“Katz’s Deli”

Alcohol-based Marker on Paper, 6”x6”, Spring 2026

#126: When Harry Met Sally…, 1989

 Among the many influential scenes throughout Rob Reiner’s directorial catalog, the Katz’s Delicatessen scene in “When Harry Met Sally” presents multiple themes of timeless preservation.
 It portrays a comedic story about the complicated dynamics between men and women, a subject that evolves throughout time yet remains eternally prevalent. It also magnifies a quintessential moment in New York City culture, capturing an “escalating” conversation in a bustling deli during lunch that encapsulates the city’s undying aesthetic, cultural influence, and iconic character.

 The backdrop of this scene features Katz’s as the thriving Lower East Side landmark with minimal alterations, which continues to represent the historical influence of the prominent immigrant community that developed throughout the late 1800s. Harry grips a half-eaten pastrami on rye, Katz’s signature sandwich, and one of the many staples of Jewish inspired fare. Pastrami was introduced to American culture through Romanian Jewish immigrants; a cured, smoked, and heavily seasoned meat, in which its name “pastrami “is literally rooted in preservation, affiliated with the Romanian verb “a pastra” and Yiddish “pastrame”, meaning “to preserve”.