As most deli fans will tell you, outside of the Lower East Side of New York, pickins can be slim. Fortunately, Greater Boston has a bastion for beef that some say tops the best of Brooklyn.
Located just a few miles from downtown in the Jewish enclave of Brookline, Michael’s Deli is a suburban jewel that has been giving locals and visitors alike an authentic taste of deli for nearly 50 years. Started by Michael Sobelman in the northern town of Marblehead, over the decades, Michael’s has come to be known as the “King of Corned Beef.” In 2011, it was taken over by long-time restaurateur Steve Peljovich, who had served in places like the Hard Rock Café and other chains for 20 years.
“In that time,” Steve recalls, “I found my groove in terms of what I really enjoyed about the hospitality industry and realized that having somebody 1,000 miles away dictate the way you should be running your restaurant wasn’t gonna’ work for me anymore.”
While the corned beef, turkey and tongue sandwiches are what first attract many customers, many come back week after week to see what “Krazy Knishes” Steve comes up with next.
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“When I first took over the deli,” Steve said, “Michael was getting three of his knishes from New York and only making one of them on site. Within a year or so of taking over, we began making all of our six standard knishes on site, and every week for the last 12 years I’ve made… Krazy Knishes, which are definitely not traditional…but are delicious and whimsical!”
While many of the knish recipes (such as the apple pie, meatloaf and even cereal-based flavors) come from Steve’s imagination, other adored additions to the Michael’s menu come from his Cuban-Jewish roots.
“Many of the traditional Jewish offerings had a Latin slant in my home growing up,” Steve explains.
From his abuela’s (aka bubbe’s) gefilte fish made with peppers, citrus and garlic, to his always popular Cuba-inspired knishes, to a “Juban” sandwich which substitutes pastrami for roasted pork (natch), Steve has done what he can to enhance the Michael’s menu while maintaining the storied legacy of the world-famous deli.
“Michael…built a reputation as someone who brought in the highest quality ingredients, cooked nearly everything on site and held strong to many of the traditions of old New York style Jewish delis,” Steve says.
In addition to inspiring his recipes, Steve’s family also raised him to be giving.
“They instilled in me the belief that it’s important no matter what you do to give back to those who helped you along the way,” he explains. “In my case, my community has supported me from the get-go, so it’s important to me to be a responsible member of that community and help out in the ways that I can.”
Thanks to his “Do Good Mondays” and other programs, Steve regularly donates food and proceeds to local food pantries, teen and senior centers, and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, which he has been supporting since he was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 19.
“If not for cancer research and new methods of treatment,” he says gratefully, “I can honestly say I would not be answering these questions right now.”
Grateful to be alive and doing what he loves, Steve says one of the best parts of his job is meeting and serving people every day.
“I look forward to first-time guests,” he says, noting the importance of welcoming (and feeding) guests in both his Jewish and Cuban backgrounds. “I love meeting new people and creating a deli experience for them… My favorite thing is getting to know the people that come into my business and having them leave with a memory of not just high-quality food, but a feeling of true hospitality that they encountered, and maybe even a memory of the deli that they went into as a child with their parents and grandparents.”
