Finally Apple Pay has arrived as well as self check out - two great improvements. However over the last several months, I've found a lot of food on the shelves has expired or ordered a ready made sandwich with a "packaged today" stamp but with very stale bread. Balduccis is supposed to be a gourmet market so the quality should be above average and there should not be freshness issues. I don't know if it's management or what but it has happened so many times lately I've felt compelled to update my review. read more

Yes it's expensive, but you don't come here to exclusively shop your grocery (at least I don't), you come here for select items! Their prepared food section is quite lovely, I really enjoy their roasted salmon salad. You can place an order for gourmet sandwiches and they'll make it fresh in front of you. They have an extensive cheese section & a good number of ice cream products that I love. Their bakery is one of the best in the area -- try the french chocolate mousse. Oh, and while the produce section isn't big, the fruits here are always of excellent quality. The only things I have issue with are 1) price and 2) hot bar -- sometimes it's delicious, sometimes a bit bland. read more

McLean Balducci's is great for desserts, sandwiches, cheese and wine. Produce is overpriced and nowhere near as varied as While Foods. After living in NYC's West Village and shopping practically daily at the original Balducci's's, this one is truly a disappointment. read more

Saturday turned out to be a McLean day for us. So, we figured it was time to check out Balducci's. Years ago, there used to be one in Reston. I would go from time to time in order to buy ingredients for new recipies, that were not easily found in regular supermarkets. One day, I went to shop there and it was closed. It must have been a recent closing at the time because another woman also showed up to shop and we both forlornly read the sign that told us to go to the one in McLean. I never did go, as I discovered that I could get what I wanted by ordering online from Dean and DeLuca. So, we finally got there. When entering, I noticed that it had almost the exact same layout as the one in Reston. Upon first entering, you encounter the produce section. I like browsing the produce sections in gourmet and ethnic markets. Usually, I end up buying something different. This time I found mango nectarines and bought two of them. I tried them today. They are juicy plus both sweet and tart at the same time. We had hoped to buy some hard sopressata. Balducci's was a letdown in this area. All they had was a few hard salamis. Dean and DeLuca, on the other hand, has a very wide selection. However, we did see a package of speck. I once came across a recipe that called for speck, which I hadn't heard of before (it's a type of meat). Now I know that if I ever want to try that recipe, I know where to find speck. We're visiting our daughter next week. She asked if we could bring some Route 11 potato chips. Yes, Balducci's had some. Even though the selection was somewhat depleted, we still found what we wanted. The selection of olive oils was a disappointment. I would have expected to see a larger variety. The cheese selection was varied. Some cheeses had cards next to them that described the cheese, yet other varieties had no cards. There needs to be consistency in this area. My husband was impressed with the wine selection. He often likes to browse the Malbec selections in stores but never buys any. This time he surprised me. Among the impressive amounts of Malbecs, he actually found one he wanted---a Catena Malbec. He had had it before when we dined out and liked it. Plus the price was reasonable, $19.99 per bottle. I noticed that this Balducci's has an area where people can arrange catering for office parties---and there was actually someone sitting at the table waiting to help customers. I guess that lots of local companies use Balducci's for this purpose. Recession? What recession? LOL! Overall, we were underwhelmed. When I shop at a gourmet grocery store, I expect that store to have a wide variety of items that can't be found in regular supermarkets. In some ways, Balducci's rose to that challenge, yet in other areas, it fell flat. Needless to say, we don't plan on going out of our way to shop here since we can easily avail ourselves of Dean and DeLuca's online ordering, if necessary. read more

The customer service here is atrocious in the past two years. In terms of the cashiers especially. Yesterday I came here at 930 am the teenager was yawning and half asleep. He was leaning against the register literally sleeping. The only words he said was "you a member" No hello no thank you nothing. Others have voiced similar discontent about the teenagers who work at the cashier. Seriously balduccis giant and Safeway have better cashiers then you and their price is a third of what you charge. Shame you will be losing customers due to poor customer service read more

I deal with JAKE in PRODUCE and he is 5 STAR. However, went to sandwiches and asked for a ITALIAN hoagie with only lettuce and cheese on it - came home and low and behold there was only lettuce and cheese on this request - NO MEAT! read more

