Summary The complete degradation of the xenobiotic and environmentally harmful phthalate esters is initiated by hydrolysis to alcohols and o ‐phthalate (phthalate) by esterases. While further catabolism of phthalate has been studied in aerobic and denitrifying microorganisms, the degradation in obligately anaerobic bacteria has remained obscure. Here, we demonstrate a previously overseen growth of the δ‐proteobacterium Desulfo...