One roast beef sandwich here gets BBQ sauce, white American cheese, and horsey mayo on a toasted onion roll. That combo sounds a little wild, and I mean that as a compliment.
Another version piles on fried onions, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, and peppercorn sauce. A third one comes on a salted, caraway-topped bun with a side of au jus for dipping.
What gets me is the backstory. The owner spent more than 45 years in hospitality before bringing East Coast deli flavors to North Carolina. His kids help run the place too.
So which roast beef would you grab first? I’d happily split two with a friend just to avoid choosing.
The Roast Beef Lineup Will Make You Rethink Your Usual Order
Three different roast beef sandwiches anchor the menu at Pastrami Tom’s Deli & Grill. Each one takes the same star ingredient in a totally different direction.
The Original Roast Beef starts with medium-rare roast beef and white American cheese. Then it adds BBQ sauce and horsey mayo on a toasted onion roll.
That pairing of sweet, smoky sauce and sharp horseradish is a bold move. It’s the kind of combo that sounds odd until you think about it for two seconds.
Toasting the onion roll matters more than you’d guess. A toasted roll holds up better under sauces and adds a little crunch to every bite.
Medium-rare beef also keeps things rosy and tender-looking. Nobody wants a gray, sad slice of roast beef, and this menu clearly agrees.
Picking one is the hard part. My advice is to start with the Original, since it shows off the house style in its simplest form.
Once you know that baseline, the fancier versions make even more sense. Think of it as roast beef homework, only much tastier than any homework you ever had.
Go Big With A Sandwich That Basically Brought Every Topping
Seven components. That’s how many layers stack onto the Ultimate Roast Beef before the top of the roll even lands.
You get roast beef and smoked provolone cheese first. Then come peppercorn sauce, horsey mayo, fried onions, caramelized onions, and sautéed mushrooms.
Notice the double onion situation? Fried onions bring crunch, while caramelized onions bring a soft, sweet richness. Using both is a smart way to get two textures from one vegetable.
Smoked provolone adds a deeper flavor than plain cheese would. Peppercorn sauce gives the whole thing a steakhouse kind of feel.
Mushrooms round it out with an earthy touch. All of it sits on a toasted onion roll, which acts like a sturdy little raft for the toppings.
This is the sandwich for a big appetite or a long morning. It’s also a great pick if you can never decide between toppings and want them all.
Grab extra napkins without shame. A sandwich this loaded deserves a little respect, and maybe a second hand on standby.
A Buffalo Classic Shows Up With Salt, Seeds, And A Dip
Western New York has a sandwich legend called beef on weck. Finding it in North Carolina is a pleasant surprise for anyone who knows it.
Pastrami Tom’s version uses roast beef, Swiss cheese, and caramelized onions. You can choose horseradish or horsey mayo for that signature kick.
Everything rests on a toasted brioche bun topped with caraway seed and kosher salt. That salty, seedy top is the classic weck move.
A side of au jus comes along too. Dipping the sandwich turns each bite juicier, so don’t let that little cup sit there lonely.
Fun fact: weck is short for kummelweck, a roll topped with caraway and coarse salt. The name sounds fancy, but the idea is simple and hearty.
Beef on weck pops up often in chatter about this shop. That makes sense, because it’s not something you spot on every Triangle menu.
Try the horseradish if you like heat that tickles your nose. Go with horsey mayo if you prefer a creamier, gentler bite.
The Pastrami In The Name Earns Its Spot On The Sign
Roast beef might lure you in, but pastrami is right there in the name. Ignoring it would feel a little rude.
The menu covers East Coast deli favorites like pastrami sandwiches, Reubens, and Rachels. Many of these come on toasted bread, so the crunch theme keeps going.
A Reuben is the classic deli heavyweight. A Rachel is its close cousin, often swapping in turkey or slaw, so check the board for the house build.
You can also build your own sandwich. That’s handy if you just want meat, bread, and mustard without any extras getting in the way.
Owner Tom Scheidler set out to bring East Coast deli flavors to North Carolina. He’s lived in the state for 18 years, so this mission has been brewing a while.
