pica deli (arlington)

[cabster]

Pica Deli on Washington Boulevard in Arlington has been closed for the past month or so "for renovations." But it doesn't look like much is going on there at all. Anyone know if this is place has just been abandoned or if it's really going to be renovated? I know it's nothing special, but I love a couple of their sandwiches as an alternative lunch choice.

[lmnopeas]

The sign has now been covered with a new sign. It will be the new location for Rocklands Barbeque. It looks like they are still moving the Pica Deli stuff out though.

[MikeR]

That's good news, I guess. I never really got into Pica Deli after they moved from Lee Highway, but I miss Rocklands after they moved out of the CarPool. This is much closer to me than the Rocklands in Alexandria, so I'm looking forward to checking it out.

[Dennis S]

Their Reston location is still open and doing good business, fwiw. Though I'm not much of a fan, especially with The Deli in Herndon.

On that note, there is now "A Deli" in Worldgate, though I haven't been or heard anything about it.

[dcs]

I was unaware of that as I do not get to Pica Deli much anymore. IMHO, it was much better when it was over in the Lee Heights shopping center next to Crisp and Juicy. After they moved and their original butcher died (Mel), they seemed more focused on the catering and wine bar than on the meats. I used to buy their butchered meats often. I am not even sure they still put any out. I stopped going after the third time they told me they had no homemade sausage and did not know when they would make more. Their sandwiches are still good, though, but I sure miss Mel.

[bacchante]

I could have written your post. I used to shop there every Saturday for meat. After Mel died, my trips slowed way down (luckily about that time, butchers started coming to the Arlington Farmers' Market), with only the occasional stop for a sandwich or loaf of bread. Also, I absolutely never saw Gabe or Donna around. I can't really say whether the quality suffered, but it never felt the same. I didn't even know they had a Reston location. I wish them well.

[MikeR]

I'll 'third' that. I used to go to the Lee Highway location when I felt like getting a really good piece of meat. After I gave Mel the instructions to make a turducken he was going to assemble one for me but never got around to it before he died.

There are probalby other shops and butchers that are on the same level, but I haven't tried to find one. They were so convenient.