From cozy neighborhood cafes to award-winning pastry shops, these DMV gems are serving up everything from Parisian-style meringues to hand-stretched Austrian strudels — and they’re worth every bite. Here are some of the best spots to get pastries across Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia to add to your must-visit list.
Key takeaways
From authentic French meringues at Un Je Ne Sais Quoi to hand-stretched Austrian strudels at Little Austria and Colombian puff pastry empanadas at La Poteria Local, these bakeries go far beyond the typical coffee shop pastry case.
Beyond the pastries themselves, some spots offer a deeper purpose. Sunflower Bakery in Rockville has provided workforce training to more than 675 young adults with learning differences since 2009, while Tatte Bakery’s mission is to bring people together through food and community.
Before you go, keep in mind that hours and availability vary widely across locations, so planning ahead can help you make the most of your visit.
Washington, DC
Tatte Bakery & Cafe
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Tatte Bakery & Cafe originated in Boston in the kitchen of founder Tzurit Or and has since expanded with additional locations throughout Greater Boston, Maryland, Virginia and DC. The mission of the Tatte Bakery & Cafe is to bring communities together with comforting food and pastries.
- Address: 1200 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC
- Hours: 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday
- What to try: Kouign-Amann, Pistachio Croissant or Halva Bomb
Baked & Wired
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Baked & Wired is a family-owned neighborhood bakery located in Georgetown. They are well known for their signature granola and their big cupcakes that range from flavors such as Diirty Chai Cupcake to Almond Orangesicle to Razmanian Devil Cupcake. They offer a wide range of baked goods and breakfast items, including oatmeal, quiches, donuts, breakfast breads, biscuits and pound cakes.
- Address: 1052 Thomas Jefferson St. NW, Washington, DC
- Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily
- What to try: Chocolate Strawberry Cupcake or The Tessita
Un Je Ne Sais Quoi
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Un Je Ne Sais Quoi is a bakery located in DC known for its authentic French pastries. They received the RAMMY Award for Pastry Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington in 2022. They specialize in delicate cloud-like meringues and whipped cream pastries that taste like a bite of Paris.
- Address: 1361 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC
- Hours: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday
- What to try: Merveilleux, Almond Croissant, Pistachio Croissant or Chocolate Eclair
Nino’s Bakery
Nino’s Bakery is a French and Italian bakery that serves pastries, sweets and roasted coffee. All pastries are hand-crafted from scratch using French and Italian techniques over the course of three days. Nino’s Bakery is committed to bringing bits and flavors of Europe to the United States for a quality experience for customers.
- Address: 1310 L St. NW, No. 100, Washington, DC
- Hours: 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon Saturday
- What to try: Pistachio Croissant, Blueberry Scone or Sfogliatelle
Maryland
La Poteria Local
La Poteria Local is a Colombian cafe located in Montgomery Village. Its cozy, intimate interior transports customers beyond the U.S. La Poteria Local serves traditional Colombian flavors with modern twists, including signature puff pastry empanadas, along with drinks and treats like agua de panela, Alto de Letras, arepa toast and buñuelos.
- Address: 19116 Montgomery Village Ave., Montgomery Village
- Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily
- What to try: Beef Empanada (Puff Pastry), Chicken Puff Pastry Empanada, Pandebono or Pan de Waffle – Berries & Arequipe
Sunflower Bakery
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Sunflower Bakery is a bakery located in Rockville that is committed to providing employment opportunities to young adults and teens that have learning differences through workforce exposure in the culinary arts. They have provided employment training to over 675 student employees since 2009, and continue to create an impact. They provide training in Pastry, Hospitality and Culinary Arts and then support their graduates in finding competitive employment in the communities where they live.
- Address: 5951 Halpine Road, Rockville
- Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, 9:00 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday
- What to try: Hamantaschen and tea bread/loaves
Sunday Morning Bakehouse
Sunday Morning Bakehouse is a bakery located in Montgomery County with breakfast favorites like handmade croissants, seasonal bread and high quality pastries. The mission of the bakery is to bring the comfort and simplicity of Sunday mornings straight to customers in a cozy atmosphere.
- Address: 1869 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda
- Hours: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday
- What to try: Banana Cream Pie Croissant, Tiramisu Donut or Matcha Croissant
Virginia
Quartermaine Coffee Roasters
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If you’re in search of premier coffee or tea, Quartermaine Coffee Roasters is a must-try in the DMV area with several locations. Quartermaine Coffee Roasters was founded in 1991 in Rockville, MD, by the founders of Starbucks Coffee and is committed to providing customers with the highest quality roasted coffee. They also serve a variety of fresh juices, smoothies, pastries, cookies and sweets. They also have a location in Bethesda, MD (4817 Bethesda Ave.)
- Address: 4972 Wyaconda Road, Rockville
- Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
- What to try: Chocolate croissant or strawberry toaster pastry
Little Austria
Little Austria is a bakery located in Sterling that specializes in traditional and authentic strudels as well as other pastries. The Austrian shop owners, Berni and Helene, are committed to providing customers with authentic handmade strudels that follow traditional hand-stretching techniques. Be aware that Little Austria is not a walk-in bakery and strudels must be ordered in advance for pick up.
- Address: 45915 Maries Road S 102, Sterling
- Hours: Allow 48 hours advance notice to get your order ready.
- What to try: Traditional apple strudel or apple strudel with mixed berries
Bakery Museum & Co
Bakery Museum & Co is a cafe located in Fairfax that serves high-quality drinks, coffees, pastries, cakes and sandwiches in a cozy museum-like setting for a comfortable and casual customer experience. Have a slow start to your morning and allow yourself to get absorbed into the pleasant atmosphere of Bakery Museum & Co and get lost in their variety of menu options.
- Address: 11923B Lee Highway, Fairfax
- Hours: 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. daily
- What to try: Guava Danish or Basque Cheesecake
