Langer’s Delicatessen-Restaurant

Langer's opened in June 1947, founded by Al Langer, and it still trades from the same corner of Alvarado Street and Seventh Street, opposite MacArthur Park in Westlake. It is a classic American Jewish delicatessen, with booths, a long counter and a menu that runs to dozens of sandwiches, soups and breakfast plates, but one item dominates the conversation.

That item is the No. 19: hot pastrami on double-baked rye with coleslaw, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing. The pastrami is thick-cut, peppery and tender, and the twice-baked rye gives a crisp crust that holds up to the filling. It has been praised by food writers for decades, and many Angelenos consider it the city's definitive sandwich. If you prefer it plain, a straightforward pastrami on rye shows off the meat on its own.

The rest of the menu is worth exploring too, from matzo ball soup to corned beef, knishes and deli breakfasts, but most first-time visitors order the No. 19 and a side. Portions are generous, so sharing a sandwich and a soup between two is perfectly reasonable if you want to try more than one thing.

Langer's has a long list of accolades, including the James Beard Foundation's America's Classics award in 2001, which recognises family restaurants with lasting local appeal. It is also a working neighbourhood restaurant, popular with local workers and families as well as food tourists, and the atmosphere is unpretentious and quick.

Opening hours are daytime-focused and can change, so check the restaurant's website or call before making a special trip, particularly at weekends. Curbside pickup is offered through the restaurant's online ordering service: you add your vehicle details and the order is brought out to you, which is useful if parking nearby is difficult. A visit to Langer's also gives a glimpse of a part of the city that many tourists skip. Westlake is one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in Los Angeles, and the streets around the park are busy with vendors and shoppers. Keep your wits about you as you would in any busy urban area, and you will find the short walk from the station straightforward.

The Westlake/MacArthur Park station on the Metro B and D Lines is right beside the restaurant, so it is easy to reach from Downtown or Hollywood without a car. MacArthur Park, with its lake, is across the street. Downtown's Historic Core is a few minutes away by train, which makes Langer's a good lunch stop on a day spent sightseeing in the centre.