I’ve been lucky to spend my time in three cities, San Francisco, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Los Angeles. One of my favorite things on earth is a hot pastrami or corned beef sandwich from Canter’s Deli in Los Angeles. Canter’s Deli is the closest thing to a true New York Deli on the West Coast. breakfast, lunch, and dinner all served 24 hours a day. Beef brisket, Canter’s reuben, lox, gefilte fish, roast turkey, burgers, tuna melts, and more. Try Canter's bakery as well. I’ll bike miles through the streets of L.A. for a trip to Canter’s.
Ben Canter and his brothers had been manning the counter of their deli in Jersey City, New Jersey, for five years—familiarizing faces of regulars and catching their culinary stride—when the stock market plummeted in 1929. Like many, they were forced to scrape together the little they had retained, a mere $500, and head west. Los Angeles in 1931 wasn't a delicatessen owner's dream location, but they opened Canter's Deli nonetheless.
Yum, Yum - Not Just A Corned Beef Sandwich - A Corned Beef Sanwich On A Kaiser Roll From Canter's
Throughout the next 80 years, three generations of Canters would do their part to help the displaced deli fit into its Hollywood setting. They moved to their current location at the old Esquire Theatre, added a cocktail lounge named the Kibitz Room, opened a new store in the "O" of the Hollywood sign, and watched their doors open to a who's who of celebrities, including Marilyn Monroe, Jack Benny, Elizabeth Taylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Prince, and the band members from Guns N' Roses.
The one thing the Canters didn't tweak was their food; instead, they choose to help their West Coast clientele assimilate to East Coast staples such as hot corned-beef-and-pastrami sandwiches on house-made double-baked rye bread served with house-made pickles. Available 24 hours a day, the expansive selection of deli fare and baked goods has garnered an equally expansive amount of press, including the monte cristo’s designation as one of Esquire's Best Sandwiches in America.
Get Your Sweet Tooth On
As a microcosm of the deli's convenience and culture, the staff validates parking for up to 90 minutes in its parking lot, where muralist Art Mortimer's seven-panel collage-style mural depicts Jewish history in Los Angeles.
When traveling to Los Angeles don't miss Canter’s Deli.
Canter's Deli
419 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles
323-651-2030
About the Author: Nick Kontis is the founder of World Travel List
Nick Kontis started out as a world traveler at an early age traveling back and forth between California to Greece every summer. But it was a back packing trip around the world at age 24 that proved to be a life changing experience. After traveling by car, train, , plane, bike and, boat around the world, it would be this trip of a lifetime that would lead to a life as a travel entrepreneur and world traveler. Nick has been on both radio and television. Featured on Arthur Frommer’s television show, and referred by Lonely Planet writers. Frequently mentioned as the “father of around the world airfares” Arthur Frommer once said, “If Jules Verne were alive today he would use Nick to go around the world in 80 days.” Nick and his various travel companies have sent over 10,000 people taking their dream trip through airfare discounts of as much as 50% off the airlines published fares. Now Nick promotes travel through his World Travel List and ‘Trip Rambler’ by World Travel List. Having traveled to over 80 countries Nick hopes to inspire others to travel the world.
Comments
Thanx, Sam and Ashok,
Sam, I agree with you. Great Pastrami.
I often eat there when I make the drive into town. The pastrami can't be beat.
nice post and great information. Thank you
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