About the Bistrami
Bistrami is the El Punto invention that fans drive across the Lehigh Valley for. Thin-sliced beef bistec is griddled with onions and pastrami, then layered with melted cheese on warm Italian bread. Lettuce, tomato, and mayoketchup finish it. The meat-on-meat-on-cheese build punches above its $12.99 price tag.
The name itself tells the story — bistec (Spanish for steak) crossed with pastrami. It’s the kind of mash-up you only get from a sandwich shop confident enough to write the wordmark across the menu and stake the brand on it.
What's in it
- Steak · Bistec
- Pastrami
- Cheese
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- MayoKetchup
- Italian bread
Origin & story
The Bistrami is a house creation, not a traditional Puerto Rican sandwich. It reflects the way sandwicheras in the diaspora blend Boricua techniques (warm Italian bread, mayoketchup, layered fillings) with Northeast deli staples like pastrami. El Punto has been serving it since the early 2000s.
Bistrami questions.
What kind of meat is in a Bistrami?
Bistrami combines thinly sliced bistec (Latin-style steak) with pastrami, melted cheese, and standard sandwich on warm Italian bread.
How is Bistrami different from Tripleta?
Tripleta has three meats (chicken, pork, ham); Bistrami has two (steak and pastrami) with cheese. Bistrami leans smokier and saltier; Tripleta is the more balanced classic.
Is Bistrami spicy?
No — it’s smoky and savory from the pastrami but not spicy by default. Add a side of Abuela Sauce if you want heat.
