Daily dispatches on the Washington, DC area's food, restaurant and dining scene.

Sticky Fingers Vegan Bakery Gets Bigger and Better

In the mood for vegan mac n' cheese? Here's your place.

By Erin Zimmer Published Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Photograph by Aaron France.

Sticky Fingers, Washington’s favorite vegan bakery, is no longer hiding in an 18th Street basement, buried beneath offices, halfway between Dupont and Adams Morgan. In fact, it's no longer just a bakery.

The expanded Sticky Fingers, now home to a line-up of savory as well as sweet treats, is sitting pretty in a much bigger space one block from the Columbia Heights Metro station. Before, the bakery felt like a walk-in closet. Now there's enough room for retro tables, about twenty seats (perfect for WiFi users) and an actual bathroom.

There's a fridge stocked with individually-wrapped lunches and dinners. The menu, which seems to rotate daily, is still unpredictable, but co-owner Kirsten Rosenberg whips out the already-crowned vegan favorites, like the breakfast sandwich and elbow mac n' cheese, like mad.

So how does a breakfast sandwich--traditionally made with egg and cheese--come out as vegan? With no chickens in this equation, Sticky Fingers blends tofu, nutritional yeast (the vegan’s answer to missing vitamins), flour and spices to create a “vegan egg.” Somehow, it still comes out yellow--and pretty tasty. To go with it, there's now fair trade drip coffee and drinks from a fancy new espresso machine.

The German potato salad is another hit, even better than most non-vegan versions. More sophisticated than the creamy picnic staple, this one pairs red potatoes with cider vinegar, stone-ground mustard, and smoky tempeh bacon. Though lasagna and Tofurky chili dogs are both on the menu, Sticky Fingers doesn’t actually serve anything hot. They go for the DIY approach—a microwave sits near the condiments.

Sticky Fingers is still a bakery at heart. They take special cake orders, and the glass display of baked goods stays well-stocked with Cowvin cookies—oatmeal cookie sandwiches with fluffy vanilla filling (vegan, of course)—and little devils, which are spoofs on Little Debbie’s Devil Squares.

Sticky Fingers Bakery, 1370 Park Rd., NW; 202-299-9700; Stickyfingersbakery.com.

Comments

When my friends and family visit me from out of town, Sticky Fingers is THE place they always want to go. My favorites are the Calvin cookies - delicious! :)

Posted by: Emily,

Sticky Fingers is the best place in the DC-area to go for breakfast or lunch. I could eat there everyday - the food is that good! Everyone who lives in the city should go there at least once. Trust me, you'll be hooked for life!

Posted by: Josh,

I heard so much buzz about this place, that I stopped by this weekend. I was so amazed by those eggless breakfast sandwiches that I went home, grabbed my two roommates and came back for lunch so they could try one (and so I could have another!). Then I devoured a little devil. We got some treats to go, to eat later, but we ate them all on the way home. No doubt we'll be back again soon.... I've already planned my next meal: veggie chili dog!

Posted by: Mandy,

I love this place. Haven't been since the re-opening, but it sounds better than ever! And right next to the Metro, too...

Posted by: Eric,

Thanks for the great review. I am eager to visit their new location. I have always loved the oatmeal sandwich cookies and am looking forward to trying some of the main courses, too. Yum!

Posted by: Nicole,

I'm not even vegan and I like the treats. I think when people come to a bakery, they want something sweet and delicious. Stickey Fingers delivers on both ends. So regardless of weather you're vegan or not, their offerings will satisfy your taste buds.

Posted by: the place to be,

A vegan BAKERY? I'm so jealous! I've always been a professional baking loser, vegan or not, and a vegan bakery would highly welcome. There is none for a population of over 80 million over here...

Posted by: German Vegan,

Who's the dude in the picture serving up the treats? And an expresso machine now, too. Yeah!

Posted by: Bill, Sr,

i think the dude in the photo is dreamy... he's the bestest too because he sends his friends yummy treats in the mail (btw, sticky fingers does mail order too!!!)

Posted by: dr.dreammaker,

the vegan treats were surprisingly delicious (to me anyway, i am not vegan). now the espresso is what blew me away. they are pulling as good or better shots than most other "regular" coffee shops. total shock. put this on your list all you coffee geeks.

Posted by: coffee snob,

Sticky Fingers made me vegan---- thank you for the enlightenment. . .Sticky Fingers should join Buykind.com, they are just as lovely!

Posted by: newby,

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Sticky Fingers Vegan Bakery Gets Bigger and Better

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