The best pastrami in Sacramento.

Roundhouse Deli works out of an old building on Church Street in Roseville, with a walk-up window to order, picnic benches out front, and a speaker that calls each name when the food is ready. Diners describe the feel of an old train stop, with railroad memorabilia on the walls. Tri tip is smoked outside in a large smoker starting early each morning, and the tri tip tacos are the item most diners name first.

Pastrami comes second here, and it holds up. The Train Wreck sandwich puts fresh tri tip and pastrami together on one roll, and one diner who works nearby called it the best sandwich in the area. The hot pastrami and the Reuben get ordered together at lunch, and diners say the rye and rolls taste fresh. Fries come out crisp, and a red sauce and a Thursday green sauce are favorite add-ons.

Tacos lead and pastrami follows, so this is the stop for a mixed order. Lunch is busy, the staff keeps the line moving, and regulars are greeted by first name. Arrive early, order a pastrami sandwich and a tri tip taco.

The Pastrami Shop is a small counter in a shopping center off Sunset Boulevard in Rocklin, and the name is an accurate summary. The menu is short, which diners like, because the kitchen does a few things well. The room is compact and old school, and the owners are quick to make newcomers feel welcome.

Pastrami is the draw. Diners describe the meat as tender with very little fat, and the sandwiches as big. The bread is soft Italian that one diner said tastes close to a soft pretzel. Combo #2 piles pastrami with sauerkraut and homemade Russian sauce, and one diner calls it the best pastrami sandwich for miles around.

A few diners waited longer than expected for an order, so allow extra time when the shop is busy, and mention the bread preferred, since one diner received a roll instead of rye. Those are practical notes on a place some regulars visit almost every week. For a pastrami sandwich in Rocklin, this is the one to beat.

Rim's Deli sits on Hazel Avenue in Fair Oaks. The room is bright and clean, with indoor and outdoor seating, an old school menu board, and sandwiches made to order. Regulars fill the line, and the owner, David, is known to greet them by first name.

The grilled pastrami with provolone on white rye is the order that comes up most. Diners describe incredible flavor in the meat and fresh ingredients all around. The hot pastrami on a roll arrives stuffed, and extra pastrami and cheese are easy to add. The grilled turkey, bacon and Swiss on a large French roll is the other favorite, and the bread earns compliments on its own. Soup, salads and a mortadella sandwich round out the menu.

Some diners find the prices high for a sandwich shop, though others say the quality justifies it. Service is fast, and the line moves. Visit away from the lunch rush if possible, and note that online orders are picked up at the counter.

Bradshaw's Sandwich Shoppe is on Bradshaw Road, attached to a gas station and a convenience store. That setting surprises first-time diners, who then find the dining room larger than expected, clean, and staffed by friendly people. Food arrives in good time.

The pastrami sandwich is a favorite here. One diner orders it with pepper jack on Dutch crunch bread that is soft with a light crunch, and another called it a top pastrami sandwich in the area. Others ordered it on a sourdough roll and enjoyed it, although one noted a little too much mustard. Beyond pastrami, the Bradshaw sandwich, the chicken pesto, the Classic Club, brisket and salads all draw praise. Fresh bread and flavorful sauces are the common compliments.

Phone orders are not taken, so order online or at the counter. Some diners find prices on the high side, but regulars say the quality brings them back every week or two. For pastrami along Bradshaw Road, this is a good pick.

Roxie Deli & Barbeque on C Street runs like a neighborhood deli: order in line, pick up drinks and chips, and pay on the way out. Counter staff are friendly, and the hand-built sandwiches come stacked. Longtime diners say they have been coming for many years, often picnicking at nearby McKinley Park.

Turkey and pastrami together on a Dutch crunch roll is the classic order, and diners say it arrives stacked high. The house special pairs hot pastrami with turkey on fresh baked bread, and it impressed one diner who rarely finds a match for a favorite hot pastrami sandwich. The deli also smokes or grills one meat a day, with tri tip on Mondays, and the brisket sandwich is the most frequent recommendation. Meatball sandwiches and potato salad get mentions too.

Sandwiches are built by hand, so the line can move slowly at lunch, and a few diners have had order mix-ups. Allow extra time and say clearly what to leave off. For pastrami with a smoked meat sideline, this is the deli to try near McKinley Park.

Bud's Buffet on 10th Street downtown is a plain, old school sandwich counter where the meat is carved in front of customers while they wait. Diners describe a no-frills room with two window tables and a menu that has barely changed over many years, with some regulars lunching here for decades.

Pastrami shows up in several ways. Half a sandwich on wheat with deli mustard, lettuce and tomato is a regular order, as is the Big Bud with roast beef and pastrami and everything on it. A two-meat plate pairs pastrami with BBQ pork, and the lunch special mixed grill adds beef, pork and pastrami in barbecue sauce, enough for two. Dipping gravy takes any sandwich further, and diners add mashed potatoes.

The roast beef dip is the other star, and one diner rated it above the pastrami, so order both and compare. Lunch gets busy but lines move fast, and parking nearby is difficult. A half sandwich is generous. State workers downtown have made this a weekly stop for years.

DAD'S Sandwiches on S Street sits in a muraled old house, with a screened front door, a counter to order from, and a row of metal bar stools out front. Indoor seating is limited and outdoor seating is plentiful. Staff are friendly and prices are fair according to diners, who also note a good mix of people at the bar.

The Pastrami Mami is the order. Diners describe house-smoked pastrami that is moist and perfectly sliced, on locally produced bread, and one called it the best hot pastrami found in town. Another diner said a hot sandwich hit the spot on a cold day. The Blue Collar is the other sandwich that appears at the table, and a scoop of strawberry cheesecake ice cream finishes the meal.

One diner raised on New York style pastrami felt it did not match what they know, so expectations are best set on the house-smoked style rather than a deli-counter slice. Pickup orders can take about half an hour at busy times. For smoked pastrami on S Street, this is the one.

Tony Baloney's Submarine Shops on College Oak Drive is a longtime neighborhood sub shop. Diners remember coming as children and now bring their own children. They describe a small dive where the staff seems to know everyone.

Pepper steak is the top seller, and diners treat it as the headline sandwich. Pastrami still earns its own praise. One diner called the pastrami the best in Sacramento, noting soft bread, tender flavorful meat and a taste of the house sauce offered on the side. Another remembered the crunch of the toasted roll from decades ago. The macaroni salad and the old school spaghetti draw their own fans, and the menu also lists pizza, meatball subs and cold cuts.

One diner found a large turkey sub pricey and light on toppings, so pastrami, pepper steak and meatball are the safer orders. Portions are large enough that diners take half home. Come for the pastrami and add the macaroni salad.

The New Yorker Deli is in the back of an office complex on Natomas Park Drive, and diners agree it is hard to find. Signs near the back point the way, and a diner traveling through the area said the drive through the parking lot was worth it. Inside, the counter and walls carry New York deli signage, with limited seating indoors and more outside.

The King pastrami sandwich is the reason to go. It arrives large, toasted crisp outside and soft within, filled with ultra tender pastrami, and comes with a pickle and macaroni salad. One diner who measures every pastrami sandwich against a New York original called it the closest found outside that city, and another named it the best in Sacramento and possibly Northern California. A diner who dislikes sauerkraut suggests asking for it on the side.

Portions are big enough to share or split into two meals. Beyond pastrami, diners praise the Bayside buffalo chicken sandwich, the corned beef and the breakfast sandwiches. Prices run higher, and one diner found the pastrami salty, but most call it worth the money.