A classic-style deli opens in D.C. with fresh bagels and a bottomless pickle bar
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Meaty deli sandwiches at Mikey & Mel's. Photo: courtesy Rey Lopez
Mikey & Mel's, an old-school-style deli with homemade bagels and scratch pastrami, is now open near downtown D.C.
Why it matters: Two words: pickle bar.
Dig in: Brothers Harley and Aaron Magden aim to bring a classic, "Midwestern vibe" deli to D.C. — the kind they visited weekly in Cleveland with their late father (Mikey) and grandfather (Mel).
- The brothers transformed a Corner Bakery at 1828 L Street NW into an 80-seat eatery that'll open early with a big breakfast menu of homemade New York-style bagels and 10 cream cheeses, waffles, Bennies, hashes, smoked fish platters and "eggstraordinary" sandwiches.
- They'll serve lunch and nosh — hefty sandwiches, salads, matzo ball soup, latkes, kosher dogs — through late afternoon.
What they're saying: "It's been a passion project," Harley Magden tells Axios — a bigger spinoff of the original Mikey and Mel's Famous Deli they opened near Columbia in 2020.
So what are Midwest deli vibes? "Meats consistently made in-house," is a golden rule, per Magden. The kitchen turns out homemade pastrami, corned beef, bone-in turkey and more — heaped into classics (e.g. hot brisket) and 20 specialty sandwiches.
- Patrons can order sliced meats to-go from the deli counter as well as homemade salads (e.g. egg, whitefish), chopped liver, bagels, lox — all the classics.
The intrigue: All-you-can-eat pickle bar for just $2.49 (dine-in only).
- The spread boasts 10 styles, from classic half and full sours, to krauts, pickled beets and tomatoes.
Yes, but: Don't expect cheap eats all around. Given the cost of ingredients, scratch cooking and Carnegie-style portions, many lunchtime sandwiches clock in between $16 and $23.
- Overstuffed sandwiches can be ordered with a half-pound or three-quarters-pound of meat — or more wallet-friendly half portions ($11).
Prices are one of the reasons Magden says you don't see more delis in the city. "They're very labor intensive and the prices of good quality product fluctuate so much," he says. "They're tremendously hard to make profitable."
- But hey, the hard is what makes some delis great.
If you go: Mikey & Mel's Famous Deli. 1828 L Street NW. Open daily 6am-5pm (closed Sundays through mid-January).