Michael’s New York Style Deli

Opens in Coolidge Corner

By Susie Davidson

Advocate Correspondent

BROOKLINE - On Wednesday, July 24, a bit of New York City arrived in Brookline. Michael’s Deli, which had been eagerly anticipated by the local community, opened its doors, and the corned beef began to fly off the counter and out the door. “People were waiting a half hour in line that day, and two hours later, they were back buying sandwiches for their friends,” says owner Michael Sobelman, who knows from the business. For 20 years, he operated Michael’s Deli in Marblehead, which he closed last year, aiming to get out of the field (as we can see, that didn’t last).

“I missed it,” he says. “I realized that I needed the challenge and let’s face it, I love the food, and making people happy enjoying it.” In the interim, he opened a chicken restaurant in Salem, which was bought out six months later for the location and the concept (a high-quality type KFC/Boston Market model). He found that he could not stop checking out available storefronts, and decided that a Brookline/Newton locale would be ideal for another carnivorous venture. When Ringo Realty of Brookline called reporting that the Tealuxe location was available at 256 Harvard St., just by the Beacon St. and Longwood Aves. intersection (on the “Route 9” side of Beacon), he came down and observed the large amount of potential. “Between the pedestrian and the automobile traffic and the Green Line,” recalls Sobelman, “it seemed perfect.” He began a lease this spring, and commenced renovations in the 14-seat site, which took until now to complete.

Michael’s offers high-quality corned beef and pastrami which are shipped in from New York. His turkey breast is cut right off the frame and roasted fresh daily on the premises. In addition, deli staples include various salads, homemade whitefish salad, which sells for $8.99 per pound (such a deal), a chopped liver “better than your grandma’s,” he promises, half sour, kosher dill, sour tomatoes and other pickles, Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray, Cream and other sodas at 89 cents a can, smoked whitefish and Norwegian lox. Knishes are also trucked from the Big Apple. Breads are custom-baked locally, as are the chewy and crusty bagels, and include authentic rye, pumpernickel, bulkie, egg rolls, etc.

The corned beef? Over a half pound of meat, only $5.99, “and our Romanian pastrami is incredibly tender,” says Sobelman, who also proffers a large selection of take-out items and party platters, with both deli and smoked fish, for every occasion.

“The welcome has been awesome,” he says, “from the already regular diners to Bay State Federal Savings and Loan’s Ken Jaffe, who has especially gone out of his way to introduce me to locals, while the bank has extended their services over and above the call.”

Michael’s hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays until 5 p.m. and Sundays until 3 p.m.

“I’ve been building the business one customer at a time,” says Sobelman, who seems to stand and greet each one. If this is the secret to his success, he’s accomplished a lot already.

For information, call 617-738-DELI (what else, you should ask?)