Wexler’s Deli

At the Grand Central Market stall on South Broadway, Wexler's Deli operates as a counter-service operation where the pastrami and smoked fish are made in-house using curing and smoking methods drawn from the Jewish deli tradition. The menu covers the core canon: pastrami on rye, corned beef, Reuben sandwiches, matzo ball soup, and a smoked fish program that runs from lox and smoked salmon through to smoked sturgeon. These are not assembly-line products; the emphasis here is on hands-on preparation rather than sourcing pre-cured product from a supplier. The location inside Grand Central Market places Wexler's within one of Downtown Los Angeles's most historically layered food halls, a building that has operated as a public market since 1917. That context matters: the deli sits alongside produce vendors and long-standing taco counters, which keeps the atmosphere grounded rather than curated. The format is counter service, so expect to order at the window, find a seat in the shared market space, and eat without ceremony. The late Jonathan Gold, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles food critic whose recommendations carried more weight in this city than any single publication, listed Wexler's among his favorites. That endorsement, noted by Metrolink's dining guides, places the deli within a specific tier of Downtown LA eating: places Gold sought out for craft and specificity rather than novelty. Pricing lands in the moderate range for Los Angeles, though individual sandwiches are generously portioned, which partly accounts for the cost. For anyone arriving from outside California, Wexler's represents a particular strain of American Jewish deli culture that the West Coast has historically struggled to sustain. The smoked fish selection alone, spanning multiple preparations, is less common in Los Angeles than in New York or Chicago. The deli does not take reservations; the counter opens to whoever walks into the market.