Why go: This is the definitive source for fresh-baked bread and sandwiches, as the long lines of office workers, White House staffers, and World Bankers who stream in every weekday attest. Look for creative sandwich combos, hearty house-made soups, and main-course salads that go beyond chicken Caesar.
What to get: Egg salad on olive bread; prosciutto di Parma with mascarpone and fig jam on walnut bread; Toast-tite, an über-grilled sandwich made with five cheeses; rosy Madrange ham on a baguette; Persian chicken salad with spinach; a nutty salad of Puy lentils with feta; flaky, elegant croissants; top-notch brownies, chocolate-chip cookies, and Whoopee Pies with mascarpone filling.
Best for: An al fresco breakfast or lunch or lunch to go; inside, with high ceilings and crowds, it can be deafening.
Insider tip: Those in a hurry can skip the lines and choose among fresh premade sandwiches and mini-pastries in the boulangerie-style case.
Open Monday through Friday for breakfast and lunch.
See all 2008 Cheap Eats restaurants
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
