Bread Furst

The food is amazing, however when I inquired the ingredients of a particular loaf they couldn’t give it to me! They swore there was no dairy or eggs in it but because they wouldn’t disclose the ingredients so I didn’t buy it. I then realized they sell that same loaf at whole foods with the ingredients listed on it and it contained milk and eggs! What is wrong with this place?

Donuts and croissants… OMG yes! Always super fresh and perfect! I keep telling myself that I’m going to try the actual food next time but it’s so hard to pass on the sweets!
Some times I end up getting both donuts and croissants!

So happy this place is here, in an area of town badly in need of some coffee and pastries. Thankfully, Bread Furst’s offerings are top notch. We had to try the donuts. I understand they change up the flavors, and the day we went they were serving up honey glazed and blackberry glazed. They were incredibly fresh, so tasty. A fresh donut makes all the difference. The glaze is sweet but actually doesn’t have a ton of flavor, but it’s not needed — I could eat a batch of these things plain they are so good. I tried a cookie made with cherries and cashews, too. Oh my god. So good. Again, soft, fresh, and the mix of flavors works incredibly well. Whatever they have out, I always need to try something, because it is all top notch. Bakery wizards are at work back there.
I also love to get my caffeine fix and go with a double espresso. It is a solid choice, they have flavorful espresso brewing, better than the norm. The décor is very clean and homey. There are a few tables including a long picnic like table, and not usually overrun with people, so it might be a decent option for bringing a book.
The one thing holding them from 5 stars is that they have the worst ordering system ever in life. I cannot believe they have not fixed this considering how long they’ve been open. You get in line and while you wait have to flag down one of the guys in back to order before you get to the cashier. It’s very haphazard, and the people taking the orders never know who’s turn it is or who ordered what. It doesn’t seem like the people in line or the employees know what’s happening, and considering that there is usually a line, it adds unnecessary stress and frustration to the experience. I don’t think I’ve ever been here without hearing at least one person in line expressing confusion. Still, a must-​try.

The pastries & breads, it almost goes without saying, are better than any I’ve had anywhere in the area. Nowhere makes a more delicate & flakey croissant. And the espresso drinks — depending on which server you get — often are terrific & refreshingly full.
But what made me write this review is the Mediterranean fish soup I just had. Unbelievable. So so good. I recommend it with the olive cracker.

Have to give this café an «A» for effort, the neighborhood café with a variety of freshly baked goods even cannelle, deli food, convenient artisan cheeses and even in-​house made hot sauces! The cannelle was my husband’s favorite but it’s $ 4 a pop. We loved spending the Sunday morning there for a coffee and a pastry. The display of the kitchen is another attraction when you first walk in to the café. The team of staff was also professional and awesome!

Surprised with the average reviews of this place. The pan au chocolat is as good as I’ve had in Paris. I think Americans might be turned off by the crunch of most of these breads, but all said, it’s a classic French bakery.

We stayed at the hotel near this bakery. Hence, it was my go to place for breakfast. I was perplexed by how fancy this bakery was and why it was located next door to a car wash. My favorite was the monkey bread. I highly recommend it. It was light and tasty. It went well with a cup of coffee. This year, we are heading to Washington DC again. I’m looking forward to heading to this bakery.

From all the recommendations and all the hype, I thought this would be a straightforward 5 stars.
But while the baguette is traditional perfection, for some reason I prefer Fresh Baguette. Bread Furst’s is airier, less dense, wonderfully crunchy, freezes brilliantly, and again, technical perfection, but somehow not my favorite. Still a hell of a baguette.
Chocolate chip cookies were good. Not great, but good.
Donuts very interesting. A bit dense and chewy for me, but still, flavor and execution — as far as consistency and freshness goes — unsurpassable. Nice donut, if a bit of a non-​traditional, old-​world take.
The place is a zoo on the weekends. One of the best bakeries in DC.
Update: Tried some of the deli/​brunch food selections and they were just fantastic. Hot roasted eggplant, potato and green bean salad, and barley, cabbage, pomegranate seed salad.
Eggplant was delicious, roasted with tomatoes, straightforward, but nicely done.
Potato salad great rendition.
The kicker was the barley salad for me. Different, delicate, perfectly balanced, and again, delicious. Loved it.

