Buttercream Bakeshop in Washington DC is Tiffany MacIsaac and Alex Mudry's Shaw bakery on 9th Street, with American layer cakes, viennoiserie and a pastel-pink storefront on the corner.
Tip: Whole-cake orders need three days lead time via the website; the by-the-slice case rotates daily.
Address: 1250 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001, Washington DC
Rose Ave Bakery in Washington DC is Cheryl Wakerhauser's Georgetown Cady's Alley bakery, an Asian-American pastry counter with black sesame pull-apart bread and miso caramel croissants.
Tip: The black sesame pull-apart sells out by 12:00 on weekends; pre-order via Instagram messages on Tuesdays.
Worth the queue: Black sesame pull-apart bread
Call Your Mother Deli Park View in Washington DC is the Georgia Avenue wood-fired bagel deli from chef Andrew Dana, with Montreal-Brooklyn hybrid bagels and a strong sandwich menu.
Tip: The Sun City sandwich with pastrami, egg and salt is the bestseller; pre-order on the app to skip the 30-minute weekend line.
Worth the queue: Sun City bagel sandwich
Fresh Baguette in Washington DC is the Georgetown Wisconsin Avenue French bakery from a Parisian-trained baker, with hand-shaped Tradition baguettes baked at the storefront every morning.
Tip: The Tradition baguette is the bake to take home; the pain au chocolat is the second-most-ordered viennoiserie.
Worth the queue: Tradition baguette
Yellow in Washington DC is Michael Rafidi's Shaw Levantine bakery-cafe on S Street, the daytime sister of Albi, with manakish za'atar flatbreads and Levantine breakfast all morning.
Tip: The shakshuka and za'atar manakish run the morning menu; the spinach fatayer is the under-ordered runner-up.
Worth the queue: Manakish za'atar flatbread
Le Caprice DC in Washington DC is the Columbia Heights 14th Street French bakery from chef Ferney Pena, with French viennoiserie, Tradition baguettes and a small lunchtime cafe menu.
Tip: The almond croissant batch pulls at 10:00 weekdays; the patio runs through October for the morning sun.
Worth the queue: Pain au chocolat
The Sweet Lobby in Washington DC is the Capitol Hill Barracks Row bakery on 8th Street, a French-Caribbean pastry counter with macarons in 12 rotating flavours and small layer cakes.
Tip: Holiday-themed macaron boxes (Halloween, Mother's Day) sell out a week ahead; order from the website.
Worth the queue: Pistachio macaron