One of my favorite gourmet grocery store.. I can just hang out here for hours .. lots of different imported items like vinegars andregionally produced items like SoCo ice-cream..and THE deli.. ahhh... I love Baducci's deli.. Crab meat filled avocado is really good. Chunks of crab meat filled up in half-cut avocado. I do not like avocado so I won't eat it but I still get this combo for awesome crab-meat. Then there is bakery... One of the best bakery in DC area.. Freshly baked pastries, good baguettes and rolls... and CAKE... very pretty looking cakes and cupcakes... I tried red velvet cupcake and tiramisu cupcake. Devine.. so moist and light texture. Much better than The infamous Georgetown cupcake.. I give two thumbs up to Balducci's. It's a bit far from my house so I can only go there on the weekend but I make time to go there almost every weekend. It's worth it. read more

Balducci's - Balducci's-Red Velvet cupcake - Grocery Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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(3.5) ~ good overall grocery store. Note: While the Bethesda location seems to have more food options, this location seems to have a larger wine & beer selection;) read more

Cupcakes are large, fluffy, and amazing, albeit a little pricey. The creme brulee has brown sugar on top which is waiting for you to torch at home for it to be crispy when served. Custard-y thick texture is excellent indeed and not to be missed. Yumm. read more

Balducci's - Grocery Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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I like their bread and meats. Gourmet sandwiches are excellent too. That's about it for this store for me that somehow has an identity crisis trying to be an upscale Whole Foods but unable to provide full service to any one segment of the market. I mean, you will still have to go to Whole Foods and or Harris Teeter to complete your shopping after Balducci's. read more

I wasn't too impressed. So I'm a little early for a dinner reservation in the strip mall that Balduccis is also in and I go in to check out the selection. Sure, I'm living the life, drive a fancy car, and eat out at fancy restaurants, but it doesn't mean I want to go to this store to get totally ripped off. Granted, the pastries look great, but at 15$ for brownies and $9 for a tub of egg salad? Come on, those better be made from golden eggs to justify those prices. I can see why the supermarket was totally empty... the day before a hurricane was coming into town... Their selection was actually LESS impressive than let's say Wegmans, Whole Foods, or gasp, a small mom and pop supermarket. In fact, i spotted the "organic chicken" that even Whole Foods doesn't charge you as much of an arm and a leg (pun intended) for. So I spot a boudum double walled glass mug. Mind you, I probably have 10 of these lying around my house. I bought them online for about $6 each and I also know Crate and Barrel sold them for a reasonable price as well. So I think, surely Balducci's would be comparable. I mean, it's the exact same product. No special ingredients, no organic nonsense. To my dismay, I think they were selling for about $20... That's over three times more than what you should be paying for a product no different than you can find anywhere else. Balducci's is not high end, it's just highway robbery. read more

Well okay this is ridiculously, rudely overpriced. ($5 for a cauliflower?) but so good. great selection. read more

This place is great for specialty wines, cheeses, and meats. It is a winos paradise. On Saturday's they have sampling's. I ended up buying a bottle of red and some goat cheese. I love that they support local vendors, I recognized so many wineries I have visited over the years. As far as the food... I have heard amazing things about their food. My fiancé got the sushi, it was just standard grocery store sushi. Nothing special about it and over priced, in my opinion. I got a made to order sandwich. The quality of the meat was unimpressive. Harris Teeter has better subs, for both quality and price. It was not very good and the sight of it made me not want to eat my sandwich. After all the upcharges for bacon, avocado, cheese, the sandwich was around $14 - WHAT?! Not worth it. read more

Balducci's - Good size sandwich, but nothing to write home about... - Grocery Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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Just been at Balducci and a young cashier sneezed twice while putting away the food that I bought not using a protective mask and not sneezing in her elbow like good sense would dictate always and in every situation. Seriously? Aren't you aware of what is going on? Haven't you heard of coronavirus spreading around very fast? If this is the way emergency situations are dealt with? Please provide to all your employees face masks and gloves for their protection and the protection of their customers. read more

