Explore seven Bangkok spots for cured beef sandwiches, from wagyu pastrami and corned beef bagels to London-style salt beef and sourdough Reubens.

On London’s Brick Lane, thick slices of salt beef, mustard and pickles packed into a chewy beigel have long been reason enough to join a queue. The sandwich belongs to the East End’s Jewish food heritage, where traditions of curing and preserving meat became part of the neighbourhood’s everyday eating. What began as a practical way to keep meat before refrigeration acquired a following well beyond that original necessity.

Bangkok’s cured beef sandwiches draw on those traditions, as well as the generously stacked offerings of New York’s Jewish delis. Across these seven shops, salt beef, corned beef and pastrami appear in familiar combinations and less conventional ones: wagyu on sourdough, smoked beef cheek with honey, and a Reuben with shiso pesto.

The names need a little unpacking. British salt beef and American deli corned beef are close relatives: both are salt-cured beef, commonly brisket, cooked until tender. Recipes and seasonings vary, but the distinction is as much about regional naming and serving traditions as separate curing techniques. ‘Corned’ refers to the large grains, or ‘corns’, of salt historically used in curing. Here, it means sliced deli meat, rather than the canned product familiar in Britain.

Pastrami adds a different treatment. After curing, the beef is coated with spices, smoked and cooked until tender, producing the peppery crust and smoky flavour associated with New York’s deli counters. It can be made from different cuts, a distinction that becomes particularly interesting at DIEHARD.

The bread and accompaniments matter, too. Mustard and pickles keep the focus on salt beef; sauerkraut provides a sharp contrast to corned beef; smoke and spice give pastrami its character. Bangkok’s versions work with these familiar elements while finding room for their own choices of beef, bread and sauce.

Here are the 7 places making the biggest noise right now.

Smoked Joint by Chef Pam: A Weekend Pastrami Ritual

Weekend-only wagyu pastrami, brined for five days and smoked for 14 hours, served in generous slices on sourdough

Smoked Joint by Chef Pam makes its wagyu pastrami sandwich a weekend event. The shop says the selected beef cut spends five days in brine before another 14 hours in the smoker. Served on sourdough, it comes in generous pieces, dipped in its own beef sauce before being placed on the bread.

The preparation puts smoke and richness at the centre of the sandwich. Coleslaw and cheese sauce offer further accompaniments, although the beef is the main attraction. At THB 895, this is a substantial meal rather than a passing snack; the portion size makes the intention clear.

The sandwich is offered only on Saturdays and Sundays at Siam Paragon, with a stated limit of 50 portions each day.

Siam Paragon, G Floor Food Hall, Rama 1 Road, Pathum Wan, Bangkok. Pastrami sandwich THB 895; Saturdays and Sundays only, limited to 50 portions daily.

That Salt Beef: London as a Starting Point

Seven-day brined brisket meets Brick Lane inspiration, with mustard, pickles and a Japanese touch in Langsuan

At That Salt Beef in Langsuan, the method is deliberate. Brisket is brined with salt and herbs for seven days, then cooked slowly for six hours. The shop aims for tenderness without losing the meat’s structure, leaving enough texture to make each bite feel distinct.

The sandwich follows the same principle of balance: slices that fit the bread, fillings that complement the beef and enough salt to bring the elements together. That Classic Salt Beef pairs the meat with pickles, jalapeños and Dijon mustard. Salt Beef and Apple Vnegar adds caramelised onion, melted cheese and apple vinegar for a richer combination of salty, sweet and sharp flavours. 

London provides the obvious reference point, but the wider menu also has Japanese influences, including shokupan and sauces such as karashi mayo. The interest lies in how the shop handles the familiar sandwich rather than simply reproducing its Brick Lane counterpart. Its two salt beef combinations offer different ways into the same carefully prepared brisket. The shop is currently in its soft-opening phase.

G floor, Velaa Sindhorn Village, Langsuan, Bangkok. Open daily 9am-6pm; last order 5.30pm.

DIEHARD Thailand: Pastrami by the Cut

Choose your cut, from brisket and navel to its signature beef cheek, smoked for 24 hours for serious depth

DIEHARD Thailand makes the cut of beef part of the decision. Alongside brisket and navel pastrami, its signature beef cheek is brined for six days and smoked for 24 hours. Long cooking softens the cheek’s connective tissue, producing rich, juicy meat with a yielding texture.

Navel offers a different balance of meat and fat, while the choice of accompaniments lets the sandwich move in several directions. Dijon mustard, coleslaw, barbecue sauce and sauerkraut sit alongside options including Russian dressing, cheese and honey. The toppings are central to the deli-style construction, but the choice of cut gives each version its starting point.

Baby sandwiches contain 150g of beef and start at THB 420. Regular 200g portions start at THB 520 for brisket and THB 450 for navel. The signature beef cheek portion contains 320g and starts at THB 950. Prices rise with the selected toppings, so the starting figure does not necessarily cover a fully dressed sandwich.

