Sal, Kris & Charlie's Deli

Named for the wife, the counterman and Charlie Gordon, who took the deli over in 1987 and earned it the nickname "Sandwich King of Astoria," this counter on 23rd Avenue has stacked cold cuts since 1940. Gordon's son John inherited the business after his father died in 2019 and still runs it. The order to know is The Bomb, an Italian-and-American cold cut hero piled with provolone, hot and sweet peppers, and a mayo-vinegar dressing. Locals have lined up for it for decades, and the counter opens at 5 a.m. six days a week.