This old-school Jewish deli, standing across the street from MacArthur Park, is quintessential Los Angeles, yet it gives New York a run for its money where the matter of the world’s best hot pastrami sandwich is concerned. Langer’s famous No. 19—the most-requested sandwich since the 1950s—piles lean, spicy meat on crispy rye with Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian-style dressing. Langer’s has been assuaging transplanted New Yorkers’ homesick pangs with matzo-ball soup, fresh chopped liver, patty melts, hot sandwiches, cold fish plates—all the deli essentials—since 1947, and the rest of the population can only say “thank you.” Big bonus: If you phone in your order and tell them when you plan to pick it up, they’ll bring it to the curb and wait for you, with change at the ready.

-Christine Delsol