Bozzelli's Italian Deli in Georgetown — Restaurant in Washington

Born in Foggia, Italy, Lucio “Lou” Bozzelli co-founded with his brother, Tony, what was originally known as “Bozzelli’s Brothers Deli." Their business philosophy was simple: SERVE. GREAT. FOOD. Initially, their menu was limited to cold Italian sub sandwiches because they could not afford a grill. Through word of mouth, the only form of advertising they believed in, their business started to grow and eventually they added a grill and even a stove top. As their budding operation improved they expanded the menu to include hot foods like steak subs and lasagna. There was also demand for catering from office meetings to sporting events. As a matter of fact, in the mid to late 80's, when the rock group Glass Tiger's tour bus broke down in front of their shop the band ordered catering for everyone on the bus and the fans who were following.

Within a few years, Bozzelli’s became a popular destination in the Washington, DC area especially with our service men and women. The brothers would relish the letters they would receive from troops sharing how much they missed their favorite subs while being deployed.

Lou's brother, Tony, continued to operate the business after Lou's passing in 1989. To honor Lou's legacy, his wife and children looked to the stars for inspiration--hence, the spaceman--and relaunched the shop in 2003 as Bozzelli's®.

Now with five stores in Arlington, Newington, Springfield, Washington, DC and Georgetown the family continues to work everyday to make Lou's dream of serving great food for the community. Thank you for your interest in our...

Such a delightful hidden gem located right next to the Georgetown Waterfront, with the most incredible vegan pizzas!! I dropped by with a friend for lunch on a Friday, and Bozzelli's honestly hit all the right spots -- delicious comfort food that was satisfying, but also accommodated my friend and I's dietary restrictions and didn't feel outrageously heavy (in the way that pizza often can); a fun and upbeat ambiance; and phenomenal service. The shop's astronaut-themed decor was super cute and gave the shop a bit of character, although, honestly, the food was good enough to speak for itself.

My friend and I split a 10" Bizarro Pizza, which was basically a vegan take on the classic meat lovers pizza. It was topped with vegan sausage and vegan meatballs, as well as caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and chili garlic sauce. The sausage and meatballs were amazingly flavorful and smoky, and I honestly almost thought they gave us the wrong order because it truly tasted like I was chowing down on real meat. The vegan meats paired beautifully with the caramelized onions and sun-dried tomatoes, and the chili garlic sauce gave the entire pizza the perfect amount of peppery, garlicky goodness. All of this was delicious with the soft, pillowy crust (they have both normal and gluten-free crusts available!!) and the vegan cheese, which melted shockingly well, and had a delightful flavor. All in all, I had a phenomenal experience at Bozzelli's, and I can't wait until I can come by again to try out their other...

Walking inside for lunch a tourist asked about the C/O Canal. As I shared a staff member that was sweeping decided to come over and sweep trash all over my feet purposely. She went from one area right to me. I was later told there was no one to express my concerns too. I emailed the company and did not receive any acknowledgment to my complaint. I never engaged even though I do not need management or security to defend myself. I went to Tony and Joe's where the atmosphere is always pleasant and staff is always respectful. A few co-workers have expressed disappointed in some of your products and you are the 4th establishment in that space in my last 18 years seeking lunch options in Georgetown. I grew up eating pizza in NY. 90 second pizza and Nick's on the waterfront has better pizza than you. Not everyone is going to believe what your family, friends and staff post as reviews. I can't be the first and who knows what triggers this person to do this at their job. I just wanted to eat, leave and...