I’ve been coming to Bread Furst probably 3 – 4 times per week since discovering it about a month ago. I’ve noticed that there’s been a steady decline in the quality of not only their service (which, I admit, I really don’t care about anyway), but more importantly, their food. Combining these two shortcomings is unforgivable.
More than anything, I wanted to love Bread Furst. I honestly did. So much. I actually did, I’m sure. Everything was so good and fresh, well-​made coffees, etc. Now, disappointment has set in.
Recently, I ordered a slice of coconut cake and the woman used a wet spatula to remove it. If that wasn’t bad enough, the cake was nothing like it’d been in the past. The cake was crumbly, falling apart, dry. I’ve had this cake on various occasions and it was a favorite. Sigh. No longer.
Also, I tried their bagel because when I went by 3 hours before they closed, they were already sold out on nearly everything savory. The bagel was hard. Hard and dry. It honestly felt like I was eating hard, tough, thick, chips. It wasn’t good. My bf got a tuna sandwich, which he really likes, and complained that it was ‘fishier’ today than previously. Also not a good thing, Bread Furst. The caneles, another personal favorite, were passed up this time because we were just annoyed. The only good? They had french baguettes, and their honey glazed donuts are surprisingly yummy.
I’ve noticed that other reviewers have commented on the employees being disinterested. That’s something that I originally tolerated but have grown to find rather obnoxious as well. The employees seem to be lost behind the counter, some are quite rude/​clueless and snap to customers, and, admittedly, they lack the proper respect for their work. I won’t get into too much detail commenting on employees with long dirty nails, but that’s another issue. Just get it together.
Overall, I’m not sure I’ll be going back. This place doesn’t suck, that’s true. It really doesn’t. It’s just beyond inconsistent. Under the guidance of Mark Furstenberg, they had no reason to be less than the best. However, it seems to be an issue that is below Furstenberg. The days I’ve seen him at the bakery, I’ve noticed the staff is better, more organized, less clueless, food even tastes better /​better prepared. The issue isn’t in him or his prescribed quality, I’m sure, it’s in the executed quality. I’m sorry to say, though, that’s what stays with us customers.

Best baguette in the states and I’ve eaten my fair share of baguettes in France. My French partner loved her ham sandwich and the pain au chocolat is beyond delicious!
Their hummus is also excellent.
Highly recommend this place!

The best pasty I’ve had in DC, hands down. I would never have run across this gem had my Dad not tried to rent a car from the Enterprise down the street. VanNess is certainly not where I think of to go for new eating excursions, but I am so thankful that I have been!
They have a wide variety of baked goods, ranging from muffins to artisan breads, and everything in between. I was very impressed with the espresso drink that I had. It’s not cheap, but the quality is unparalleled.

I got off at the Van Ness Metro for the first time ever, and thus I finally walked by Bread Furst for the first time ever. Let’s just say I don’t think I’ve been missing out on anything.
First, the employees don’t seem to know anything about the baked goods they are selling. I heard two employees argue about whether a pie was filled with cherry or strawberry. In addition to that, some guy in front of me in line was about to purchase a lemon meringue pie. When they said his total was $ 7, he said he thought that it was $ 3, but they said that was probably for the lemongrass bar, though he said an employee told him the pie was $ 3. So confusing…
As far as the taste of the baked goods, I had a sesame seed bagel. It was hard and burnt. I slightly expected it to be hard at 3 pm in the afternoon, but I was hoping maybe they’d surprise me. I like the taste of burnt food at a BBQ, not in my bagel…
I also had a slice of chocolate cake. It was more brownie or fudge like than cake like. It was good, but wasn’t really the taste or texture I was hoping for.
To sum up, the cake was good enough, but the bagel and staff members were not, so I don’t plan to ever walk in here again.

This is what DC has been missing. A fantastic bakery. When you walk in, it has that warm bakery smell that all the good ones – the really good ones – have. After walking in, I just knew I was going to love the products.
I bought: a baguette, two Palladin rolls, a chocolate cookie, and a canele. They were sold out of the Palladin loaf by the time I visited in the early evening hours of a Monday night and I can see why. It’s fluffy and airy inside with just the right amount of crunch (which I consider minimal) outside. Yes, this is the bread to get here. The baguette was great too. My cookie was full of chocolate chunks, which is appreciated. And you must get a canele – the perfectly browned outside gives way to a creamy, delicious center.
I regret not trying a latte; I could’ve asked for decaf (I think). Also, they had some prepared food that looked tasty. And, I need to peruse the retail section more closely next time.
Some very minor drawbacks are that it was not immediately clear where to order; the sandwiches are premade (but still looked good, even if they didn’t have the one I wanted); and they seemed to have plenty of loaves of different breads, except for the Palladin, which both customers in line in front of me asked for, so perhaps a closer look at demand is necessary.
As an aside, I just finished reading the owner’s blog post about why Bread Furst is not a café for customers to stay all day and work (on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). Apparently, there’s been a lot of debate about this, but many other places have similar rules, so I’m not sure what the big deal is here. As a consumer – I understand. Who doesn’t want to be able to work at their favorite place? But, that’s not what Bread Furst is, and that’s OK. There’s plenty of coffee shops where you can work all day. I’m all for a place where conversation is encouraged.

