There is a New Deli in Town

By Connect2Mason Reporter Lauren Jost

On a snowy March day, most of Fairfax County is coping with the gripes of winter: shoveling sidewalks, de-icing cars, and salting roads. But a small delicatessen on the corner of School St. and Chain Bridge Road is busy making bacon, fresh French bread and corned beef. This is Bernie’s Delicatessen.

Once a run-down convenience store, this renovated deli is the baby of proud new owners Bernie and Leah Socha. Delicatessens have been in Bernie’s life for some time; he co-owned Wagshal’s Deli next to American University in Washington, D.C.

But after nearly two decades of a commute over the 14th Street Bridge, Bernie and his wife Leah, nicknamed “Momma Soch” by employees, have taken on a new entrepreneurial endeavor – a shop closer to home.

“We call her Mama because she acts like everyone’s mother,” said Mike Van Malssen, a Bernie’s employee. “We don’t hold it against her, though; she takes good care of us.”

The closeness with the Mason community is what sets Bernie’s Deli apart from other places like Elie’s or Main Street Bagel. The employees are largely George Mason University students; it is merely a block from campus and the field house and attracts students and professors alike.

“I don’t have a car and I hate campus food, so Bernie’s is the perfect solution for my food quandary,” said Julia Compton, a junior at Mason who loves Bernie’s BLTs.

At Bernie’s Deli, the refrigerated cabinets are overflowing with gourmet deli meats, Mama’s mashed potatoes and a huge cheesecake from Carnegie Deli (shipped directly from New York City weekly).

Bernie’s has been open for almost a year and a half and seems to be everyone’s new favorite place to eat. Since a recent mention in the Washington Post’s “Good to Go” section, Bernie’s has been flooded with new business.

“The beer can chicken is by far my favorite take-home dinner,” said Marnix Weber, a Bernie’s Deli employee and junior at Mason. “It’s so moist and the spice rub we use is unbeatable.”

Ask what favorite menu items are, everyone will tell you something different. The menu offers a plethora of classic deli dishes, hot sandwiches, and comfort foods, but employees have their own spin on menu favorites.

“I love the BLT, but on toasted sourdough bread, with light mayo, light oil and vinegar, and some salt and pepper. It’s amazing,” explains Jamie Pisco, a cashier.

For a complete menu, visit www.berniesonline.com.