We’ll address Texas in a moment, but let’s first take a look at what has long been the standard line in food histories on pastrami’s roots in America. Most accounts point to one of two establishments as the first to sell pastrami in the United States.

But both of these origin stories have a few chronological problems. Katz’s Deli has long dated its founding to 1888, the year when two immigrant brothers, Morris and Hyman Iceland, supposedly opened a Lower East Side delicatessen called Iceland Brothers. It is said to have become “Iceland & Katz” when Willy Katz bought into the firm in 1903, and then just “Katz’s Delicatessen” in 1910. But city directories and immigration records show that the Icelands didn’t actually arrive in the United States until 1902, and Hyman Iceland didn’t open his original delicatessen on East Houston Street until 1911. (You can read a more detailed chronology of Katz’s Delicatessen on my website.)

We’ll address Texas in a moment, but let’s first take a look at what has long been the standard line in food histories on pastrami’s roots in America. Most accounts point to one of two establishments as the first to sell pastrami in the United States. One is Katz’s, the iconic Lower East Side delicatessen that’s as widely known for its pastrami as it is for that When Harry Met Sally scene. It’s possible that Volk had actually opened his shop back in 1887 and remained absent from the city directories for over a decade, but it seems unlikely (and perhaps even suspicious) that the supposed date of the transaction just happens to be exactly one year before the much-publicized 1888 founding date for its rival claimant, Katz’s. Most commentators note that Katz’s was founded in 1888, and, though no one seems to know when the store actually started selling pastrami, the general consensus seems to be that if they are so good at it now, they must have been doing it very early on.

It’s possible that Volk had actually opened his shop back in 1887 and remained absent from the city directories for over a decade, but it seems unlikely (and perhaps even suspicious) that the supposed date of the transaction just happens to be exactly one year before the much-publicized 1888 founding date for its rival claimant, Katz’s.

The second belonged to Sussman Volk, who emigrated to New York City from Lithuania and opened a butcher shop on the Lower East Side. One day in 1887, the story goes, a Romanian friend stopped in to ask a favor before departing for a visit to his home country. In exchange for storage of his trunk during his travels, the Romanian offered Volk the secret recipe for his renowned pastrami. Volk agreed, and he promptly started making and selling the meat in his butcher shop. It was an immediate hit, and soon customers were ordering pastrami by the slice and asking for bread to put it on. Volk took over the shop next door at 88 Delancey Street, put in some tables, and created the first New York deli.

One is Katz’s, the iconic Lower East Side delicatessen that’s as widely known for its pastrami as it is for that When Harry Met Sally scene. Most commentators note that Katz’s was founded in 1888, and, though no one seems to know when the store actually started selling pastrami, the general consensus seems to be that if they are so good at it now, they must have been doing it very early on.

But both of these origin stories have a few chronological problems. Katz’s Deli has long dated its founding to 1888, the year when two immigrant brothers, Morris and Hyman Iceland, supposedly opened a Lower East Side delicatessen called Iceland Brothers. It is said to have become “Iceland & Katz” when Willy Katz bought into the firm in 1903, and then just “Katz’s Delicatessen” in 1910. But city directories and immigration records show that the Icelands didn’t actually arrive in the United States until 1902, and Hyman Iceland didn’t open his original delicatessen on East Houston Street until 1911. (You can read a more detailed chronology of Katz’s Delicatessen on my website.)