Ugly Drum

"Who says pastrami can't be barbecue? That's the question the Ugly Drum team is asking week after week at Downtown's open-air Smorgasburg market. The guys are doing some of the best pure smoked meat anywhere in the city, even if it is pastrami cooked low and slow, meaning diners should expect a long line for their next trip. Ugly Drum is the stuff that meaty dreams are made of. The place is known almost exclusively for its tender, smoky pastrami, cut thick and served in tall stacks to long Smorgasburg lines, but lately the group has been doing to-go and delivery service out of the Bludso’s space on La Brea. That means that now anyone, any day of the week (and without a wait, really) can queue up digitally for a tall stack sandwich that piles on a half-pound of pastrami along with Russian dressing, slaw, and Swiss cheese. It’s a deliberately bulbous concoction, perfect warming food for wishing on the cooler weathers of fall. And best of all, there’s no line. 609 N La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. —Farley Elliott This pastrami specialist from chef Erik Black rose to fame over the last few years at Smorgasburg, but is currently operating Mondays out of Cofax Coffee on Fairfax, plus nationwide delivery through Goldbelly. There’s steep competition in this town when it comes to great pastrami, but let it be known, Ugly Drum is creeping closer to the esteemed pantheon. If it’s your first time, the Pit Smoked Pastrami Sandwich is an obvious choice, which comes with smoky, half-inch thick cuts of pastrami, deli mustard, and bread courtesy of Bub & Grandma’s. That said, don’t miss out on the rest of their menu either - everything from coleslaw to the seasoned fries should be on your order, and if you’re feeding a big group, they sell pastrami and “uglies” (pastrami burnt ends) by the pound."