Is Katz's Deli Halal?

Katz's Delicatessen opened on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1888 and is one of the best-known delis in the US ^[2]. It is famous for hand-carved pastrami and corned beef, which it cures slowly in house ^[1].

Katz's does not claim to be halal. Its website talks about its curing method and menu, but it does not name a halal meat supplier or a halal certifier ^[1]. With no certificate and no official statement, the honest answer is "not certified." That does not prove every item is haram. It means no one has checked the slaughter of the beef for you.

Katz's has a second spot inside DeKalb Market Hall in Downtown Brooklyn, opened in 2017 ^[2]. The same answer applies there.

Many people assume Katz's is kosher because it serves classic Jewish deli food. It is not. Katz's is described as a "kosher-style" deli ^[2], and its own FAQ states plainly that it is not kosher ^[3]. Kosher-style means the menu follows Jewish deli tradition, such as pastrami on rye, knishes and matzo ball soup. It does not mean a rabbi supervises the kitchen or the meat.

So even Muslims who accept kosher meat should not treat Katz's as a kosher option. Without supervision, there is no guarantee about how the animals were slaughtered.

The question of whether kosher meat is acceptable for Muslims is itself debated among scholars. Our guide on kosher vs halal and our page on whether kosher food is halal for Muslims explain the main views in plain terms.

Pastrami and corned beef are both beef. Beef can be halal, but only if the cow was slaughtered the Islamic way (zabiha). The cure, smoke and spices do not change that.

Katz's says its corned beef uses a dry-cure pickling formula that takes about a month ^[1]. That tells you how it is cured, not how the animal was slaughtered. Katz's does not name a halal or kosher slaughter source.

If you want to learn more, our pages on pastrami and beef explain what makes these meats halal or not, and what labels to look for.

New York has several delis and sandwich shops that serve halal-certified pastrami and corned beef. When you choose one, use these steps:

1. Look for a certificate on the wall. It should name the certifier, the business address and an expiry date.
2. Ask who supplies the meat. A halal deli should be able to name its pastrami brand and its certifier.
3. Check the whole menu. A shop that sells halal beef and also pork products may share slicers and grills.
4. Don't rely on "kosher-style" or "Jewish deli" labels. As Katz's shows, these words describe the food style, not supervision ^[2].

If you just want a deli-style sandwich from a chain, see our pages on Jersey Mike's and Subway. Neither is halal certified in the US, but the pages explain where halal options exist.