Little Apple Pastry Shop
23217 Meetinghouse La., Aldie; 703-327-2500
There’s lots more than pie at the Little Apple Pastry Shop. Homey soups such as turkey-and-rice. Classic egg salad. Country-ham biscuits. As for sweets, look for scones, lemon bars, warm cinnamon buns, and pies with gorgeous crusts.
Home Farm Store
1 E. Washington St., Middleburg; 540-687-8882
The place for picnic fixings such as charcuterie and cheese. We like the house-made summer sausage and the shaved-roast-beef sandwich. You might want a cooler to take home items from the butcher’s case—the shop is owned by Ayrshire Farm, known for its organic meats. Upstairs is an ice-cream parlor with dozens of offbeat toppers for your bowl of vanilla from Middleburg Creamery.
Rail Shop
6478 Main St., The Plains; 540-253-5644
Families flock to the Rail Stop for a laid-back lunch or Sunday brunch—the red choo-choo that circles along the rafters makes for a fun diversion. Pecan waffles have a nutty finish, while chorizo hash adds a bit of zing. At lunch, the house burger and shrimp roll—get them with house-made chips—are the way to go.
Upper Crust Bakery
4 N. Pendleton St., Middleburg; 540-687-5666
White clapboard siding, a red screen door, and creaky wooden floors add to the farmhouse feel at Upper Crust Bakery, whose collection of house-made cookies feels like the best bake sale you’ve ever been to. Highlights are the cowpuddle, a thin, toffee-like round; soft, cinnamon-dusted snickerdoodles; and the classic chocolate chip.
See Also:
Cuppa Giddy Up
8 E. Washington St., Middleburg; 540-687-8122
The best cup of joe in Middleburg comes from a snug subterranean cafe called Cuppa Giddy Up, where the roster of coffees changes but the commitment to fair-trade beans is constant.
Mello Out
2 E. Federal St., Middleburg; 540-687-8635
House-made peppermint marshmallows dipped in dark chocolate at Mello Out are delicious solo or bobbing in a cup of Italian hot chocolate.
This article appears in the June 2011 issue of The Washingtonian.