Gourmet Market, LG floor, Terminal 21 Asok, Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok.

BURNT Bangkok: Thai Wagyu at the Centre

Thai Wagyu takes centre stage in this smoky, juicy pastrami sandwich, finished with honey mustard, pickles and cheese

BURNT began as a small sandwich shop at Block 28 before moving to a larger home on Ngam Duphli. Pastrami remains central to its menu, with Thai Wagyu giving the signature sandwich its identity.

Honey mustard, homemade pickles and cheese accompany a generous portion of smoky, juicy beef. The combination is familiar, but the substantial filling keeps the pastrami in focus. It is one of the restaurant’s best-known orders and an introduction to the comfort-food approach that extends through the wider menu.

Beyond sandwiches, BURNT serves roasted picanha, beef cheek and other comfort dishes, alongside coffee and craft beer. Those options make the restaurant more than a sandwich stop, though its Thai wagyu pastrami remains the clearest connection between its smaller beginnings and the current kitchen.

12 Ngam Duphli Road, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok. Open daily 8am-10pm; last order 9.30pm.

Two Men Bagel House: Corned Beef in a Different Frame

Wagyu corned beef, tangy sauerkraut and house-made sauce come together in a chewy bagel inspired by New York delis

Two Men Bagel House’s NY Corned Beef Stack brings a deli combination into the shop’s bagel format. Wagyu corned beef is layered with tangy sauerkraut and house-made sauce, bringing together soft meat, sharp cabbage and chewy bread.

The bagel changes the character of the sandwich without losing its New York reference point. It is a substantial stack, with the bread’s chew balancing the rich beef and sharp cabbage.

The stack is offered in limited daily portions at the brand’s Earth Ekkamai, Sala Daeng and Sukhumvit 31 branches.

Earth Ekkamai, Sala Daeng and Sukhumvit 31, Bangkok. Advertised hours: daily 7.15am-4pm; last order 3.30pm.

Pinki’s Deli: A Reuben with Shiso

A 120g wagyu Reuben gets a Bangkok twist with sauerkraut, wholegrain mustard, pickles and house-made shiso pesto

Pinki’s Deli gives its Wagyu Reuben a particular identity through shiso pesto. A 120g portion of wagyu corned beef is combined with sauerkraut, wholegrain mustard, pickles and a house-made secret sauce, with the deli’s signature pesto adding a Japanese accent.

The sourdough format distinguishes it from Two Men’s bagel stack. Sauerkraut and mustard retain familiar deli reference points, while the shiso takes the sandwich in a different direction. It is Pinki’s own interpretation of a Reuben, rather than a claim to a strictly traditional version.

The Wagyu Reuben was introduced as a limited drop, so availability should be checked rather than assumed to be permanent. The beef may be the headline ingredient, but the combination of bread condiments and pesto gives the sandwich its character.

Central Embassy, Earth Ekkamai and The Town Hall 49, Bangkok. Wagyu Reuben offered as a limited drop.

CRENN Bakery: More Than Seven Days in the Making

More than seven days of preparation goes into the pastrami, paired with sourdough, pickled purple cabbage and spicy Thousand Island sauce

CRENN Bakery’s pastrami sandwich makes time part of its appeal. The bakery says its brisket takes more than seven days to prepare, from brining through to baking, with the smoked meat, sourdough, pickles and sauce made in-house.

Pickled purple cabbage and  spicy Thousand Island sauce accompany the pastrami on sourdough. The cabbage brings acidity, while the sauce adds heat and creaminess against the rich beef. The combination keeps the sandwich relatively straightforward, allowing the preparation of the meat and bread to carry the greater part of the interest.

Introduced as part of CRENN’s monthly sourdough sandwich selection, it should be treated as a changing offering rather than an assured permanent fixture. A sandwich may take only moments to assemble, but CRENN’s version makes the longer work behind it explicit.

Ekkamai Soi 6, Bangkok. Also listed at CRENN’s Map Ta Phut branch in Rayong; confirm the current sandwich selection at each branch.

So, Which One Should You Try?

For smoky pastrami, Smoked Joint and BURNT offer generous sandwiches with the beef firmly at their centre. DIEHARD makes the choice of cut part of the experience, while CRENN pairs its house-made pastrami – more than seven days in preparation – with sourdough, pickled purple cabbage and spicy Thousand Island sauce. 

For corned beef, Two Men Bagel House brings the New York deli reference into a chewy bagel, while Pinki’s Deli gives its Wagyu Reuben a distinctive accent through shiso pesto. For the London connection, That Salt Beef takes the familiar combination of cured brisket, mustard and pickles as its starting point.

Across these seven spots, much of the work happens long before the sandwich is assembled. The differences lie in the cut, cure, smoke and accompaniments – details that give each version its own character.