Details

Potenza Bakery

1430 H St., NW
Washington, DC 20005

202-638-4444

Neighborhood: Downtown

Cuisines: Italian, Deli/Quick Bites, Breakfast

Opening Hours:
Open Monday through Friday 8 to 6, Saturday and Sunday 9 to 6.

Nearby Metro Stops: Metro Center, McPherson Square

Price Range: Inexpensive

Dress: Informal

Noise Level: Chatty

Reservations: Not Accepted

Website: http://www.potenzadc.com

Best Dishes:
Roast-beef sandwich with orange/fennel aioli; stromboli; cherry sticky buns; bomboloni; apricot cream pastry.

Dirt Cheap Eats 2009: Potenza Bakery

Three talented guys oversee the food at this tiled bakery/gelateria/cafe adjoining the Italian restaurant Potenza. Chef Bryan Moscatello offers a terrific range of sandwiches—we couldn’t put down the roast beef with orange-and-fennel aïoli on brioche ($7) or a warm rolled stromboli with marinara for dipping ($7). Pastry chef Chris Kujala turns out gorgeous cherry sticky buns ($2), whimsical gelatos ($2 a scoop), and bomboloni ($6), freshly sugared doughnuts served with cherry compote.

Finally, bread guru Mark Furstenberg consults on the ten kinds of loaves. That’s a kitchen dream team, even if the service has been both forgetful and slow.

Open Monday through Friday 8 to 8, Saturday 10 to 8, Sunday 10 to 6.

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