It’s morning and you’re in need of a carb-laden breakfast. Not to worry, what D.C. may lack in comparison to New York’s bagel shops, we make up for with spots boasting buttery croissants reminiscent of Parisian cafes and powdery beignets with New Orleans flare. There’s even a place for traditional German delights. Included in the city’s pastry diversity are enough gluten-free options to keep those generally averse to grains from feeling left out. So without further ado, here’s where to go for your chewy, toasted, or buttery morning bread of choice.—Christina Sturdivant

Bread Furst. (Photo by Erin)

BREAD FURST: Mark Furstenberg is a D.C. institution and his newest bakery in Van Ness should be the same. With a name like Bread Furst, unsurprisingly the bread is excellent. You can tell by the way it sounds, as I learned from Ratatouille, but it tastes great too. I’m partial to the always-fresh baguettes used in my favorite sandwich there, the simple but perfect jamon buerre. But if you go on a day they have donuts, you are required to get one, because they are life-changing—dense yet light and cakey, and I want to spread the blackberry glaze on everything.—Nicole Dubowitz

Bread Furst is located at 4434 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC.

BAKERS AND BARISTAS:
Chances are, you won’t find too many butterkuchens around town, which makes this Viennese-inspired bakery a gem in Penn Quarter. The traditional German buttercakes are topped with almonds and sugar—they’re a sweet, fluffy, and crunchy delight. Morning offerings also include sweet and cheese danishes, yogurt tarts, fruit turnovers, coffee cake, brioche buns, and more. Bonus: Owner Aaron Gordon is also at the helm of Red Velvet Cupcakery next door.—Christina Sturdivant

Bakers and Baristas is located at 501 7th Street NW.

Northside Social. (Photo by Kevin Harber)

NORTHSIDE SOCIAL: This ever-crowded Clarendon staple has some of the most creative, satisfying freshly baked goods in the area. They’ve even converted a scone-hater like me, given the crusty exterior yet soft insides that they perfect in a variety of sweet and savory options. I even think their take on poptarts (especially the Nutella one) bests the more famous version at Ted’s Bulletin. They also have tons of gluten-free options for cookies and the like that don’t taste like something only a masochist would choose. And the breads are the perfect bookends for their super-stuffed sandwiches. Seriously, there’s no skimping on the lox at Northside Social. Whether you want breakfast sandwiches til 3 p.m. or an early start on some wine drinking, this is your spot. Just ignore the SoDoSoPa-like “NOSO” emblazoned on the employees’ shirts.—Rachel Kurzius

Northside Social is located at 3211 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, Va.

THREE FIFTY BAKERY AND COFFEE BAR: Tucked away in the U Street Corridor, Three Fifty Bakery is a neighborhood treasure. Muffins, scones, croissants, banana bread, and more are all showstoppers. There’s also a zucchini bread available for the vegans among us. Seating is scarce and wi-fi is limited, but the breads score every time.—Christina Sturdivant

Three Fifty Bakery and Coffee Bar is located at 1926 17th Street NW

Bethesda Bagels. (Via Facebook)

BETHESDA BAGELS: You’ve probably heard the all-too-common refrain from relocated New Yorkers about the dearth of good bagels in the area, but those folks aren’t looking very hard. Bethesda Bagels, which just celebrated the third anniversary for its Dupont location (they also have one in … see if you can guess … Bethesda), has an impeccable selection of the hole-y bread. And you know that you can’t just offer run-of-the-mill bagels at a bagel shop anymore—they’ve got flagels, mini-bagels, the bagel version of munchkins, and a ton of spreads for whatever delicious product you choose. They also have the kind of bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches that harken to my high school days in New Jersey, which is really the highest compliment I can bestow.—Rachel Kurzius

Bethesda Bagels has multiple locations.

A BAKED JOINT: A Baked Joint is the latest, erm, joint from the folks behind Georgetown’s Baked and Wired. Considering its origins, bread and other pastries get top billing on the menu, which leans heavily on sandwiches and, yes, that dreaded artisan toast. Get in on the open-faced action with smoked salmon and scallion cream cheese sprinkled with fried capers on a single baguette slice or relive your childhood with peanut butter and jam or bananas on toast. There’s even a peanut butter and Sriracha (pb&s?) for the adventurous. And given that A Baked Joint unabashedly serves artisan toast, they might be sympathetic to a request to leave off the second slice on any of their regular sandwiches.—Alicia Mazzara, adapted from a previous list.

A Baked Joint is located at 440 K Street NW.

Bullfrog Bagels. (Via Facebook)

BULLFROG BAGELS: Bullfrog Bagels hit the H Street corridor in September 2014 after co-owner and master bagel maker Jeremiah Cohen debuted his “chewy but not too chewy” baked goods to long lines that summer. At the time, he was confident that his top-secret recipe would bring the “long-suffering people of Washington the bagels they deserve.” Less than two years later, the shop is still serving up their hand-rolled bread made with tap water and a wild leavening agent that grows organically in the air. Offerings include plain, sesame, everything, poppy, and salt and onion. You can also add eggs, cheese, sausage, corned beef, pastrami, and other breakfast necessities to have yourself a “bagelwich.”—Christina Sturdivant

Bullfrog Bagels is located at 1341 H Street NE.

BAYOU BAKERY: Chef David Guas made good use of the southeast carriage house on Pennsylvania Avenue when he transformed it into the second location of his New Orleans-themed bakery. The space’s outdoor patio and indoor coves for working, socializing, and dining create a home-like experience that’s sorely lacking in D.C.’s cafe scene. And Guas prepares his dishes in the same familial way. While the beignets don’t quite take you to Cafe Du Monde, they’re tasty enough to make the shop a top destination for the powdery treat in D.C. Morning bread options also include crumbly buttermilk biscuits that can also be served as breakfast sandwiches or covered in gravy.—Christina Sturdivant

Bayou Bakery is located at 901 Pennsylvania Avenue SE and 1515 N. Courthouse Rd Arlington, Va.

Le Caprice. (Via Facebook)

LE CAPRICE: The croissants are so airy you half expect them to start floating up from the retail level store to the apartment building above. The butter, chocolate filled, or almond varieties of the pastry are definitely worth the indulgence and may indeed be the best in the city. The windows into Le Caprice show the bakers at work who may be churning out an array of cookies, cakes, and breads that they sell whole and use for their sandwiches including baguettes and a half moon pita-thyme bread made specifically for their gyros.—Josh Novikoff, adapted from a previous list.

Le Caprice is located at 3460 14th Street NW.

BREADLINE: Breadline’s open bakery churning out loaves of breads for sale or for sandwiches. The piadines, Italian flatbreads grilled a la minute and wrapped around a choice of fillings, is a unique offering; the ciabattas and baguettes are crusty and flavorful; and you can even take home a three pound bag of milled flour to try your hand at replicating the breads at home.—Josh Novikoff, adapted from a previous list.

Breadline is located at 1751 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

RISE BAKERY: The wait for gluten-free bread in Adams Morgan ended two years ago when Rise Bakery hit the scene. Gluten-sensitive crowds rushed the shop for pastries that wouldn’t make their stomachs turn. Over the years, the bakery has dedicated itself to being health conscious “without sacrificing taste, texture, or richness.” Croissants are the most popular item, and they range from chocolate and almond to ham and cheese. But the baked goods don’t stop there. Rise Bakery also serves up bagels, muffins, biscuits, buns, and a formidable selection of sweet treats.—Christina Sturdivant

Rise Bakery is located at 2409 18th Street NW.