Craving a Reuben? How about something with something other than rye? An Asian infusion? The Reuben is a textbook example of a sandwich that's greater than the sum of its parts, and these places go above and beyond.
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00:00Craving a Reuben? How about something with something other than rye? An Asian infusion?
00:05The Reuben is a textbook example of a sandwich that's greater than the sum of its parts,
00:09and these places go above and beyond.
00:12Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan has been in business for over 40 years,
00:16and that means they've had a long time to perfect their sandwiches. One of the things
00:20that sets it apart from other delis is the fact that their sandwich bread is freshly
00:24baked in the restaurant's bakery. In 1992, the restaurant teamed up with a trusted business
00:28partner to start up Zingerman's Bakehouse, a decade after opening the deli. The bakery
00:32uses organic wheat flour, rye, and other grains that are grown in the Great Lakes state,
00:37along with farm-fresh milk and butter. It's Zingerman's attention to detail and dedication
00:41to fresh, high-quality ingredients that make its Reubens one of the best in the country.
00:45Zingerman's Reuben is served with corned beef, Swiss Emmental cheese, sauerkraut,
00:50and homemade Russian dressing, all loaded onto hand-sliced grilled Jewish rye bread
00:54that comes fresh from its own bakery. Nothing is perfect in life,
00:57but the Reuben at Zingerman's comes pretty close. For those feeling adventurous,
01:01the deli has some surprisingly unconventional offerings on the menu,
01:04like the Brooklyn Reuben that's made with pastrami and served on pumpernickel bread.
01:09It's never about the reputation, it's always about the quality of the product and the quality
01:13of the experience."
01:14Established in 1915, Atman's Deli has since become an iconic stop along Baltimore's famed
01:20Corned Beef Row. For those unaware, Corned Beef Row is a section of East Lombard Street in
01:25Baltimore that was home to a cluster of bakeries, markets, and delis during the early 20th century.
01:30These days, the once-lively Corned Beef Row has reportedly simmered down some,
01:34with only a few historic posts like Atman's Deli that have withstood the test of time.
01:38The menu at Atman's is truly massive. There's so much on offer that each page will have you
01:43squinting your eyes like you're trying to read the fine print on the Declaration of Independence.
01:47But with dozens of high-quality classic and signature sandwiches,
01:50taking the time to thoroughly scan the menu and soak it all in is totally worth it.
01:54The Corned Beef Reuben is served with the usual condiments and trimmings that you'd expect,
01:58but it's generously stacked with expert precision. The secret? It's all in the corned beef, which is,
02:04as you might expect, a specialty. Decades of customers have praised the deli's tender,
02:08steamed corned beef. There's no doubt — here, you're in for a real treat,
02:12one that draws on decades of craftsmanship.
02:15Skipper's Smokehouse in Tampa, Florida offers a unique twist on the classic Reuben,
02:19and it starts with their inventive culinary fusion of the flavors found in Florida,
02:23Louisiana, and the Caribbean. As you can imagine, the offerings at Skipper's Smokehouse look a lot
02:28different from the ones you'll find at a traditional deli. The grouper Reuben switches
02:32out the corned beef for freshly blackened fish. And while that may sound a bit bizarre to some
02:36of you, you should know that professional food guru Adam Richman absolutely loves it.
02:41Those with a more adventurous appetite will be pleasantly surprised to see some
02:45other dishes on the menu, like smoked gator ribs, crawdaddy mac and cheese,
02:49and fried gator tail. True to form, Skipper's blends regional cuisines to great success,
02:54adding inventive twists on classic dishes that are mouth-watering and surprisingly delicious.
02:59Chicago is famous for a lot of things, but when it comes to delis,
03:02Manny's is considered by many to be one of the city's best. Manny's has been in business since
03:071942, and it's safe to describe this place as a beloved, family-run institution that's
03:12been pleasing patrons since World War II. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner,
03:16Manny's has an enormous menu loaded with daily specials. Its signature sandwich is the Reuben,
03:20which comes with your choice of pastrami, corned beef, or roasted turkey, along with the usual
03:25Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing. Not only is the quality of everything
03:29in the sandwich phenomenal, but it's also generously piled up to form one monster of a meal.
