Devine's Pastrami
The Brooklyn · north park · $$$
Hand-cut, 14-day cured pastrami on a rye that's lived several lives. Brown mustard, loud pickles, a longer line than you want.
The score
Pilgrimage
The basics
3001 University Ave
Open · closes 9pm
Pairs with
A black coffee or a bad decision
The pastrami counter on University is small, loud, and steam-filled, and the line is the line. You can't shortcut it. We've tried.
“I think about this sandwich during meetings.”
The bread
Local rye, baked dense, structurally serious. My cousin says it's the second-best bread on the list, behind Mona Lisa. I think it might actually be the best — Mona Lisa's roll is a star, but this rye is doing a harder job. It carries hot, fatty pastrami without giving up. We've gone in circles about this for two years.
The filling
14-day cure. Hand-cut, not machine-sliced, which means the slices have shape and texture instead of looking like deli rubber. Fatty in the right spots. Brown mustard with opinions. A pickle spear that crunches loud enough to embarrass you in a quiet room.
The people
A tiny kitchen. A glass case that fogs by 11. The slicer is operated by somebody who clearly has personal feelings about pastrami. The line is a feature, not a bug.
The verdict
This is the only spot on the list where I'll reschedule meetings to eat. My cousin says it's the only spot that ever made him cancel a date. He swears he doesn't regret it.