Columbia Pike Deli is officially open for business.
The new delicatessen at 2406 Columbia Pike celebrated its grand opening last week, taking over the space previously occupied by Rappahannock Coffee. The coffee shop, a fixture for two decades, closed last year when its owner decided to retire.
The deli’s new owner, Jose Lopez, brings years of experience to the table. After arriving from Honduras in 1999, Lopez spent 16 years at a Maryland deli before co-founding the Honduran restaurant El Catrachito in Olney, along with several other locations, with his sister.
Lopez, who left his original deli job in 2016, said he missed the deli atmosphere and crafting sandwiches.
“This is my passion,” the Maryland resident said. “This is what I like to do.”
When asked what his favorite sandwiches are, Lopez said the Reuben, California BLT, and chipotle chicken.
Outside of a fresh coat of paint and new flooring, the space is relatively the same.
The deli operates Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and weekends until 8 p.m., with plans to potentially open earlier for breakfast pending the replacement of a broken espresso machine.
“When I came here to see the place, I thought this espresso machine was working, and my idea was to open at 7 a.m.,” Lopez said. But since the machine is broken, I have to buy a new one.”
The new deli will join several other restaurants that have opened within a half-mile stretch of Columbia Pike over the last year, including Mpanadas, Honduran and Salvadoran restaurant Variedades Catrachas, the well-reviewed Spanish tapas spot Sabores, and Japanese eatery Ryu Izakaya.
A couple of new restaurants are also set to open nearby. Among them are Cornerstone, taking over the space formerly home to Rebellion on the Pike, and 2910 Kitchen & Bar, which is currently expected to open later this month after several delays.