Expensive food store that has in-house bakery, cheese and wine, prepared foods, etc. The prepared food is very pricey and most everything else...however, I recommend the sandwiches and the rotissiere chicken. You can sit outside and eat in good weather, however, they staff is really slacking in cleaning the outdoor tables (they have some inside seating too). I was appalled at how dirty that outside tables were, especially considering the cost of the food I just bought. Recommend grabbing some hand sanitizer sheets near the front door to wipe off the tables before using...Oh, I have been disappointed in the baguettes they make here...taste tough and no flavor so I do not not recommend sandwiches on baguette or buying baguettes here. read more

Balducci's - Grocery Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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I shop at this store on a weekly basis and have been pretty satisfied. But catering is poorly managed. I catered a Christmas meal, picking it up early on 12/23 instead of 12/24. The caterer told us that the line would be long on 12/24 because they had 800 orders. Although I had picked up early, I was told they were out of the pecan pie I had placed with my order. So I guess the 800 orders that may have ordered pecan pies will have to choose the only available option now - apple pie. How can you so poorly mismanage your supply? I do not want the apple or the pumpkin pie. They also have the nerve to call and see if I was satisfied with my order - to which I said "no." The rep went to talk to her manager who said, "sorry, we only have apple left." For a high-end store, I expect better for the prices they charge. Don't call me to ask if I was satisfied with my order if you don't plan on rectifying my issue. And since I am here, I once purchased some sausages, and when I got it home, it was expired. They were selling expired food. The manager I spoke with cleared the shelf of the product; all packets of that particular sausage on the shelf were expired. read more

Dear guy at fish counter, I'm SO sorry for putting you out by asking you to do your job. After all the nerve of me to ask for not one, not two, but THREE different types of fish. Each subsequent one earning me a deeper scowl. Hey, I'm not asking for you to act ecstatic when you're helping me. I'm just asking that you not stare at me like I just killed your dog. I'd attribute it to just a bad day, but this is the third time I've gotten eye daggers from you. When I asked for my mussels to be packaged with a little ice, I almost felt you were on the verge of a temper tantrum since you kept slamming things down on the table. Well, have no worries, I'll not trouble you again since the McLean butcher across the street has a lovely selection of seafood... oh and they have smiles too. --- P.S. I called Balducci's a while back to see if they had black truffles. I talked to three different people and everyone thought I was asking for chocolates. I recognize that not everyone knows what a truffle is, but this is supposed to be a gourmet market, so it was a little surprising. #firstworldproblems read more

My Mother shopped at Balducci's in the Village in NYC in the 1980's and there was nothing like it. We were very happy to find the few small Balducci's stores in the DMV. There is always something special and authentic to take home and enjoy. read more

Love this place ! The Hot Bar my favorite! Delicious and good value because of the large portions. read more

I have never experience such a root staff. I have ordered pizza's four times, first they told me that they can't make it, the second time they said its going to take 45 minutes, the 3rd and the fourth time they gave me a wrong pizza. and argued with me that I order the veggie instead of pepperoni, Really? and when I ask the two pizza ladies that I am going to put a complaint, they told " go ahead we don't care." This is first for me, and I am shocked. I will never go to Balducci's of McLean again. I have lived in this area for over 30 years, and this place is the worst customer service that I have ever experience. If they would have said like I sorry, it would have been ok, but coming at me like that it is unacceptable even in a third world country. read more

Not a big fan of change, although ironically most of my work focuses on change management, I had a difficult time moving from Fair Lakes in Fairfax to McLean. The hardest part about moving was giving up my Wegmans and spectacular Fair Lakes Whole Foods! So ever since I moved to McLean, I've been making treks back to Fairfax to shop for groceries and my bf makes fun of me horribly for it. He says I do everything in Fairfax. Yikes! So in trying to get it together (and save car mileage and precious time), I embraced the radical thought to shop local. And who knew there were amazing stores right under my nose? Not I, until I stumbled upon the beautiful Balducci's after an evening barre class. Foodies, prepare to be seduced! Balducci's is enchanting and offers the finest gourmet and specialty selections you could ever want! The diverse, eclectic mix of healthy and rich options will leave your eyes popping out of your head. So don't come here hungry. Of course, like many others have stated, this is not your neighborhood Food Lion (Pricewise, but I'm sure in many other ways as well). However, if you're the type of person who would rather spend your hard earned cash whipping up some culinary delights in your own kitchen, even every once in a while, rather than going out for every meal, this is the place for you! I have had great experiences here with customer service - like top notch, which is big in my book and one of many factors here that culminate in this high rating. read more

