Pastrami is one of those foods made famous in the Big Apple, if not invented here. 

Katz's Delicatessen, the oldest deli in the United States, reveals that half of the 4,000 sandwiches they sell each day are pastrami-- and that pastrami, corn‎ beef and tongue were the only three sandwiches they offered when they first opened up on Houston Street in 1888. 

And according to the staff working Katz's counter, a real New York pastrami sandwich should be made with fresh rye bread that has deli mustard spread underneath both slices. And it has to be stuffed. Overstuffed, even. 

  Katz's uses about ten ounces of meat in each 'wich, while it's main competitor-- Midtown West's Carnegie Deli-- uses over a pound.

Sadly, like Manhattan rents, the price of pastrami has skyrocketed at these aforementioned well-known establishments and now costs approximately twenty bucks for a sandwich. (But hey, at least you get a pickle and slaw on the side, right?)

Now here are 6 reasons pastrami is and will forever be quintessential New York City. 

1) It makes your Jewish grandma happy when you take them to a famous NYC deli for pastrami

macjiperry KATZ'S...You're making my decision on best New York hot Pastrami sandwich that much more difficult #NYCpastrami #travelswithbutters #NewYorkCityeats

Yes, this makes them intrinsically happy. 

But more importantly, it gives them the opportunity to tell you about their childhood memories-- for hours on end, as they way-too-slowly eat those huge sandwiches.

2) Pastrami is a food prepared with the same, age-old recipe

nycmouth Had pastrami on Rye baby at @katzsdeli This is the best best best place to get sandwich in NYC, they are so delicious! A lot of famous people, movie starts went to this place! You definitely should go! 😋😋😋 - 📍 @katzsdeli (since 1888) 🌆 Lower East Side, Manhattan 🚶🏻205 East Houston Street, New York City, 10002 (corner of Ludlow St) - #katzsdeli #nycmouth #sandwich #eater #yelp #zagat #deli #nyfoodie #timeoutnewyork #topcitybites #lovefood #buzzfeat #foodbeast #nyc #eatingnyc #dailyfoodfeed #myfab5 #nycfat #food #macaronlove #sogood #tasty #foodporn #foodpornography #foodnetwork #foodgasm #foodie #foodpics #foodoftheday #instafood

New Yorkers take pride in foods that their city popularized and need to know that today's preparation is done in the "classic recipe."

3) A real pastrami sandwich features meat that is hand cut

___mliu Late night noms @carnegiedeli. Ended up here after making our cabbie do several rounds of finding some decent 24/7 places. #pastramisandwich #cornedbeef #pickles #since1937 #somethingismissing

A metal deli slicer is never used. You can save that for your Boar's Head smoked turkey. 

Hand cut means thicker slices‎. And that's real New York. 

4) Pastrami is great for the Paleo Diet (well, not on a sandwich) 

celeste_nabors This place is bomb. They let me do half a sandwich of hot pastrami and half corned beef on fresh challah. #arizona #chompies #challah #cornedbeef #pastrami #1000island #nycdeli #kosher #ilovesandwiches

These diet trends pop up everywhere, and definitely has a huge fandom in NYC. 

On both the Paleo and Atkins Diet, dieters can have unlimited amounts with mustard (along with the slaw and pickles), but absolutely no bread! 

And on the opposite spectrum of the nutrition world, nothing feels better than splurging on a huge pastrami sandwich and breaking a juice fast by eating the entire sandwich yourself-- followed by a knish!

5) Pastrami preserves Yiddish culture (and Lower East Side culture in general) 

meatandsupplyco #tbt Pops in front of the original family delicatessen in Harlem. #namesake #delicatessen #nycdeli #generalstore #meatandsupplyco #harryandidas #legacy #familyhistory #pastrami #pastramisandwich #throwback

To keep this tradition alive in an ever-changing New York landscape is special. 

[anad2]

Pastrami has forever been a food that's appealed to people of every ethnic background and social strata-- but especially real New Yorkers. 

6) As long as pastrami exists, so will the legendary delis 

iammichaelmarrs @katzsdeli, a NYC institution #landmark #nycdeli #architecture #nyc #deli #blackandwhite #marquee #lifestyle #follow #foodie #photooftheday #photography

As long as pastrami exists, so will the remaining five or six legendary delis in the five boroughs. Sad fact: just eighty years ago, there were about 300 delis in New York City. 

And if Katz's ever closed, there would undoubtedly be unruly riots on Houston Street, (most probably nicknamed "The Pastrami Riots") and we'd have to join right in.

Good thing we don't have to worry about Katz's going anywhere anytime soon, right? (And yes, we're looking at you, Brooklyn.) 

Check out 8 Delicious Reasons Why Street Cart Pretzels Will Forever Be Quintessential NYC.