What pastrami queen does

Pastrami Queen is a privately held New York City kosher delicatessen operating four physical locations across Manhattan and Brooklyn, with heritage dating to 1956 when it was founded as Pastrami King in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The company relocated to Kew Gardens, Queens in 1998 and rebranded to Pastrami Queen before establishing its current Manhattan footprint. Its core product is hand-carved pastrami sandwiches produced via a multi-day proprietary process — meat is brined, seasoned, dried, smoked, then heated and steamed for 24 hours in-store — served on fresh rye from Orwasher's Bakery. The menu extends to corned beef, triple-decker sandwiches, traditional kosher dishes (tongue tip, kasha varnishkes, stuffed cabbage, stuffed derma), and newer additions such as hot pastrami egg rolls. The UES and UWS locations are Kosher-certified, while the Moynihan Food Hall and TimeOut Market DUMBO locations are not.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer restaurant model with three primary revenue streams: dine-in and takeout sales at physical locations, pickup/delivery orders routed through the Getsauce online ordering platform, and catering services produced centrally from the Kosher-certified UWS location and distributed via direct inbound (phone/email/website) and ezCater. There is no proprietary technology platform, mobile app, or disclosed data infrastructure; the technology stack is limited to third-party SaaS integrations. Customers are predominantly individual consumers (local residents, office workers, tourists, food enthusiasts), with a secondary catering segment serving corporate events, office lunches, and Jewish-holiday gatherings that benefit from Kosher certification. The company is independently and privately held with no disclosed institutional capital, and it relies on earned media, celebrity endorsement (notably Anthony Bourdain's 2016 and 2017 public statements), and heritage branding rather than paid advertising for customer acquisition.

Name

pastrami queen

Legal name

Pastrami Queen

Website

https://pastramiqueen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Pastrami Queen is a privately held New York City kosher delicatessen operating four locations across Manhattan and Brooklyn, selling hand-carved pastrami sandwiches, traditional deli fare, and catering services to individual consumers and event customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Kosher Delicatessen

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Dietary Catering (Vegan, Kosher, Halal, Allergy-Friendly) (HSACAGAH)

Keywords

• Kosher deli
• Pastrami sandwiches
• Deli catering
• Traditional delicatessen
• Kosher restaurant

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dine-in and Takeout Sales: Walk-in customers purchasing sandwiches and menu items at physical restaurant locations. Revenue generated from immediate food purchases at point of sale.
2. Delivery and Pickup Orders: Orders placed through Getsauce online ordering platform for pickup or delivery. Customers order remotely and receive food via third-party delivery or in-store pickup.
3. Catering Services: Bulk food orders for events and gatherings, produced from the Kosher-certified Upper West Side location. Orders placed via website, phone, email, or ezCater platform with 24-hour advance notice required. Delivery available in Manhattan.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pastrami Queen operates a New York kosher delicatessen selling hand-carved pastrami sandwiches, corned beef, triple deckers, cold cut platters, and traditional Jewish deli dishes at four physical locations across Manhattan and Brooklyn. The business also offers full-service catering for events and gatherings, with all catering prepared from the Kosher-certified Upper West Side kitchen.

