Sharon's Charlie's Deli All About Home Cooking

Charlie Seittzman bought Charlie’s Deli, formally Stephen’s Deli, about 10 years ago, and he said it’s been an amazing ride just to get to that point.

Seitzman said he first started working with food when he was a junior in college working at a food co-op in Boston.

“I was volunteering for two years in junior and senior year, and as soon as I graduated, I started full time there,” he said. “It’s what really what got me into food.”

Seittzman said the food co-op was basically a member service, and working there meant they had lists of food people wanted and they would go out locally and get them whatever they could.

“I learned everything from cutting up half a cow to buying meat, cheese and produce,” he said. “I drove a truck to the produce market in the morning. It was a nonprofit way of people coming together. Back then it was in the hippie days and the ideals in those days were for people to help people. The staff worked 80 to 100 hour weeks, but we all loved what we were doing. It was a good feeling kind of thing and also I learned a lot.”

Seittzman said it wasn’t always easy. He said he owned another Charlie’s Deli in Stoughton, but it was not as successful as he would have liked.

“I lost the shirt off my back,” he said laughing. “It was a lesson in location, location, location. It did pick up some loyal followers, you know my food happened to be good. From there I went to work for another deli for three years and then I came here and worked for Stephen.”

Seittzman said he was able to build himself back up working at Stephen’s Deli and eventually bought the business from his friend and boss.

He said he’s been able to work out several different specialties over the years, none of which he’s more proud of than the corn beef.

“It’s cooked here, unlike almost all deli’s nowadays,” he said. “There are a couple in Boston but most are buying manufacturer cooked. I’ve got the corn beef pick in the back right now and I boil in the morning. If you’re lucky you can come in and get a nice corn beef right out of the pot.”

Seittzman he takes his cooking seriously and cooks his own roast beef and tirkey as well.

“I cook 30-pound all-natural turkey breast meat,” he said. “The roast beef is freash roasted with nothing on it and no salt injected into it like many places. That’s the theme of the place, it’s all real food and it’s not like the chains, buying institutionalized food.”

Seittzman said he donates to all the schools in Sharon, which he said is quite a lot.

“You know how many schools there are in Sharon?” he said. “If the schools come to me I do give to them each year.”

Charlie’s Deli is located on 336 South Main St. and is open Tuesday, Wednesday 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Thursday, Friday 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m. -2:00 p.m., and closed Mondays.