We stopped here for a take-​away lunch on the strength of the James Beard award. Bread Furst epitomizes contemporary French style baking. The chocolatine
Was the best ever… Hands down anywhere! It has all the buttery croissant crisp flakiness and double layers of chocolate to boot. Super yum delicious. The ginger scone was light and «in the pocket» as far as scones go. The lowly tuna sandwich served on a wonderful French County bread was beautifully herbed and spiced. It was the antithesis of the usual mayonnaisey glop. I didn’t mind paying $ 10 bucks for my Tuna sandwich and premium prices here because the quality is just so good.
Bakers hats off to Bread Furst, and it will definitely be my «Furst» stop on the next trip to DC.

Great bakery in van ness.
Always has great fresh bread and pastries. Amazing quiche. A little expensive but the quality is there.

When I first walked up to the bakery, I was a little surprised that it was right next to a car wash. I also was slightly surprised that there was a group of 6 — 8 sitting outside. It was a tad cold, but otherwise lovely. Then again, I had just traveled 9 miles by foot and was a little concerned I had a disheveled smelliness to me and didn’t want to be labeled.
In any case, I strode in and was instantly impressed. Before I walked through the vestibule, I saw a guy making bread. As I walked into the bakery itself, so many people were around, and I continued to be impressed by the size of this place, which extended quite a ways back from Connecticut Ave. In addition, there were so many beautiful loaves of bread, pastries, and Passover and Easter offerings this morning.
Eun greeted me and I told her it was my first time. She welcomed me and highlighted a few of her favorites after I asked for recommendations. I settled on a slice of carrot cake ($ 7/​slice), a peanut butter cream pie, a croissant, a chocolate croissant, monkey bread, and a baguette. I also decided to order a 12 ounce $ 4 chai latte. My order came out to $ 30.15.
I should also note that Eun was very customer friendly and told me she would bring my slice of cake (since it was the first of the carrot cake) out with the cream pie. She found me at the front of the bakery and presented me two plastic containers with a smile. I moved to the back after a few seconds because I saw more space and it gave me an opportunity to see the food and what people were ordering. It also allowed me to wait for my chai and down a gratis glass of ice cold water away from the main entrance.
I ended up eating the croissant and a couple of nibbles of monkey bread, which is flavored with chocolate and sugar. Yum. I then finished the monkey bread at home a few minutes later and ate the chocolate croissant at home.
This afternoon I tried some of the baguette. I appreciate many of the reviews but have to admit all the breads I ate were slightly burnt. It was apparent by the dark nature of the croissants, which you can argue contributes to its flakiness but I’ve had flaky croissants without burnt taste or appearance. Same goes for the baguette. The ends of the baguette taper off so I suspect that’s why it’s easy the ends are burnt. The wax paper the monkey bread is wrapped in sticks to the bread and is not easy to peel off, again, perhaps because it’s been baked too long.
I still have the carrot cake and cream pie and hold out hope they are closer to perfection. It could just be my batches were overdone.
As I was getting up, Eun, with a smile, asked how things were, and she said to come back and try other things. She was super nice, as were all the other people I saw behind the counter.
A couple of cons: I wish they had a menu; I wish they gave me a receipt; I wish I knew what I paid for some of the items.
A couple of pros: charming place with blue and white striped awning, free water, lots of selection, metro accessible.
So as of now, A-​OK. I’m hoping dessert will be great and I can bump it up to 4 stars.

