Whole Foods Market Grand Opening at The Boro

Linger and Mingle with Like-Minded Gastronomes

Get ready for a whole new way to go grocery shopping. Gone are the days of either dashing by the supermarket to pick up a few quick items or getting in and out as efficiently as possible with the cartful of family groceries for the week. Those options still exist, of course, but now you are invited to linger if you wish—and perhaps mingle with other like-minded gastronomes in this welcoming modern-vibed space. Enter a veritable flavor festival—without leaving Tysons.

Whole Foods Market’s highly anticipated new 70,000 square-foot Mid-Atlantic flagship location is set to open to great fanfare on October 30 in Tysons at The Boro. This location features the wares of the fine local purveyors that we have come to expect in its fresh produce department, butcher and full-service deli complete with charcuterie, and seafood department. The store is also equipped with two tandoori ovens, a pizza bar, a barbecue bar, and an in-house bakery. Enjoy the convenience of grab-and-go prepared foods. And not to be outdone, over 250 international, national, and local cheeses are represented and overseen by an in-store certified cheese professional certified by the American Cheese Society. Self-serve pasta from Severino Pasta and an antipasto and olive bar round out the offerings. And they boast a most impressive beer and wine section, culled from across the globe.

Expanding upon the formula of the Fairfax Corner location, the Whole Foods at The Boro will include a vast array of culinary offerings in its first-floor food hall by its Friends of Whole Foods Market partners, ranging from local favorites like Chef Nicholas Stefanelli’s famed Italian trattoria Officina with its handmade pastas to Genji Izakaya with its sushi, poke, dumplings, and ramen to the Rappahannock Oyster Co. You may opt for an espresso at the full-service Allegro coffee and tea bar. Indulge your sweet tooth at Pennsylvania-based Curiosity Doughnuts. Or sip on cold-pressed juices or a smoothie at JRINK juice. You may have to grapple with the plethora of decisions such a full-fledged inventory presents.

The social scene takes the stage at the second-floor High Point bar, featuring twelve beers on tap, eight wines by the glass and craft cocktails by Tory Pratt of Pratt Standard Cocktail Company. And most unexpectedly, you will chance upon the game room adjoining the bar. You don’t see that every day—especially not at the typical grocery store around the corner.

The concept of providing consumers with an expansive selection of locally sourced, innovative options which are both nutritious and delicious has proven to be a winning formula, a tendency which has only become more pervasive in recent years. Right on trend, the Tysons Whole Foods in The Boro is now the tenth in Northern Virginia—and the biggest one yet.

Their ever-rigorous quality standards support the clearly defined goals of the growing number of health-conscious enthusiasts who frequent their locations and as such prohibit over 100 unwelcome ingredients commonly found in foods, including hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners. This steadfast dedication builds a sense of trust with this new hybrid clientele—knowledgeable, conscientious connoisseurs with a respect for the health of their families as well as the planet. Consumers like not having to look at labels; the legwork has already been done for them. This responsible attention to detail extends not surprisingly to the Beauty & Body Care department as well. It is a pervasive philosophy across the board, and contributes to the popularity of this expanding retailer of natural and organic products.

The opening of this new Whole Foods in The Boro has generated quite the buzz in the neighborhood, as well as on the Internet. Tracy Zambito of Vienna enthusiastically expressed her anticipation of the opening. “I’m super excited for the opening and the new food concepts that they’re bringing to it. I’m so glad I’m going to be in town. I love variety. You can’t be a foodie and not love Whole Foods.”

This is experiential shopping at its best. The array of specialty cuisines is truly dazzling. This innovative approach to grocery-gathering provides an interactive opportunity to escape into a culinary fun zone where you can forage, socialize, and check items off your grocery list all at the same time. Now that’s what I call one-stop shopping. But you don’t need to accomplish it all in one visit. Lucky for you, you are welcome to return whenever you wish—and count on a unique and distinctive experience every time you go. The emerging city of Tysons can only be enhanced by this epicenter of epicurean entertainment, which can only add up to a whole lot of foodie fun. Welcome to the neighborhood.