03:34Those who can't decide between pastrami or corned beef might want to go for the Chaser,
03:38which features two types of meats, along with cheese, coleslaw, and a side of Thousand Island
03:43dressing. Breakfast lovers also might want to check out the Breakfast Reuben, which comes with
03:47two eggs, corned beef, kraut, Swiss cheese, and a potato pancake with a side of dressing.
03:52While sure, it might not be the healthiest way to start the day,
03:55sometimes you just have to treat yourself.
03:58A two-time recipient of the James Beard Foundation Award,
04:08Langer's Deli in Los Angeles has been in operation since 1947. Langer's Deli is best known for its
04:14pastrami, which is made in-house from the restaurant's original recipe and sliced by
04:18hand to order. The pastrami at Langer's is so popular that the restaurant estimates it has
04:23sold more than 8 million pounds of it since the deli opened up for business.
04:26But Langer's impressive culinary creations go above and beyond pastrami. Langer's interpretation
04:32of the classic Reuben, dubbed the Number 88 on its menu, comes with all the traditional ingredients
04:37except one — Russian dressing. While purists might protest that it's not a Reuben without
04:42dressing, hear us out. In this case, forgoing the dressing actually works in the sandwich's favor.
04:47The absence of Russian dressing puts the flavor of the corned beef more in the spotlight,
04:51since the lack of dressing makes it easier to appreciate the finer nuances and complexities
04:56of the meat itself. And there's a lot to appreciate. However, big fans of Russian
05:01dressing's zesty creaminess will be glad to know that it's featured in several variations
05:05of Langer's hot pastrami sandwiches, and you can always order some on the side, too.
05:10Kenny & Ziggy's in Houston, Texas, has been open since 1999. The restaurant is open for breakfast,
05:16lunch, and dinner, and the menu mostly sticks to deli classics but also veers into more
05:21experimental territory. Take the Ruby's Appetizer, for example, which fuses Asian
05:25dumplings with the traditional ingredients of a corned beef Reuben to delicious results.
05:30Prefer a Reuben to come in hot dog form? They have you covered.
05:33Or let's say you're not sure if you're in the mood for a Reuben. You might want to mix it up a bit?
05:37Try the Cloak & Dagwood, a sandwich that's heavy on the pastrami, cheese, and slaw,
05:41and add some Knockwurst, because why not? The Reuben's trademark flavor profile makes several
05:47appearances on Kenny & Ziggy's menu, and that means the hardest part is choosing.
05:51Of course, the restaurant offers the traditional Reuben sandwich,
05:54but it also serves it open-faced. Delicatessen purists may scoff at the idea of an open-faced
05:59Reuben, but the truth is that serving it open-faced is genius. Since the Reuben tends to
06:04be an inherently messy sandwich, spreading it out over a plate and eating it with a fork and knife
06:08makes perfect sense. Additionally, Kenny & Ziggy's really piles on the food. No one's walking away
06:13hungry. Between the tender corned beef that's cured in-house and the generous portions,
06:18Kenny & Ziggy's offers one of the tastiest sandwiches you'll ever encounter.
06:22Maybe get an extra one to go, and a backup for that one, just in case.
06:26Hi. Hi. What's wrong, buddy? Someone at work ate my sandwich.
