1. Wexler's Deli
This is what single-minded passion looks like. Micah Wexler, who recently opened his soulful deli in Grand Central Market, has a clear vision of old-school Jewish deli food, and thanks to that he makes a praiseworthy sandwich. It's a classic rendition of bread, meat and mustard, made modern through an extreme dedication to top quality ingredients. Order up the O.G. (that's Original Gangster) - or the MacArthur Park if you're the type who likes cheese on your meat - and bite in to the thick, hand-cut, antibiotic- and hormone-free Colorado beef that's been long-smoked on-site over applewood. An aromatic layer of pepper and spices adds more flavor and texture to the supple meat. It comes with a choice of slightly spicy celery-seed flecked coleslaw or the irreproachable, creamy potato salad. The beautiful bread, made to Wexler's specifications in hearth-stone ovens at Etchea bakery; is not too thin or thickly cut and has a glorious, chewy texture and a terrific toothsome crust. Pull up a stool, slather on a little more Plochman's Kosciusko Mustard, take a sip of your Cel-Ray and then bite in to perfection, finishing the experience with a barrel-aged, lacto-fermented cucumber pickle. Mazel tov, Wexler's. You're doing it right. 317 Broadway, Los Angeles; (213) 624-2378.

By Rachael Narins