Side. For decades, beloved neighborhood delis like Katz’s and Zabar’s have sold fresh bagels and lox and hot pastrami on rye to eager customers. 

Even in sprawling, car-centric cities, West Coast delis continue to foster tight-knit communities connecting around bowls of matzo ball soup and corned beef sandwiches. 

Langer’s, an award-winning deli in Los Angeles, carries that tradition out West. Founded in 1947 by Al Langer, who grew up hand-slicing pastrami in New York, the restaurant remains fiercely committed to its original recipes like the corned beef sandwich with sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. As one representative explains, it doesn’t matter what you charge “so long as the sandwich is the same today as it was in 1947.”

Langer’s Delicatessen Restaurant

While the pastrami still rests between two slices of double baked rye bread, the business has evolved with the city around it. In the 1970s, as Downtown Los Angeles struggled with rising crime, Al’s son and current owner Norm Langer pioneered curbside pickup so customers could stay in their cars while waiting for to-go orders. 

Elephants is less traditional, serving items popular items like Mama Leone’s Italian chicken soup and Korean fried chicken sandwiches, along with deli favorites such as their pastrami Reuben. McClanan attributes the menu to the smaller Jewish population in the Portland community and a “rugged independence about being the folks that moved West.”

Avery Stark/Grossman’s Noshery & Bar

Located in Santa Rosa, California, Grossman’s Noshery & Bar blends both tradition and innovation, serving classics such as bagels and latkes with more unexpected fare like hummus, spinach salad, and elevated cocktails. In this way, it puts a California spin on the classic deli, says co-owner Terri Stark. “It was kind of an instant connection in our community,” she adds.

The only deli in town, it was immediately embraced by locals. Since opening their doors in 2020, Grossman’s has received tons of rave reviews—many of which mention their pastrami sandwich. “It’s so good it’s unbelievable,” one said, while another wrote, “messy but delicious. Our friend didn’t say a word as he enjoyed his sandwich. I think he enjoyed it very much.”

Courtesy of Elephants Delicatessen

Similarly, Elephants is a gathering place for multigenerational families of loyal customers. Love for Elephants spans across all ages, with customers often bringing in out-of-town loved ones to experience their go-to spot, McClanan says. Last year, one family even rented out their flagship store as their wedding venue.

“The brand becomes part of how a family expresses their values and their connections,” McClanan says. “And that’s pretty cool.”