Pastrami Queen Unites Deli Lovers With 'meat Ups' Across America

A Florida-based female operates a Facebook group pinch much than 2,000 members, organizing "meat ups" astatine delicatessens passim nan state — and shared her passion pinch Fox News Digital.

Ellen Fried's Facebook group, "Ellen Loves Pastrami," has a elemental ngo – to "find restaurants that still return nan clip to make their ain pastrami." (See nan video astatine nan apical of this article.) 

Fried, 66, grew up adjacent Atlantic City, New Jersey, but now calls Delray Beach, Florida, home. She's hosted "meat ups" – arsenic she calls them – passim nan country, from South Florida to Southern California.

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After gathering David Sax, writer of "Save nan Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye and nan Heart of Jewish Delicatessen," astatine a book signing, Fried decided to commencement her ain group for deli lovers successful 2009.

She besides manages respective different Facebook groups, including "Ellen Loves Burgers," "Ellen Loves BEEF Ribs, Brisket & Steaks" and "Fried Loves FRIED Chicken."

Ellen Fried, shown astatine acold right, poses pinch attendees of her April 2025 "meat up" astatine Ben's Kosher Delicatessen successful Boca Raton, Florida. (Ellen Fried)

"But nan pastrami group is nan 1 that seems to beryllium nan astir celebrated and nan astir edgy group," Fried told Fox News Digital. 

"Everyone likes talking astir their favourite pastrami and this spot is not arsenic bully arsenic it utilized to beryllium and blah, blah, blah, you know? So that seems to touch nan astir nerves."

Other "meat ups" person been held successful Philadelphia, Las Vegas and New York City, wherever Fried has built a "little contingent."

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"Years back, erstwhile we were increasing up, we didn't person to really deliberation overmuch astir wherever we're going to get pastrami," Fried recalled. "We ever had bully pastrami astatine nan section vicinity delis, but now it's harder and harder to find."

Jeff Lanigan, 78, told Fox News Digital he met Fried successful 2015 astatine Harold's New York Deli successful Edison, New Jersey.

Fried, opinionated astatine acold right, is shown pinch a group of different pastrami lovers during a 2020 "meat up" astatine Harold's New York Deli successful Edison, New Jersey. (Ellen Fried)

Lanigan splits his clip betwixt New Jersey and South Florida and said he tries to be arsenic galore of her "meat ups" arsenic he's able. 

He and his woman attended Fried's astir caller "meat up" successful April astatine Ben's Kosher Delicatessen successful Boca Raton, Florida.

"It's a societal arena and we conscionable emotion it," Lanigan said.

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So what's nan allure of this circumstantial deli meat?

"I do for illustration corned beef, too, but I deliberation pastrami has that other spicing level and it is simply a bully comfort food," Fried said. She added that it's "a batch easier" to find bully burgers passim nan country.

A pastrami sandwich connected rye breadstuff is shown during an April 2025 "meat up" astatine Ben's Kosher Delicatessen successful Boca Raton, Florida. (Jeff Lanigan)

"It's much intriguing to find nan pastrami."

Lanigan praised Fried for being "salt of nan earth" and helping to sphere deli culture.

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"She ever manages to find nan bully successful wherever she's at," he said.

It's a sentiment apparently shared by nan greater group of deli nutrient lovers, particularly erstwhile it comes to pastrami.

"Some group for illustration it fatty. Some for illustration it lean. Some group for illustration it spicy," said Lanigan. "There's truthful galore varying tastes for it, but everybody enjoys it."

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"Everybody goes and enjoys it. This mightiness not beryllium my favourite today, but it's amended than nan replacement of nothing."