After reading that legendary baker, Mark Furstenberg, was once again nominated for a James Beard award, this time in the new debut category for Outstanding Baker, for his new shop, Bread Furst. Mark was one of the original pioneers of bringing classic, traditionally made, European style breads to the D.C. area. I had to check this place out. Fortunately, I was going to be in the area for a little while, so, a quick stop was in my plans.
Bread Furst is located on a busy stretch of Connecticut Ave, so I would recommend finding a nearby side street and pay for parking. Outside the bakery, there are small tables to sit down at and enjoy the people watching, very LA-​ish. After entering, noticing on the left, you can see the impressive open kitchen where the magic happens. And walking further down, there is a showcasing of the amazeballness of breads, breakfast pastries, and other treats. I picked up quite a few items, and sat down for my tasting.
Palladin roll — This is actually a smaller version of a larger loaf that Bread Furst makes, but since I was on a weekend eating tour, and had only so much room in mah belly, I decided to order just the roll. Let me go on record by saying. this was probably the best roll I have had, ever! First, the crust was perfect. It was thick and crunchy, but still shattered as I ate it. The interior was soft and delicate. I personally don’t like super-​sour breads, so I appreciated the subtle touch of depth that was given to the bread, while enhancing the flavor, but not totally taking over it.
Bagel — This, too, was probably the best bagel I’ve ever had in my life. It had all the classic characteristics of what, textural-​wise, a great bagel should be: dense, thick, and chewy. But what made this bagel really excel was the flavor, it tasted like a french baguette. Talk about the best of both worlds!
Canele — The first thing that you will notice is the size, it’s big! It’s not like those inky-​dinky ones that most other places will try to sell you. The crust is amazing, with it being chewy, but not hard. The interior is meltingly soft, with the flavor of honey bursting throughout. This was absolutely brilliant!
Pain du Chocolat — One of the best chocolate croissants I’ve ever had. The texture was amazing! The interior had a really nice chew too it, and I liked the fact that the butter flavor wasn’t too overpowering, like I’ve had at other places in the past. The balance of texture and flavor was on point, and it was irresistible.
Mark Furstenberg, and his team, are well deserving of all the accolades they have received. If you are in the area and want to check out a truly great bakery, Bread Furst should be on your list. I do not know when I’ll be back in the area, but if I am, this bakery will be on my itinerary.

I was taking a break from work, and I saw this oily tainted brown bag sitting on my kitchen counter. I reached in and found a hard ginger apricot scone from Bread Furst that was purchased last Saturday. I looked at it and felt how tough it was. Instead of throwing it away, I broke it and took a bite.
Yummy!!! It was hard on the outside because it has been sitting for several days. However, the inside was still crumbly and tasted motherfn delicious!
That was just one testament of how this bakery knew how to bake great stuff. In fact, I was head over heel as soon as I saw the sign from across the street. Then, I saw some dude playing with dough by the entrance and rolling them out. I was like. Here. Take my ring. Let’s get engaged. Now! Not to that guy though. To the bakery!
Everything that we bought was tasty as tasty can be. As a baker myself, it’s hard not to be totally enthralled looking at a well run bakery. I wanted to be a part of it and flour my hands. Wouldn’t it be cool to wake up in the morning and make a boulle or baguette?
My fave was the lime glazed donut. It’s out of this world good. I also tried the messy egg that was gooey and yummy. It had big thick slices of applewood smoked bacon as well. It was really really good. Dita had some bostock and croissants. She didn’t have any complaint.
My only issue was the ordering. It’s confusing and it’s hard to tell what they have on the menu. I was scrambling for sign and ordered the first thing I saw. Line was long too so I felt pressured to make up my mind fast. The place is also small and crowded and was hard to find a comfortable place to sit.
However, the food was solid. Apparently they mean it when they said Bread furst/​first as it did came first and they aced it. Would have been even better when process and facility accommodate that great bread though. However, believe me they’re not hurting for business despite the chaotic ordering process and table situation.

I’m sitting in Bread Furst eating an okay croissant and one of the worst coffees that I have ever paid for. It’s a latte, and not only is the espresso badly done but the stupid barista scalded the milk and then made a half-​assed attempt to put some latte art on it with the crispy foam.
The reason I’m eating a croissant at 130pm on a Sunday is that they ran out of just about everything else. Everything. I would leave and go elsewhere, but I’m planning to meet several people here in about 20 minutes.
The only thing that was still in stock was tunafish sandwiches ($ 10 each). If I knew the chef had jumped into the ocean and speared a tuna, brought it back to DC on the same day, prepared the meat and then sold it to me on a sandwich, I’d pay that price. But as it is, some sad little sandwich (the only thing left on the menu)…forget it. This is DC, I have other options.
And that’s another thing, everything is kind of expensive here. This could be such a great place and it just isn’t. I cannot fathom how they could blow it like this, but now I know why other competitors like Little Red Fox have lines around the block and this place, which is ostensibly nicer, is second tier.

Love this place. High quality breads and pastries, good service and reasonable prices make this on my «repeat visits» list. I had the delicious ham &cheese on a biscuit along with the mini-​Monkey bread. Both were delicious. Took a baguette home. Perfection.
I could not believe previous reviews criticizing the coffee and sandwich prices: What planet are these Unilocalers on? Starbucks has been charging $ 4.00 + for coffee for over a decade. This is D.C. Everything is expensive here! Also, what newbies to the city may not know is that there are no decent bread bakeries in town. So having Breadfurst is a huge thing for people (like me) who love the Euro-​style baguettes and other breads. Hurray, Breadfurst. You are fabulous and we need you!