Gourmet Food Store Dean & DeLuca Coming to Bethesda

BETHESDA, MD — Foodies rejoice: Gourmet food seller Dean & DeLuca plans to open a store in Bethesda by the fall of 2017.

Developed by The JBG Companies, the 4747 Bethesda Avenue project site will be a mixed-use development of new office and retail, located in the heart of downtown Bethesda. Leveraging its location on Bethesda Avenue between Bethesda Row and Wisconsin Avenue, this gorgeous development will extend the retail and pedestrian experience of Bethesda Row toward Wisconsin Avenue, the company says.

Dean & DeLuca’s Bethesda opening is the company’s second location in the Washington, D.C., area. Customers can expect the same fare found in their neighboring Georgetown location, including an assortment of specialty cheeses, charcuterie, produce, meats, seafood, confections, coffees and hand-crafted prepared foods, as well as kitchen staples to round out the shopping experience.

“We are looking forward to deepening our commitment to the Capitol District with a foodie footprint in the sophisticated Bethesda area,” said Bayani Lauraya, global president of Dean & DeLuca, in a news release. "Our hope is that Dean & DeLuca will become known as the finest local food market for the Bethesda community, meeting the same great response as we’ve received in Georgetown.”

A spokeswoman for the chain said the opening is slated for next fall.

The Georgetown location highlights regional specialties, such as rockfish and Maryland-style crabcakes made from the morning's catch from the Chesapeake Bay. Locally grown, organic vegetables such as heirloom tomatoes, Japanese eggplant, fresh herbs, fingerling potatoes, Chioggia beets and greens are the makings of many a colorful dish you can take home. The company's nod to the south includes barbecued baby back ribs, corn chowders, succotash, buttermilk-fried chicken, sweet potato casseroles and corn pudding.

According to the Washington Business Journal, the retailer will lease all of building's first floor, half of the second and half of its rooftop deck space.

Dean & DeLuca continues plans to expand operations across the United States, and currently has store locations in six U.S. cities, including New York, Charlotte, Kansas City, Georgetown, and St. Helena, and has just announced plans to expand to Plano, Texas.

Founded in 1977 by Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca with the opening of its flagship store in SoHo, New York, Dean & DeLuca has grown into a multi-channel retailer of gourmet foods, wines and kitchenware with operations throughout the United States and international licenses abroad. Additional information can be found at www.deandeluca.com.

»Images courtesy of Dean & DeLuca