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Katz’s Vegetarian Sandwich Is a Total Troll to Non-Meat Eaters

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It’s a mile-high cheese sandwich

Iconic LES deli Katz’s is known for its monster pastrami sandwiches — and apparently for vegetarians, it translates those mile-high meat sandwiches into mile-high cheese ones.

It’s been around for years, but on Thursday, a photo of it went viral on Twitter with the caption calling it an “abomination.” And no wonder it’s gained traction: The meat paradise restaurant looks like it’s playing a joke on vegetarians with this ludicrous looking sandwich.

“I assumed this was some kind of known deli quantity, but every American in the vicinity was like ‘What the fuck is that,’” user J.R. Hennessy, who posted the photo, wrote about the sandwich.

Turns out, the $11.95 sandwich is not a new item for the deli, which has been open for close to 130 years. Owner Jake Dell says that they put it on the menu about 15 years ago after requests from “vegetarians who insisted on a sandwich option.” With 3/4 pounds of cheese, all those slices of Swiss, Muenster, or America are equal to the same weight as the meat sandwiches.

“Personally, I think they’re better off ordering latkes and blintzes ... they're my favorite non-sandwich item we have, and quite frankly, better than a cheese sandwich,” Dell writes in an email. “But hey, the heart wants what it wants I guess.”

He says that not that many people order it.

Katz's Delicatessen

205 East Houston Street, Manhattan, NY 10002 (212) 254-2246 Visit Website