He partnered with Tridib Paul to make the shop happen. Together they brought big-city deli style to a small downtown block.
My tip? Pair one roast beef with one pastrami sandwich and swap halves. It’s the easiest way to taste both sides of the menu in one trip.
Morning People Get A Pastrami Bagel Worth Setting An Alarm For
Breakfast runs daily from 9 AM to 11 AM. That’s a short window, so sleepyheads should plan ahead.
The Everything Pastrami Bagel is the headline here. It mixes the deli’s namesake meat with a bagel loaded in everything seasoning, which sounds like a fantastic way to start a day.
Breakfast burritos are on the menu as well. They’re a solid pick if you want something you can hold in one hand.
Morning deli food has a cozy feel to it. It’s hearty without being fussy, and it fills you up for a full day of errands.
Got a weekend morning free? Swing by early, eat breakfast, then stroll downtown and come back later for roast beef.
That plan sounds greedy, and it is. But a special trip deserves a little ambition, right?
Remember that the doors open at 9 AM every day of the week. Getting there close to opening gives you the most time to decide between bagel and burrito.
Or just get both. Nobody’s grading your breakfast choices.
Save Room, Because Dessert Here Gets Creative
Banana pudding foster. Let that name sink in for a second, because it blends two classic desserts into one.
Bananas foster is usually a warm, buttery dessert. Banana pudding is cool and creamy, so putting them together is a clever twist.
Keylime Pie is also on the menu for anyone who likes tart and sweet together. It’s a bright finish after a heavy roast beef sandwich.
Grandma Madge’s Ice Cream Pie is another dessert worth considering. It’s another sweet option for anyone looking to finish their meal with something special.
Desserts make a great bargaining chip with kids, too. Finish the sandwich, then the fun part arrives.
The menu also offers salads and soups, including clam chowder. So you can balance things out a bit before that pudding shows up.
My strategy is simple. Order dessert to go if you’re too full, then enjoy it later as a reward for being so responsible.
That counts as planning, not overeating. At least that’s what I’d tell myself while grabbing a spoon.
Downtown Cary Makes The Drive An Easy Sell
Location counts when you’re planning a special trip. This deli sits right in downtown Cary, North Carolina, on a main stretch of town.
You’ll find it at 312 W Chatham St #103, Cary, NC 27511. That spot puts lunch within easy reach of a walk around the downtown area.
Cary sits in the Triangle near Raleigh. So the drive works well for folks coming from Durham, Chapel Hill, or beyond.
Pastrami Tom’s Deli & Grill officially opened in January 2026. That makes it one of the newer sandwich stops in the area.
Hours vary through the week, so check before you go. Tuesday through Thursday, it stays open until 7 PM.
Friday and Saturday stretch until 8 PM. Sunday and Monday wrap up at 4 PM, which suits a relaxed lunch.
A smart move is to pair your visit with a downtown stroll. Eat first, then walk it off, and maybe circle back for dessert.
Honestly, a roast beef sandwich is a great excuse to explore a new town. Cary makes that excuse very easy to accept.
Planning A Party? Let The Deli Do The Heavy Lifting
Feeding a crowd can be a challenge. Catering from Pastrami Tom’s Deli & Grill could make the whole experience much easier.
The shop offers catering services, which is great news for office lunches, birthdays, or game days. A spread of deli sandwiches tends to please just about everyone.
Imagine the roast beef lineup showing up at your next gathering. Okay, I said I wouldn’t tell you to imagine, so just consider it seriously instead.
Having burgers and Philly Cheesesteaks on the menu helps too. The Pimento Bacon Jam Burger alone sounds like a conversation starter.
Cubans and other deli classics add even more variety. That range makes it easier to cover picky eaters and adventurous ones at the same time.
Tom Scheidler brings more than 45 years of hospitality experience to the table. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, he’s spent a long career learning how to keep people fed and happy.
That background is exactly what you want behind a catering order. So when your next North Carolina get-together pops up, you’ll know who to call for the beef.