By Nevin Martell
Photo courtesy of Frosting
So many choices, so little time. The Ten is your guide to the best of the best that D.C. has to offer.
This week we take a look at the best sweet and savory hand pies around. These palm-sized pastries take their inspiration from a variety of cultures and come in a variety of configurations, but they’re all finger licking good.
The crusty, craveable circles at this funky favorite in Georgetown are chock-full of cherry, apple, peach-blueberry or mixed berry filling. Pair it up with a strong cup of coffee from boutique roasters like Stumptown Coffee Roasters and Madcap Coffee for the best results.
This Chevy Chase bakery offers a small selection of savory hand pies, such as Black Forest ham with white cheddar (seen above). Flakey and flavor-packed, they’re the perfect breakfast bite or afternoon pick-me-up.
The baking team at this Barrack’s Row comfort food palace turns out a colorful selection of childhood-evoking pop tarts in flavors like apple butter, strawberry, brown sugar cinnamon, and s’mores. There’s even one with peanut butter and bacon for diners looking for something a little more unorthodox.
At this gas-station-turned-Latin-accented-eatery in the U Street Corridor, sandwiches take center stage. However, the empanadas – especially the Humita filled with creamy béchamel, corn kernels, Parmesan, and Black Forest ham – is worth your time, too.
This boutique baker specializes in gourmet whoopie pies, like the Whoopitini (chocolate cake with a whipped cream vodka filling), Snowball (coconut cake and Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean filling), and the PB&C (chocolate cake with peanut butter filling). Available online or at the Red Hook Lobster Pound truck.
Order hand pies from these enterprising D.C. bakers and they’ll whip up batches in multiples of four. The available fillings change seasonally, but the team is always happy to accommodate preferences and allergies.
Get a taste of New Zealand at this Old Town java joint, which sells Down Under styled savory pies from Kiwi Kuisine. These hearty pastries are come in flavors like bacon and egg, roast lamb, and chicken curry. Guaranteed to make you have a g’day.
Cuppies at this Georgetown bakery come in sweet and savory selections. Favorites include a classic Key lime in a graham cracker crust, a double crusted apple, and a gooey bourbon chocolate pecan.
With locations in Dupont Circle and Bethesda, this empanaderia showcases an internationally influenced array of handheld lunchables. Particularly noteworthy are the CubaNovo chock-a-block with roasted pork and onions pepped with cilantro, lime, and Grand Marnier, and the Pepe, which mimics za with a filling of pepperoni, tomatoes, and mozzarella.
Arlingtonians get to munch on gourmet pop tarts here, including one crammed with Nutella and a pumpkin buckwheat option. Revisiting your childhood – or your ever-stoned college years – never tasted so good.