Balducci's makes the prices at Whole Foods feel like Walmart prices. But somehow I'm ok with that. It must have been all the bright cheerful lighting and the chipper employees that lulled me into a daze that prevented me from having sticker shock induced seizures. Most of the meat and cheese prices were comparable to Whole Foods but the rest of the items seemed overpriced ($5 for a cupcake!?). I enjoyed my prosciutto panini. There was a very healthy portion of prosciutto, almost bordering on too much because it's so salty, very fresh mozzarella, and veggies on a yummy roll. The only downer was that it was just heated up in an oven so it wasn't really a panini-- it was more like a toasted sandwich. The price was very good for the size and quality (~$6). The cannoli that I got was ok. The filling was way too soft and oozy but it satisfied my craving. I wouldn't shop here regularly, but if you're in the area and need a specialty item or high quality cheese or meat, it's worth a stop. Plus they have lots of yummy samples on the weekend! read more

Yes it is pricey, but I am a firm believer that there can be no quantitative value for great products and service. And what Balducci's offers is a wide range of goodies from different parts of the world. And well, they know their stuff because the selection is superb - not just a cheesecake from New York, but Junior's Cheesecake from the Big Apple; not just Belgian chocolates; but Neuhaus Belgian chocolates. That little bit of conscientiousness makes me as the customer feel very impressed and assured about the thought put in shopping in a "food lover's market". Everyone is really nice and helpful. And the shopping experience and mood inside the grocery is relaxing and pleasant. Aisles are clearly marked and separated; it's pretty easy to navigate through the entire store. I do find myself staying in longer than I plan because I am too busy saying OOOH and AAAH and I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY HAVE THIS inside. I love doing the grocery, and I love the careful thought and consideration the Balducci's chain has for maintaining and thriving as foodie grocery paradise. read more

Basically a mini Whole Foods for those that think Whole Foods isn't charging them enough. That being said, I love Balducci's. Their prepared foods and bakery items are amazing, their meat and produce top-notch, and their selection of dry goods, cheese, and wine is outstanding. It's not an every day grocery store for me, but more of an occasional foodie adventure. I highly recommend the sandwiches, quiche, and tiramisu. read more

Dean and Delucca in the neighborhood--depending on what you're looking for, it can save you a trip across the river which will save you some time and gas, but that's about it! This place has a wonderful pastry case, hot food bar and prepared foods to take home for dinner. They also have some premium brands of other goods that you might find at Whole Foods. I love stopping in for baked goods or deli stuffs, but my wallet always begs me to complete the rest of grocery list--fruits, meats, etc at a cheaper location around the corner--like Safeway or Giant. For special dinners though, I'll allow myself to splurge :) read more

Yes, Balducci's is expensive...but some of their gourmet food are SO good! We got a Chocolate and Raspberry torte cake that rocked my world. My husband also picked up some cranberry orange muffins that were delicious. SO YUMMY! I am lucky that I don't live closer or my wallet would feel a pinch and so would my waistline. read more

This has been my saving grace after making the big move from Arlington to Mclean. I didn't think I woud survive living more than a 5 minute drive from Cheesetique... If you are craving a wine and cheese night at home - this is the place to go. They have an incredible selection of cheeses, wines, specialty spreads, breads, pate to make for an excellent girls night in! Their sandwiches, pastries, and pre-made selections are also very good. Always fresh and made that day. I especially liked their Reuben. I wouldn't consider this an every day grocery store due to it's price and selection but it is great for specialty items. WARNING: Do not go here when you are hungry. It is very easy to spend $100 here on just a days worth of food. read more

It surprises me that as one of their bigger fans (getting there in the waist line too) that I hadn't written a review yet. I just have to say though that moving into town has made this a staple in my monthly grocery shopping. Balducci's has some great selection - but what I love by far is their own blends of spices for cooking. That plus the wine and cheese area - and you have heaven. Now, I'll need another promotion and pay raise at work to make this a regular shopping stop - but hey, in the mean time, I'll still get over here to pick up a few items once in a while. read more

