National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day
Today is National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day, and this is the photograph I chose to mark it.
I’ve photographed classic pastrami sandwiches before, the kind wrapped in paper, stacked high, and eaten leaning forward so nothing ends up on your shirt. This time I wanted to look at something I see more and more often: the pastrami cheeseburger.
Pastrami began as a method of preservation, rooted in Eastern European Jewish traditions, before becoming a defining part of American food culture. In delicatessens, especially in New York and later Los Angeles, it settled into a familiar form: sliced hot, piled high, and served with little interference. The meat was the point.
The pastrami cheeseburger feels like a distinctly American evolution of that idea.
This photograph features pastrami cheeseburgers from P&G Burgers in Colton, California, a long-running Southern California fast-food restaurant with indoor seating, outdoor tables, and a drive-thru. You order at the counter beneath a wall of menu boards and pick up your food when your number is called. It’s not a deli and not just a roadside shack. It’s a full-scale fast-food operation built around burgers, fries, shakes, and pastrami.
Their claim, “Home of the Best Pastrami Cheeseburgers in the World,” is printed right on the building. Whether taken literally or as confident fast-food bravado, it suits what they’re serving. These burgers are large, heavy, and unapologetically loaded. Thick beef patties stacked with grilled pastrami, cheese, and a soft sesame seed bun, wrapped tight and meant to be eaten with commitment.
The cheeseburger version shifts pastrami away from its deli roots and places it squarely in American fast-food culture. Beef layered onto beef. Cheese added. Rye replaced by a burger bun. It’s less about tradition and more about appetite. Less about restraint and more about scale.
That’s what drew me to photograph it.
This image shows the burgers exactly as they’re served, straight from the counter, still wrapped, still spilling out. No styling, no cleanup. Just weight, texture, and excess. In that way, it still respects pastrami’s history, even as it pushes it into something louder and distinctly American.
On National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day, that evolution feels worth acknowledging.
More of my fast food photographs on my website in the gallery “Food From Bag To Background” at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
A Deli Icon for National Reuben Day and My St. Patrick’s Day Favorite
March 14 – National Reuben Sandwich Day
A true deli icon. My photograph of a Reuben sandwich—layered with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on crispy grilled rye. A sandwich with history, tracing its roots to early 20th-century America. Some say it was created in Omaha during a late-night poker game in the 1920s, while others credit Reuben’s Delicatessen in New York City. Either way, it’s been a staple for over a century.
And with St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, this is my way to enjoy corned beef, instead of corned beef and cabbage, which I don’t like a lot!
See more of my food photography and other intriguing photo projects at http://SecondFocus.com Thanks!
National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day
Today is **National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day**, and here is my photograph of New York-style hot pastrami sandwiches to commemorate the day. Stacked with smoky, tender pastrami on fresh rye bread and topped with vibrant yellow mustard, the essence of a true deli classic.
Pastrami sandwiches have been a favorite since their origins with Eastern European Jewish immigrants who brought this tradition to New York in the late 19th century.
Delis across North America have elevated the pastrami sandwich to iconic status. Katz’s Delicatessen in New York (established 1888) is renowned for its hand-carved pastrami sandwiches. Langer’s in Los Angeles (established 1947) is famous for its #19 sandwich, combining pastrami, coleslaw, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing. Manny’s in Chicago (established 1942) serves oversized pastrami sandwiches, perfectly paired with matzo ball soup. Schwartz’s in Montreal (established 1928) offers its legendary smoked meat sandwiches, a Canadian twist on the pastrami tradition.
To see more of my food photography and evocative imagery, please visit my website at http://SecondFocus.com Thanks!
Burger Box
Proud to share the latest in my Fast Food photography series. Burger Box, established in 1954, is the oldest restaurant in the Coachella Valley. A true roadside gem with outdoor window service that even featured a gas station back in the day. Pictured here are their iconic double cheeseburgers, cheeseburgers with pastrami, and freshly made fries, all grilled to order and served in simple brown bags. The taste and aroma bring back the nostalgia of an era that’s fast disappearing. Sadly, this beloved spot will be closing its doors at the end of the month. For more of my food photography, visit http://SecondFocus.com. Thanks!
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