Breakfast at Breadline

Lunch breaks are meant to be precisely that - interruptions, respites, thirty minutes alone with your senses, good company, and hopefully some sunshine. This is precisely why I avoid Breadline for lunch - the sandwich shop of choice for the World Bank and a myriad of office buildings, has a rush that closely resembles a mob. I'd confront the crowds and quick-draw for a table only on Spicy Peanut soup day. The bread - especially the challah and olive loaf - was certainly worth the trip, but I would buy it during off-hours and make a quick getaway.

At a friend's suggestion, I stopped over for breakfast yesterday to find it completely transformed. The back room was dim, there was ample seating outside, the army of sandwich makers were slicing and dicing in unison - even the woman at the register smiled broadly. Though the beautifully thick French toast beckoned, I ordered a croissant and a mini Cherry pastry along with some Colombian drip coffee (a full coffee bar is available) and went outside.

As one would expect of the place with the best baguettes in DC, the croissant was perfect: salty, flaky, fresh made. The cherry pastry had a good balance of dough to filling, and withstood several bites without falling apart. The view of the World Bank and people-watching on Pennsylvania will entertain you even in the absence of a morning newspaper. Beat the rush and stay a while.

Breadline
1751 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
Washington, DC 20006