-3.5 stars- Balducci's has a good market. They do an excellent job of bringing way above average produce and meats to the area. The cheese and wine selection is quite good as well. Their pre-made dishes are always worth a tucking-in, but I have to say this place is only 3.5 stars is because better can be done. Balducci's takes comfort in the fact that its in a unique situation. The produce at the Giant and Safeway is fairly close to garbage. They are both trying to improve, but there simply isn't enough quality food to go around. But why are we paying such a huge premium over say, a farmers market like the one in McLean or Falls Church? Yeah ok there are some specialty non-farmers market type foods there, and those are worth picking up, but paying that much for produce just doesn't make sense. Balducci's needs a good kick from some real competition, then we could see it shine. Final thought: Good in a pinch, but not worth it if you have the time. read more

2 1/2 stars (but gave it 2 based on the freshness of the salad bar) UNDERWHELMED. That's be best term I can find to describe my experiences with this Balducci's. I'm a grocery store geek. I love wandering the aisles of grocery stores. I even make a point to do it when I travel just so I can sample local fare. I love local specialties, off-beat brands, and just trying new things. My friends hate grocery shopping with me because I like to wander up and down the aisles and just discover new things. If I'm a grocery store geek - I'm not sure the term exists for the rapture that gourmet stores send me into. I would definitely classify this Balducci's as an upscale (and up-priced) grocery store. I'm not sure, based on other experiences if I would truly classify this as a gourmet shop. The selection is ok, not great, and inconsistent. You can easily choose from 15+ types of balsamic vinegar, but say the mustard options easily bested by my local Harris Teeter. There's so much potential here for a great place. I love that they carry meats and pate from D'Artagnan - if I'm going to upscale cook and want quail or squab, I can get it. The sad thing is - nearly everything that is gourmet about Balducci's - I have better options in NoVA to go for. I'd rather go to Wegmans or Cheesetique for cheese; there are a number of good options for wine; better produce, bakery, meat and seafood options; and several of the "shelf" items are available at Whole Foods, Wegmans, Harris Teeter or actual gourmet shops. I have reason to be out in McLean from time to time and have dropped in to pick up a thing or two as its convenient to my route home. One of the things I usually get is a salad to snack on, but I've grown more and more disappointed in the quality of the items. Today the greens were somewhere between limp and wilting, I had to dig to get red onions that weren't showing signs of dehydration, and had to root to find mushrooms and tomatoes that weren't showing considerable wear and tear. There are some nice unusual items in the salad bar (kalamata olives, 1/2 walnuts, 1/2 pecans, sizable quality blue cheese chunks, etc...) but in general - I'm finding more frequently I'm just not impressed with the quality of the items. Its fine if I'm in the area, but definitely not my first choice for shopping for the type of items I'd be looking to get from here. I certainly wouldn't make a special trip. I don't brave Old Town often but will check out the Balducci's there before passing judgement on the chain as a whole. read more

I would go to Balducci's for a couple of reasons. 1) Jeni's Splendid ice cream 2) Pistachio muffins (fantastic) 3) Prepared foods is pretty good. I fell in love with Jeni's ice cream when I was at Short North in Columbus, Ohio. I absolutely love Jeni's ice cream. At $11.99 a pint, yes, it's pretty expensive. (But shipping this from Ohio to VA would cost even more money!) But if you're an ice cream connoisseur, then you'll know that Jeni's is a must-have item for your freezer. I'm bummed Jeni's doesn't make Thai Chili ice cream anymore. But I still grabbed the Goat Cheese with Cognac Figs, Wildberry Lavender, and Brambleberry Thistle. As far as the pistachio muffins - never had them until I went to Balducci's. I'd go back for the muffins alone. Thank goodness, Balducci's is not walking distance from me or I'd buy these everyday. As far as the prepared foods, Whole Foods still beats Balducci's by a mile. It's good but Whole Foods is much better. I love the wheatberry salad. read more

