# Can you get a Reuben in a delicatessen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730 "2014-12-09T04:35:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/1 "2014-12-09T04:35:17Z")
I made Reubens for dinner the other night. I always associate corned beef sandwiches with delicatessens; but a Reuben isn’t kosher. Can you get one in a deli? ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/2 "2014-12-09T04:45:00Z")
What’s not kosher in your reuben? Yes, they’re definitely available in delis. The best Reuben I’ve ever had was a Jewish deli in Boston. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/3 "2014-12-09T04:47:13Z")
> [@BrassyPhrase](#): > > What’s not kosher in your reuben? The classic Reuben contains corned beef and Swiss cheese, and thus is not kosher (for combining meat with milk products). How do you make your Reuben? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/4 "2014-12-09T05:00:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > …a Reuben isn’t kosher. Can you get one in a deli? [Previous thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=26259) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/5 "2014-12-09T05:59:50Z")
Not all Jewish delis are kosher. The Parkway Deli in Silver Spring, MD (right off the northern tip of Washington DC) has ham, cheese, and other _treyf_ available, and is quite popular among Jews and gentiles alike. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/6 "2014-12-09T06:10:24Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The classic Reuben contains corned beef and Swiss cheese, and thus is not kosher (for combining meat with milk products). How do you make your Reuben? D’oh!! I forgot about the no beef+cheese thing! My bad! (I was just thinking that well, beef can be kosher…) I will never answer first again! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/7 "2014-12-09T13:06:58Z")
Every non Kosher deli has them (as does every diner). Every Kosher one does not. This is based on my experience of eating approximately 6000 pounds of smoked meats over my lifetime thus far 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/8 "2014-12-09T14:31:36Z")
Yes, some delis have Reubens on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/9 "2014-12-09T14:45:46Z")
**Johnny L.A.** , did you never eat at Canter’s when you lived in L.A.? They have a delicious Reuben! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/10 "2014-12-09T14:52:24Z")
It’s on the menu at [Katz’s Deli](http://katzsdelicatessen.com/menus/), along with cheeseburgers. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/11 "2014-12-09T15:15:12Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > **Johnny L.A.** , did you never eat at Canter’s when you lived in L.A.? They have a delicious Reuben! Only a few times, and IIRC alcohol had been involved. At the time, I liked roast beef on a kaiser roll; so I didn’t have a Reuben there. (Reubens are one of those things I need to be in the mood for.) ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/12 "2014-12-09T15:21:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > (Reubens are one of those things I need to be in the mood for.) I also need to be in the mood for a Reuben. Conveniently, I am ALWAYS in that particular mood. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/13 "2014-12-09T15:27:09Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > I also need to be in the mood for a Reuben. Conveniently, I am ALWAYS in that particular mood. I was more often in the mood for a pastrami-and-provolone sandwich from Sorrento Italian Market. ---
**Author:** ![Idilia\_Dubb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c2a13f/32.png) [@Idilia\_Dubb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idilia_Dubb)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/14 "2014-12-09T16:14:10Z")
> [@BrassyPhrase](#): > > What’s not kosher in your reuben? Yes, they’re definitely available in delis. The best Reuben I’ve ever had was a Jewish deli in Boston. **BrassyPhrase** , was it’s Ken’s Deli on Boylston Street? 'Cause they did a _mean_ Reuben. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/15 "2014-12-09T19:07:25Z")
Is it an acceptable practice for an observant Jew to handle, cook, serve, and sell (but not eat) non-Kosher food such as pork? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/16 "2014-12-09T19:19:55Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Is it an acceptable practice for an observant Jew to handle, cook, serve, and sell (but not eat) non-Kosher food such as pork? Here’s a higher level answer - [Ask the Rabbi, JewishAnswers.org » Selling Non-Kosher Food](http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-category/the-jewish-legal-system/business-law/?p=2895) But as with any good question about Judaism, the answer is “Maybe”. Handle, perhaps; cook, no. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/17 "2014-12-09T19:25:50Z")
From flyover country, the best Reuben in the town where Reuben Kulikofsky invented the sandwich can be found at [The Dundee Dell](http://www.dundeedell.com/) which is also the home of the largest single malt scotch selection in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/18 "2014-12-09T20:22:11Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Is it an acceptable practice for an observant Jew to handle, cook, serve, and sell (but not eat) non-Kosher food such as pork? They’d need a dedicated set of containers, cutting boards, knives, tongs, slicers, and a separate refrigerator/cooler only for pork products. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/19 "2014-12-09T20:59:41Z")
I was at a Kosher deli, and if you ordered a Cheeseburger, they’d bring you a slice on cheese on a little plate. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/20 "2014-12-09T22:57:11Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > I also need to be in the mood for a Reuben. Conveniently, I am ALWAYS in that particular mood. When not, I get in the mood when I’m near Rein’s Deli in Vernon, CT. [/shameless plug] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730.md?page=2)