Bayou Bakery | 1515 N. Courthouse Rd., Arlington, Va.
Serving up Louisiana country cooking all day long, Bayou Bakery brings life to the term “southern hospitality.” My favorites include the build-a-biscuit where you can craft the ultimate breakfast sandwich with offerings like bacon, smoked ham, and egg topped with melted cheddar cheese, all anchored by two slices of a dangerously flaky biscuit. Beware of crumbs.
Make sure you leave room for the beignets, a New Orleans delicacy that the city has become famous for. These fried dough pockets dusted with a generous helping of powdered sugar pair well with the bakery’s signature hot chocolate.
Bayou Bakery has a special way of making you feel like you’ve traveled to Louisiana while also sitting at your family’s kitchen table. It’s not your ordinary bakery. It’s a trip to the South, a new culture, and the experience of a warm community.
DC-3 | 423 8th St. SE
The creators of the best mini-burgers in town have chosen to perfect the hot dog as their next business venture.
DC-3’s menu offers hot dogs from all over the United States. The California Left-Winger is delicious enough to make you adopt meatless hot dogs forever. House-made falafel is shaped into the likeness of a hot dog and topped with fresh tzatziki sauce, avocado, and diced tomato.
The NY Coney is what you would expect of a hot dog joint. The all-beef hot dog is finished with chili, raw onions, and tangy yellow mustard all held together by a buttery, grilled bun. If you’re feeling creative, you’re invited to invent your own specialty dog. The best news of all is that every hot dog is only $4.99.
In addition to the hot dogs, DC-3 offers soft serve with free toppings, as well. And as if that weren’t enough, the restaurant’s fried Oreos are a must.
Posto Ristorante | 1515 14th St NW
Order a pizza to share followed by your own bowl of pasta. The Bismark pizza is the standout, topped with an organic egg that coats the melted cheese to add an extra layer of gooey goodness.
Also try the garganelli, hand-rolled penne in a light marinara sauce topped with lamb meatballs. The meatballs are packed full of flavor and crumble perfectly as you take your first bite.
The torta di cioccolato is divine. Warm chocolate leaks out of the center of the moist, decadent chocolate cake. If you’re not a chocolate lover, it’s your loss. Try the millefoglie, a warm deconstructed apple strudel with apple cider gelato. This sophisticated ode to an apple pie should make up for it.