Every time I've been here, I've found items I hadn't discovered before. I'm a gourmet food lady. I love Balducci's extensive product selections and short check out lines. Balducci saves time. read more

Balducci's - Box after box of teas...I look for new to me brands: Adagio, Les Palais des Thes, Ambessa. An old fav: Numi Toasted Rice. - Grocery Near Me - McLean, Virginia

I go here for the sandwich's. Chipotle chicken, herb mayo, chopped hot peppers, cucumbers, spicy mustard, on a french roll... Heaven. We go here every Friday at work and the whole office has their favorite sandwich that they get every week. I love this place... read more

I know I know, it's a DINK/Yuppie supermarket...but it does carry items that I can't find in most places. Like my Mexican vanilla extract that makes my brownies and cookies unforgettable. Or ghee to cook all those fresh veggies they carry with. If you're in the area, stop in, it is beautifully laid out (they just did a renovation). Stop and ask for Jon if you need any wine or cheese advice, he is fantastic. I have even tried their catering service, and while pricey, it was the excellent quality I have come to expect from Balducci's. Make sure to join their frequent shopper program, we get coupons and gift certificates in the mail every month that help take the edge off ;) read more

We no longer get meals from the hot bar because the dishes are disappointing, in contrast to the gourmet quality of the rest of Balducci's. Someone should work with the staff to prepare better hot foods. It would be impossible to leave without impulse buys, in addition to one's list items, since there are so many attractive, exotic, and appealing products on display. This is also a great gift shop. The people who work in this Balducci's are always helpful in every department and at check out. read more

I love food, but not Balducci's food. Usually when you go to an upscale business, the staff is friendly, knowledgable, prompt and friendly. I wouldn't say that the staff here is rude, but I don't get the sense that they enjoy working here. Also, I have never been in a check-out line that takes as long as a Balducci's check-out line. Lastly, I wish that they would post the ingredients for the pay-by-weight buffet the way Whole Foods does. Are they afraid that their snooty rich customers will attempt to go home and attempt to cook these items themselves? At least agknowledge food allergies like gluten, dairy, nuts etc so people know which ones to avoid. Anyway, this place is a waste of money. Don't waste your money. The seafood salad is pretty good, though. read more

My heart belongs to Balducci's, even my non-foodie frieda drool here. The selection and quality of items here can't be beat. Best bets are any of their numerous cheese selections, anything on sale from the extremely knowledgeable butchers and on a lazy night, any prepared dishes. read more

This review is for the sushi corner inside.. next to the subs. The quality of the fish is excellent and the service was amazing. I usually don't eat prepared sushi from grocery stores, but my fiance and I were in the area so we thought we'd try it out. We expected prepared sushi at a high end grocery store like Balducci's to be excellent and were not disappointed. Try it out. . It's better than some sit down sushi restaurants... so delicious! We will definitely be back when we're in the area again! read more

I ventured out to McClean from Falls Church today (ok, so not that far) but the other day I finally grew tired of my local food options. In Falls Church, we have Whole Foods near Tyson's Corner with the Trader Joe's across the street.. We also have the Local Food Market, a weekly Farmer's Market and Safeway, Giant. I can't get into Whole Foods/Trader Joe's without waiting to find parking or standing in line for ten minutes, let alone the traffic. On a recent trip to the Local Market, I was charged $13.00 for long grain rice (ouch, I should have checked the price tag)! and well, Giant and Safeway are fine for daily things but don't have as many options as other markets. Then, today, Balducci's entered my life. It's been a GREAT day! I am so pleased with my selections and the items I brought home tonight. Albeit pricey, it was nice to take my time in the aisles rather than getting trampled by shopping carts. The staff were great and outgoing, and offered help when I needed it. I look forward to going back soon! I read more

An excellent choice for gourmet items. Just be aware you're going to pay gourmet prices, even for regular items you can find at the local Safeway. They also have one of the best meat counters in the region. I get my Xmas roast here every year. I knocked a star off because of the clientele - not the folks who go once or twice a year to pick up stuff for special occasions, but the McLeanites who do their regular shopping there (because only The Little People would shop at a "regular" store, dahling!). Take the clueless, rude, privileged behavior commonly seen at your average Whole Foods and triple it. read more