German Gourmet has a long, successful history in the local Virgina/Washington D.C. area. Founded by Mr. Wilhelm Wenzel in 1962, the original store in Washington, D.C. was moved to Arlington, VA. The construction of a major highway forced another move, this time to Lee Highway in Falls Church, VA. This store was operated continuously as a specialty German import grocery and delicatessen for 45 years.

In 1978, Mr. Wenzel retired and sold the business to Mr. Raimund Pagani of Switzerland. Over the 20 years that Mr. Pagani owned and operated German Gourmet he added new products from Switzerland as well as new deli services and gift items. Mr. Pagani sold the German Gourmet to brothers Michael Haene and Clifford Haene but continued working an additional 10 years. His dedicated service to the customers of German Gourmet made him a fixture in the Falls Church community.

After our February 14, 1997 purchase of German Gourmet from Mr. Pagani, we continued the expansion of products and services. In order to better achieve our goals, we opened a larger German Gourmet store in the Bailey’s Crossroads area of Falls Church on August 7, 2007. We offer an extensive selection of imported groceries, beers and wines plus great deli selections of bratwurst, sausages, cold cuts and cheeses. There is also a bakery section and many home-made items are available. We make platters for your parties and you can also order from our carry-out menu.

After a very difficult decision, and 45 years of operations, the store on Lee Highway was closed and operations were merged with the Bailey’s Crossroads location.

We developed experience in food services during our 25 year ownership of a Wholesale/Retail Bakery business from 1981 to 2006 (along with our parents Peter Haene and Marcelle Haene of Switzerland). During 25 years of operations we grew the business from a single retail shop to multi-unit retail plus wholesale services. We provided cakes, pastries and baked goods to many of the area Hotels, Caterers, Museums, Offices and Airlines. The retail shops were all sold by 2000 and the wholesale operation was sold in 2006 so that we might better concentrate on German Gourmet.

Michael has a background in business and is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. Clifford is a business graduate of the University of Maryland/UMUC.

Bringing Germany Closer to Home

Our market features more than 1,500 carefully selected imported products, from traditional pantry staples and chocolates to seasonal favorites and hard-to-find treats. Guests especially enjoy our wide assortment of imported Haribo candies and specialty groceries that bring the flavors of Germany and Europe closer to home.

At the heart of the German Gourmet experience is our traditional deli and freshly prepared foods. We offer a wide variety of bratwurst, sausages, cold cuts, and cheeses alongside freshly made favorites like schnitzel, leberkäse, hot sandwiches, and classic German salads. Complemented by our bakery’s European breads and pastries and one of the region’s most extensive selections of German beers and wines, German Gourmet continues to be known and loved as a place where authentic flavors, tradition, and quality come together.