Food

12 New Bakeries, Cookie Shops, and Pop-Ups That Will Satisfy Your Butter and Sugar Cravings

From giant chocolate-chip cookies to gorgeous kouign amman.

A chocolate chip cookie from Levain Bakery. Photograph by Kate Previte

There was a time not too long ago when opening a bakery seemed like a risky move in the face of gluten aversions and general carb-phobia. That time is gone. Here, 12 places that are already open or coming soon.

Baker’s Daughter
1402 Okie St., NE
The cafe spinoff of Matt Baker’s Ivy City tasting room Gravitas has plenty of morning classics: thick slices of banana bread, savory croissants, lemon/poppyseed muffins, and homemade breakfast bars rippled with raspberry.

Best Buns at Good Eats Emporium
45990 Waterview Plaza, Sterling
You can find Ozzie rolls—the beloved savory doughnuts served at many Great American Restaurants—at the group’s food emporium, which houses four GAR brands under a single roof. The bakery also offers cheesy danishes and egg sandwiches on icebox bread.

Captain Cookie & the Milkman
660 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
At this food-truck spinoff near Eastern Market, fresh-baked cookies can be eaten solo or turned into ice-cream sandwiches. There are also locations in Foggy Bottom and Brookland.

Layer cakes at Elle in Mount Pleasant. Photograph by Scott Suchman

Elle at Western Market
2000 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
When this Mount Pleasant cafe/bar/restaurant opens a Western Market offshoot in April 2021, expect many of the original’s favorites — like guava turnovers —to make an appearance. The forthcoming Foggy Bottom spot will also feature a menu of flatbreads and pizzas.

Levain
3131 M St., NW
Tough days call for comforting cookies, and the Georgetown branch of this New York sweet shop obliges with its massive, cake-like chocolate-chip confections.

Love, Makoto Bakery
200 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Former Sushi Taro chef Makoto Okuwa is teaming up with Unconventional Diner co-owner Eric Eden to curate Japanese food hall Love Makoto, which will include a Japanese bakery. The project is planning to open in late summer or early fall 2021 at the Capitol Crossing development.

Mah Ze Dahr
1201 Half St., SE
Another New York bakery has recently opened its first outpost in DC, and this one slings brioche doughnuts, buttery scones, and croissants. The confectionery is also opening a National Landing location in early 2021.

Pastries at Mercy Me. Photograph by Raisa Aziz.

Mercy Me
1143 New Hampshire Ave., NW
The Call Your Mother/Timber Pizza team—along with Pluma pastry chef Camila Arango—is putting out South American-inspired pastries at this all-day cafe. There are pineapple empanadas, slices of carrot cake topped with passionfruit ganache, and cinnamon-sugar bolinhos—Brazilian-style doughnut holes.

Saku Saku Flakerie
3417 Connecticut Ave., NW
What are people lining up for in front of Cleveland Park osteria Al Volo? If it’s morning, it’s the terrific French pastries from this women-led business, which is currently operating as a storefront outside the restaurant every day from 8 AM to 3 PM. There are apple galettes, extra-flaky croissants, and the elusive (and delicious) kouign amann.

Sharbat
2473 18th St., NW
The family-owned bakeshop crafts traditional Azerbaijani treats such as layered honey cake and shor gogal—savory twists with swirls of turmeric.

Tatte Bakery & Cafe
1200 New Hampshire Ave., NW; 1301 Connecticut Ave., NW
This Boston transplant is serving Israeli-influenced pastries, including flaky cheese bourekas and oblong Jerusalem-style bagels. The cafe—which is opening a Bethesda location next year—has a long list of gluten-free options.

Navy Yard cafe Yellow. Photograph by Scott Suchman

Yellow
1346 Fourth St., SE
Levantine baked goods are made with French techniques at Michael Rafidi’s Navy Yard bakery adjoining Albi — think laminated labneh croissants and baklava kouign amann. Middle Eastern ingredients like halva and sumac are also mixed into brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and lattes.

 

Daniella Byck
Lifestyle Editor

Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.