Stacks of pastrami on rye, simmering bowls of matzo ball soup, crunchy pickles and, in the case of When Harry Met Sally…, a particularly orgasmic turkey sandwich: Jewish deli staples have ingrained themselves in both American menus and pop culture.
To celebrate them, the Skirball has mounted this exhibition of neon signs, vintage menus and other restaurant ephemera to tell a story of the 20th-century Jewish experience in America through the lens of the deli. Though the focus is national in scope (with quite a few New York institutions factoring in) plenty of L.A. spots get nods here: You’ll find a cash register, an old menu and a cigarette vending machine from Canter’s; matchbooks from Brent’s and Art’s; a jacket from Factor’s; a uniform from Nate ’n Al’s; and a 10-foot-tall neon sign from NoHo’s former Drexler’s.
If you come away hungry, you can pick up some pickles and bottles of Dr. Brown’s soda in the gift shop.