Product overview

Pastrami Queen is a traditional New York kosher delicatessen offering a focused menu of hand-carved pastrami and deli sandwiches, triple decker combinations, cold cut platters, and classic kosher dishes. The product portfolio centers on signature hand-cut pastrami sandwiches (the core offering since 1956), complemented by corned beef, turkey pastrami, and tongue selections. Side items include jumbo knishes, onion rings, garlic fries, and health salad. Modern additions include hot pastrami egg rolls. Catering services for events are also available. The company operates four physical locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, with kosher certification at the UES and UWS locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hand-Carved Pastrami Sandwiches House specialty: hand-cut pastrami brined, seasoned, dried, smoked, then steamed 24 hours in-store and served warm on fresh rye bread from Orwasher's Bakery with deli mustard and garlicky pickles. For individual consumers and catering customers.
• Triple Decker Sandwiches Multi-layer sandwiches featuring combinations of turkey pastrami, corned beef, and pastrami salami stacked high. For individual consumers seeking a larger deli sandwich.
• Corned Beef Traditional deli corned beef, similar preparation to pastrami without the smoking step, served as sandwiches or platters. For individual consumers and catering customers.
• Cold Cut Platters Assorted platters featuring multiple deli meats for groups, families, and events. For catering customers and group orders.
• Traditional Kosher Dishes Old-world delicacies including tongue tip, kasha varnishkes, stuffed cabbage, and stuffed derma, available at the kosher-certified Upper East Side and Upper West Side locations. For individual consumers seeking traditional Jewish deli fare.
• Hot Pastrami Egg Rolls Modern twist on deli fare featuring hot pastrami wrapped in egg roll format. For individual consumers seeking contemporary takes on classic deli food.
• Deli Sides Classic deli side items including jumbo knishes, fried onion rings, fries with garlic chips, and sweet-and-vinegary health salad. For individual consumers and catering add-ons.
• Catering Services Full-service kosher catering for events, office gatherings, and family occasions including corporate lunches and Jewish holiday meals. Orders accepted via phone (646-689-2853), email ([email protected]), website form, or ezCater. All catering produced from the Kosher-certified Upper West Side kitchen with delivery available in Manhattan. Requires 24-hour advance notice.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TimeOut Market BrooklyncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 January 2024Pastrami Queen opened its first Brooklyn outpost at TimeOut Market New York in DUMBO on January 29, 2024. This represents a strategic location within a curated food hall market, giving the brand exposure to tourists and locals in a trendy Brooklyn neighborhood. The location marks a return to Brooklyn roots, as the company originally operated as Pastrami King in Williamsburg.
• Orwasher's BakeryminorOthersSupplier of fresh rye bread served at Pastrami Queen. Located up the street from the Upper East Side location. Critical ingredient partner for the authentic deli experience.
• ezCaterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party catering platform through which Pastrami Queen accepts catering orders. Customers can order catering via the ezCater website for brand/pastrami-queen.
• JRM Construction ManagementminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction management firm that handled the build-out and construction of the Moynihan Food Hall location. Photos and project details documented on JRM's website.
• GetsaucecoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline ordering platform (getsauce.com) powering pickup and delivery orders for Pastrami Queen locations. The company provides integration links on its website for ordering from UES and Moynihan locations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Katz's Delicatessen: Iconic NYC delicatessen specializing in hand-carved pastrami and kosher-style deli fare; the most direct competitor and the brand Bourdain explicitly pairs with Pastrami Queen as NYC's best pastrami.
• 2nd Ave Deli: Kosher-certified Jewish deli in Manhattan serving pastrami, corned beef, and traditional dishes like kasha varnishkes and stuffed cabbage — direct overlap with Pastrami Queen's Kosher menu and heritage positioning.
• Mile End Delicatessen: Brooklyn-based Jewish-deli-inspired sandwich shop with multiple NYC locations serving hand-sliced smoked meat sandwiches and traditional sides; directly comparable craft sandwich model and multi-store footprint.
• Frankel's Delicatessen: Brooklyn Jewish delicatessen serving pastrami, corned beef, smoked meat and catering from a Greenpoint commissary — closely overlapping catering offering and Greenpoint/Williamsburg geography.
• Sarge's Delicatessen: Long-standing Murray Hill NYC deli serving traditional Jewish deli fare including pastrami sandwiches and catering; comparable product mix and catering-driven revenue model.
• Ben's Kosher Delicatessen: Established multi-location kosher deli chain with NYC and Long Island presence; closest scaled, multi-store Kosher direct competitor and a useful benchmark for off-premise Kosher catering.
• Liebman's Deli: Riverdale, Bronx kosher deli specializing in hand-sliced pastrami and smoked meat sandwiches with catering — comparable Kosher positioning and pastrami-centric menu.
• B&W Deli: Brooklyn Jewish-style delicatessen serving pastrami and traditional deli fare from a single physical location; comparable product offering in adjacent Brooklyn geography.

Broad incumbents

• Russ & Daughters: Iconic NYC Jewish 'appetizing' shop specializing in smoked fish, bagels and caviar; adjacent heritage Jewish food brand sharing cultural positioning, NYC tourist foot traffic, and catering/corporate gifting channels.

Emerging players

• Ess-a-Bagel: Manhattan bagel-and-sandwich shop with catering for events and corporate accounts; partial overlap via Kosher-leaning menu, premium positioning, and Manhattan delivery/catering channels.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pastrami-queen-deli

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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