In 1977, the first Dean & DeLuca opened its doors in New York's Soho.  Since then, the company has been introducing hardcore foodies and the merely curious to all kinds of new ingredients and preparations.  They were trailblazers in the introduction of upscale prepared foods that could be purchased, taken home, and served with little more effort than heating and plating.  In The United States of Arugula, David Kamp goes so far as to suggest that their aesthetic (and its accompanying commitment to quality ingredients) helped to usher in the idea of food and cooking as part of the refined lifestyle that evolved into the 'foodie' mindset so prevalent today.

All of that is great, but it is of less interest to me than one of their other noteworthy contributions - the celebration of cheese!  Even before Dean & DeLuca came into existence, Giorgio DeLuca operated a cheese shop where he imported some of Europe's best cheeses and offered them up as an education to his customers whose experience with cheese tended toward Swiss, American and Cream.  With Steven Jenkins - a man who has established himself as one of the foremost American authorities on cheese - behind the counter, Dean & DeLuca quickly established itself as a place to go to find some of the best cheeses you'd never tasted before.

With that kind of pedigree, it would be inexcusable to overlook Dean & DeLuca's Georgetown outpost in any survey of Washington cheesemongers.  Even so, you would be hard pressed to find a D.C. Foodie who lists them among their top 5 cheese shops in the Metro area.  Competition from dedicated cheese purveyors like Cowgirl Creamery and Cheesetique as well as newer (and larger) upscale grocers like Whole Foods and Wegman's, coupled with its location amidst the retail establishments of Georgetown's M Street, makes D&D more of an "Oh yeah, them too!" than a "To start with, there's..."

And that's actually to our detriment.  Their location and selection make them an excellent choice, and one I intend to employ more often in the future.  Since 1993, Dean & DeLuca has occupied a renovated Georgetown market hall that dates back to the 1860s.  This is a beautiful, if somewhat small, space that encourages lingering over the numerous hot and cold prepared foods, the wall of obscure (and pricey) spices, and the racks of California wines at the back of the store.

They continue to offer a great selection of hard-to-find imported and domestic cheeses at a counter that can be found about a third of the way into the store down the right-hand side.  Cheese counter duties are handled by knowledgeable staff who are also able to help with questions about their wide selection of charcuterie, salumis, and good old-fashioned deli meats.  Though they're not as likely to offer a sample as the folks at Bowers in Eastern Market or even at Whole Foods, they are happy to take the time to talk about your preferences and make recommendations - especially when they carry cheeses that you are unlikely to have encountered elsewhere.  On a recent visit, I was encouraged to try Rouge et Noir when I professed a fondness for Triple Cream Brie - a relatively inexpensive and widely available suggestion I was happy to embrace. 

It's hard to make a generalization about their price points when it comes to cheese.  Some of their unique offerings (like their 8 oz rounds of Grafton cheddar that sell for $10) carry pricetags that compare well with those of the local purveyors and our neighborhood farmers' markets.  Others, including several of the more widely available international offerings, come in $1-$3 more expensive per pound at Dean & DeLuca than at competing cheese shops in the area.

The combination of variety, atmosphere and location makes Dean & DeLuca a great cheese option for Georgetown residents and anyone else who find themselves craving quality cheese after a day of shopping on M Street.  Though the selection is no longer unique enough to warrant a visit merely for the cheese, their wide range of gourmet products makes it a splurge of a shopping experience that is easy to recommend.

Dean & DeLuca
3276 M Street, NW
(202) 342-2500
Open 7 days a week, 8 AM - 9 PM
Catering available