Best Deli in DC area?

[durian1388]

Any recommendations? I've heard good things about Parkway Deli in Maryland; can anyone confirm that's true? Also, any recommendations for decent delis in DC itself?

[juliusw8]

Mortys Deli on Wisconsin Ave is really good, great Matza Ball soup, and they use real New York meats

[stever500]

Finally drove from Gaithersburg (right up the street from Brooklyn's deli) to Deli City with my buddy from Laurel, MD. We were impressed with the gamey tasting meat on our pastrami/corned beef on rye with cole slaw and russian dressing sandwiches. There was another young couple there so on the way out I asked them what they thought and if they were regulars. They had driven all the way from Potomac, MD and it was their first time, too. They said they were from Long Island and LOVED this place. They added that I must try the 2nd Ave Deli next time in NYC instead of Sarges (where we tried last time).

Not sure I would drive this far again for a corned beef sandwich but it was a very memorable excursion and road trip.

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Deli City Restaurant
2200 Bladensburg Rd NE, Washington, DC 20018

[Gigi007]

One DC deli I recommend is Wagshal's. The hot corned beef is delicious.

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Wagshal's Delicatessen
4855 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016

[Steve]

I like Wagshal's, too, but are you saying they keep the corned beef in a steamer and slice it hot? Or do they warm it up in a microwave? Because I haven't seen them take a side of corned beef out of a steamer and slice it for you.

[dining with doc]

Brooklyn Deli off Darnstown Rd- Rockville/north Potomac is great. only open till 3PM. Best deli outside of NYC that I have been to. I got the corned beef/pastrami/cole slaw /russian dressing on rye and could only finish half. This from a nice Jewish kid native baltimorean

[DanielK]

I'm hot and cold with Brooklyn's. They definitely have the best rye and pumpernickel bread around. But I've had some mediocre pastrami and corned beef, and their cleanliness leaves a lot to be desired.

The best sandwich around is bread from Brooklyn's and the meat from Deli City!

[Dennis S]

As long as we're venturing into NoVA, I'd add The Deli in Herndon. More of an Italian style deli, it's super good.

I like Chutzpah, but am not ravenous about it.

[Steve]

Deli City
2200 Bladensburg Rd NE
Washington, DC 20018 Map
[phone]

This is a crummy looking dive, you won't believegood deli oculd come formhere.

I'm of the 'Loeb's is awful' camp, but it certainly doesn't cost much to find out for yourself.

Chutzpah has v. good pastrami. Fairfax, but also one located in Tysons Corner. They also make some excelllent concoction sandwiches like the fuhgeddaboudit sandwich with quite a few layers of ingredients including chopped liver and cole slaw.

[DanielK]

And this is where Steve and I always diverge, because I think Chutzpah's existence is a crime against humanity, and a vacant lot would be a better use of their space. Nothing I've ever had there was better than Subway.

[Bill on Capitol Hill]

Clarification: It's Deli City, not City Deli, in Northeast. And I think the corned beef there is far superior to the pastrami.

Loeb's downtown has the closest thing to the true deli feel, and it's up there with Parkway for variety on its menu, but neither is on a par with anything in New York. But it's not awful.

I also like Celebrity Delly out in Fairfax County near Falls Church. Good bagels and a good variety of New York-deli-style sandwiches, though the meats aren't on a par with Deli City.

[Steve]

Most of the food at Parkway is pretty bad nowadays, but I can't really speak of the deli meats.

The best corned beef and pastrami, hands down, is at City Deli on Bladensburg Rd., NE The combo sandwich is heaven-sent, even by NYC standards. Nothing else really comes close.

[durian1388]

Thanks for the suggestion! I've definitely been missing good, NY-style delis.

[DanielK]

One caveat on City Deli - the packaged rye bread really brings the sandwich down. They need to find a supplier for better bread. And it's just a carryout sandwich joint - not a full NY-style deli. Fantastic corned beef, and even better pastrami, but nothing else of note there.

Parkway in Silver Spring is ok, but it won't make you forget about real NY delis. It is, however, probably the best in the area.