06:33Jaime's is located on the northwest outskirts of Philadelphia, and it has been in the business of
06:38serving up delicious eats for more than 60 years. Jaime's serves breakfast all day and offers a wide
06:43range of dishes, including omelets, signature sandwiches, gourmet burgers, fresh salads,
06:48and Philly cheesesteaks. As expected, Jaime's makes mouth-watering Reubens and even offers
06:52them in a few different variations. The Reubens are served with corned beef, pastrami, or turkey,
06:57as well as the traditional Swiss, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and rye. For those who want
07:02to venture into the breadless territory, Jaime's also offers a Reuben on crispy potato pancakes
07:07or wrapped up in a flour tortilla. How about all that Reuben flavor on fries? They've got
07:12you covered there, too. And those who can't decide between pastrami or corned beef can always
07:16opt to have both by ordering the best of both worlds Reuben sandwich. Pickle lovers will also
07:21be happy to know that Jaime's has a pickle bar available. And honestly, does it get any better
07:25than a pickle bar? DZ Aiken's Deli in San Diego has been open for over 40 years, and it has
07:31gradually expanded over the years to become a highly respected, family-owned, and operated
07:36institution of deli delights. The menu is comfortably familiar as it serves breakfast,
07:40lunch, and dinner, staying true to tradition and mainly sticking to classics like simple
07:44cured meat sandwiches and other handheld fare. Interestingly, where the kitchen gets most
07:49inventive is with its dessert menu, offering up nearly a dozen different interesting milkshakes
07:53and a handful of creative ice cream sundaes and pastries. Back on the sandwich side,
07:57DZ Aiken's lists over an impressive 100 options, ranging from the classic Reuben to patty melts
08:03and club sandwiches. They've been doing it for a long, long time, and that old saying about practice?
08:08It does, indeed, make perfect. The Reuben sandwich at DZ Aiken's is generously stacked,
08:13lovingly prepared, and consistently delicious. Another thing we appreciate about the Reuben
08:17here is that there are five sides to choose from, which include potato salad or a fruit cup.
08:22If you're a fan of corned beef, you'll be pleased to see it featured in dozens of different
08:26combination sandwiches across the menu. The hardest choice is between ordering an old favorite
08:30or trying a new one. Sam LaGrasse's in Boston has been family-owned and operated since 1968,
08:36and it has a passion for high-quality gourmet sandwiches. Case in point? At Sam LaGrasse's,
08:41all the meats are prepared in-house, all dressings are made from scratch,
08:45and various types of breads are baked to the restaurant's precise specifications.
08:49Truly, attention to detail is king at Sam LaGrasse's, and our bellies are
08:53delighted all the more for it. Where the menu really shines is in its section of
08:56hot pastrami sandwiches. The Reuben at Sam LaGrasse's comes with house-made pastrami,
09:01Swiss, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on grilled pumpernickel,
09:04which pushes this Reuben into the higher tier. After you've tried the Reuben, go for the pastrami
09:08Diablo. This spicy sandwich will have you craving it on the daily in daydreams.
09:14New York's oldest deli, Katz's Delicatessen, has been around since 1888. And there's a good reason
09:20for that, which involves good food and a popularity that predates that infamous movie scene.
09:25I'll have what she's having.
09:27The Reuben at Katz's is the epitome of perfection. It consists of tender meat
09:31layered with gooey Swiss, crunchy kraut, and a drizzle of luscious dressing on deli rye.
09:36The standard comes with corned beef, but you can swap that out for brisket at no extra charge.
09:41The brisket is delicious, sure, but if you ask us, go for the pastrami instead.
09:45Chef and former Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern's go-to order at Katz's
09:50is a mixed blend of fatty brisket and pastrami, a sandwich he orders with such consistency that
09:55he claims the kitchen starts slapping it together the moment he walks in the door.
09:59If you've always wanted to try a Reuben from Katz's but you're way outside the Big Apple,
10:03no need to fear. The deli actually has a Reuben package that it ships out nationwide.
10:08This deal brings everything you need for four loaded Reuben sandwiches right to your doorstep,
10:13with two pounds of your choice of pastrami or corned beef, along with a pound of Swiss cheese,
10:18small jars of sauerkraut and dressing, and half a loaf of rye bread.
10:21Katz's gets major points, not only for its top-notch Reubens,
10:24but also for making them accessible nationwide for the masses to enjoy.
10:28And it's food, after all, that can bring us all together.
10:32"...home cooking! There's nothing like it in the world!"