NYC News
CitiEats: Brooklyn’s Best-Kept Pastrami Secret Defonte’s Delivers in Red Hook
February 22, 2025, 2:14.34 pm ET
Photo: Cititour.com
If Katz’s Deli is the undisputed king of pastrami, then Defonte’s in Red Hook—a Brooklyn institution since 1922—might just be its underrated rival. The Pastrami & Swiss here is a thing of beauty: a generous stack of smoky, spice-crusted pastrami (we’re talking well over an inch thick), blanketed in melty Swiss and finished in the oven until the whole thing is warm and toasty. But what really sets it apart? The extras. A hit of sharp mustard, the briny snap of pickles, and the fiery kick of hot cherry peppers take this sandwich from classic to next-level addictive.
Sign up for our newsletter !