The Crown pastrami burger is a quarter-pound cheeseburger loaded with hot pastrami, lettuce, tomato, onion and Thousand Island dressing on a sesame bun.

Nick Katsanevas and brother-in-law John Katzourakis opened Crown Burgers in 1978, converting a downtown hot-dog stand and putting the pastrami burger on their menu. The dish itself was first served at Minos Burgers in Anaheim by James Katsanevas, who learned the build from a Los Angeles cook; Crown Burgers brought the Greek-American pastrami-on-cheeseburger to Utah and codified it. The hybrid (pastrami plus American cheeseburger plus fry sauce) defines Salt Lake's casual food canon. By the 2020s, seven Crown Burgers locations served the dish across Utah; Apollo Burger built a competing pastrami burger empire at a lower price point.

Where to eat Crown pastrami burger in Salt Lake City

3 editor picks for Crown pastrami burger in Salt Lake City, ranked by editorial score. All Salt Lake City signature dishes · Crown pastrami burger across every city.

  • Red Iguana

    Order A combination platter with mole negro and mole verde plus a pomegranate margarita.

    Red Iguana on West North Temple, the Cardenas family's Mexican room since 1985 and Utah's most awarded restaurant, runs the state's defining moles.

    DetailsDirections

  • Crown Burgers

    Order The Crown burger with pastrami plus fry sauce and a gyro on the side.

    Crown Burgers on East 200 South, the Katsanevas family's burger institution since 1978, popularized Salt Lake's pastrami burger at its Greek-American counter.

    DetailsDirections

  • Apollo Burger

    Order The Pastrami Burger with Apollo sauce plus a side of fries and a milkshake.

    Apollo Burger on Redwood Road, the Utah burger chain since 1984, serves charbroiled pastrami burgers and Greek-American sides, souvlaki included, six days.

    DetailsDirections

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Make it at home

Serves 225 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 2 quarter-pound ground beef patties, 80/20
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • 100g sliced hot pastrami, warmed
  • 2 sesame seed buns
  • 4 leaves iceberg lettuce
  • 2 slices tomato
  • 2 slices red onion
  • 2 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing
  • Fry sauce (50/50 mayo and ketchup) to serve
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Season ground beef patties generously with salt and pepper. Heat a flat-top or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until smoking.
  2. Cook patties 3 minutes per side for medium. Top each with 2 slices American cheese in the final minute to melt.
  3. Warm sliced pastrami in the residual fat in the pan for 1 minute. Toast bun halves face down on the flat-top.
  4. Spread Thousand Island dressing on the bun base. Add lettuce, tomato slice and red onion.
  5. Place cheeseburger patty on the bun, then pile warm pastrami on top of the cheese. Crown with the top bun.
  6. Serve immediately with fry sauce on the side for the fries.

Editor tip. Use deli pastrami sliced thin and warmed in the pan fat; the warm pastrami melting the cheese is the Crown signature.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy.