Adorable little bakery tucked into an alleyway in Union Market. They're in the middle of the alley and impossible to spot (unless, as there often is, there's a line out the door), so it can feel a little sketchy to walk aimlessly through a random alleyway, but Bread Alley makes the walk super cute with a lovely string of arrows pointing you to their gorgeous black brick and wooden storefront.
They don't have a full-time cashier, so if you get to Bread Alley during one of their off-peak hours, you have to knock or ring the bell and wait for one of their bakers to come open the door for you. Once they do, you'll be welcomed into a cozy little shopping area with just a cash register, small pastry case (which just includes a few exemplary pastries -- the rest are in the back), and a wall of various types of bread. I didn't end up grabbing one of their breads, but I'll definitely have to make my way back for them; the harissa black sesame sourdough looked incredibly enticing, but I just, unfortunately, didn't have a need for a full loaf of bread at the time. However, I was in the mood for a sweet treat and decided to get a classic pain au chocolat. They don't have an indoor seating space, given their relatively barebones front-end, so I just ate my croissant as I walked home. It was a beautiful croissant, with a gorgeous lamination inside and nice glossy finish. It was a smidge too doughy for my taste, as I generally prefer really light and airy croissants, but it was still delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Croissant
Chanpen Tee
Cute bread store in the small alley. The chocolate croissant is pretty good and staff is friendly. The store is cute and clean.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Croissant
Bárbara P.
I bought two croissants and two types of sourdough bread, good quality bread, very good flavor but not exceptional. However, what caught my attention was the apathy when it came to serving. They have no interest in improving their customer service. Good bread options but I wouldn't return even for the price, customer service. You can get excellent options with better customer experiences.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 2
Sara Kleiman
This place is amazing. Literally the best bread I’ve had in my entire life and I lived in France.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Croissant
Madi D
I'd heard this place was popular so I got there right around opening. There was a small line but still lots of stock. While there I asked what time they usually sell out, and they said around 11am.
I got a baguette and a kouignn amann. The baguette was pretty good but on the pricey side at $5. The baguette from A Baked Joint is $4 and I feel pretty comparable, but I am not a bread expert.
The kouignn amann was inconsistent; some parts were very sweet and some were very salty? I wonder if it has something to do with the butter or lamination, as it really was like there were individual sections with different flavors. The texture was nice, but for $6 I probably won't be ordering it again, even if my experience was a fluke, which I assume it was. I also asked about the ham and cheese croissant, but they are selling it for almost $10.
Overall good selection of breads, butters, jams and seasonal specials. Quick service especially considering the size and popularity. I will echo what others have said regarding the lack of contactless pay, tap to pay, or chip insert. Hopefully they will fix that soon. Not sure if I will be back in the near future, but it's nice to have it as an option near me. I may return to try their sourdough.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Baguette
T L
Amazing bread. I like how small and simple the setup is. Just a few selections, no space to loiter/window shop. You go in, pick the bread, and head out. Keeps it reasonably priced and a great neighborhood shop for something to take home.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
tajaco
Fantastic croissants, delicious sourdough rye
letasha smith
I was very excited about going to the Bread Alley due to the fact I have heard good things from IG. So when I 1st got to the door I swore the lady looked at me in such a dis manner but I shrug it off because why would she do that. So I got in and told her it was my first time. She said what bread do u want in such a rude manner. I told her I was making some soups (lentil and a squash) and asked about a sour dough or a baguette She said it it didn't matter. At this point I wanted to say never mind but decided to get something because me and my partner was having guest over and I wanted a nice fresh bread for the soups. I got a sour dough came right out of the store and sent a message to the stores Ig page hoping to get a response but of course I haven't. Once my guess came over and dinner was served, I cut the Bread and luckily ate the Bread before my partner. The Bread was made with olive which he is allergic to. Nothing on the label said it had olives and when I told her what type of soups I was having she didn't say the anything about the Bread at all except that it didn't matter. I will not be shopping there again. I also went on there ig page and it had bad reviews due to the service as comments under serial post.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
It Wasii
Found this place as I was venturing through dc. I was looking around at the local graffiti and noticed a line outside of a random door. I decided to walk in and see what was going on and to my surprise I was hit with the wonderful smell of bread. After looking around and asking for recommendations I left satisfied with two loaves of bread that was absolutely delectable.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Baguette
Florine Demosthene
Bread Alley has THE BEST croissants in the DMV. It is worth waiting on line for. The sourdough breads are also divine.
This is the best sourdough I've had in DC! The crust is delightfully crispy and crunchy, while the interior remains moist and fluffy. highly recommend their cranberry walnut ✨😣🫶🏼
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
romualdo martinez
It is like a speakeasy place. All the bread and pastries 🥮 🥐 are awesome 🤩!!! I visited the place with my son.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ian Lever
Yummm! They made challah bread here over the holidays and it was sooooo good. Wow.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Asim Niazi
Bread & Butter Zen!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
J Nicole Miller
It's like a speakeasy for bread. I found out about it through TikTok and while going into an alley and ringing a bell to get into a bakery felt super sketch, the shop itself is very warm, tidy, and welcoming. Plus these baguettes and croissants are delicious
Adorable little bakery tucked into an alleyway in Union Market. They're in the middle of the alley and impossible to spot (unless, as there often is, there's a line out the door), so it can feel a little sketchy to walk aimlessly through a random alleyway, but Bread Alley makes the walk super cute with a lovely string of arrows pointing you to their gorgeous black brick and wooden storefront.
They don't have a full-time cashier, so if you get to Bread Alley during one of their off-peak hours, you have to knock or ring the bell and wait for one of their bakers to come open the door for you. Once they do, you'll be welcomed into a cozy little shopping area with just a cash register, small pastry case (which just includes a few exemplary pastries -- the rest are in the back), and a wall of various types of bread. I didn't end up grabbing one of their breads, but I'll definitely have to make my way back for them; the harissa black sesame sourdough looked incredibly enticing, but I just, unfortunately, didn't have a need for a full loaf of bread at the time. However, I was in the mood for a sweet treat and decided to get a classic pain au chocolat. They don't have an indoor seating space, given their relatively barebones front-end, so I just ate my croissant as I walked home. It was a beautiful croissant, with a gorgeous lamination inside and nice glossy finish. It was a smidge too doughy for my taste, as I generally prefer really light and airy croissants, but it was still delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Croissant
Cute bread store in the small alley. The chocolate croissant is pretty good and staff is friendly. The store is cute and clean.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Croissant
I bought two croissants and two types of sourdough bread, good quality bread, very good flavor but not exceptional. However, what caught my attention was the apathy when it came to serving. They have no interest in improving their customer service. Good bread options but I wouldn't return even for the price, customer service. You can get excellent options with better customer experiences.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 2
This place is amazing. Literally the best bread I’ve had in my entire life and I lived in France.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Croissant
I'd heard this place was popular so I got there right around opening. There was a small line but still lots of stock. While there I asked what time they usually sell out, and they said around 11am.
I got a baguette and a kouignn amann. The baguette was pretty good but on the pricey side at $5. The baguette from A Baked Joint is $4 and I feel pretty comparable, but I am not a bread expert.
The kouignn amann was inconsistent; some parts were very sweet and some were very salty? I wonder if it has something to do with the butter or lamination, as it really was like there were individual sections with different flavors. The texture was nice, but for $6 I probably won't be ordering it again, even if my experience was a fluke, which I assume it was. I also asked about the ham and cheese croissant, but they are selling it for almost $10.
Overall good selection of breads, butters, jams and seasonal specials. Quick service especially considering the size and popularity. I will echo what others have said regarding the lack of contactless pay, tap to pay, or chip insert. Hopefully they will fix that soon. Not sure if I will be back in the near future, but it's nice to have it as an option near me. I may return to try their sourdough.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Baguette
Amazing bread. I like how small and simple the setup is. Just a few selections, no space to loiter/window shop. You go in, pick the bread, and head out. Keeps it reasonably priced and a great neighborhood shop for something to take home.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Fantastic croissants, delicious sourdough rye
I was very excited about going to the Bread Alley due to the fact I have heard good things from IG. So when I 1st got to the door I swore the lady looked at me in such a dis manner but I shrug it off because why would she do that. So I got in and told her it was my first time. She said what bread do u want in such a rude manner. I told her I was making some soups (lentil and a squash) and asked about a sour dough or a baguette She said it it didn't matter. At this point I wanted to say never mind but decided to get something because me and my partner was having guest over and I wanted a nice fresh bread for the soups. I got a sour dough came right out of the store and sent a message to the stores Ig page hoping to get a response but of course I haven't. Once my guess came over and dinner was served, I cut the Bread and luckily ate the Bread before my partner. The Bread was made with olive which he is allergic to. Nothing on the label said it had olives and when I told her what type of soups I was having she didn't say the anything about the Bread at all except that it didn't matter.
I will not be shopping there again. I also went on there ig page and it had bad reviews due to the service as comments under serial post.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Found this place as I was venturing through dc. I was looking around at the local graffiti and noticed a line outside of a random door. I decided to walk in and see what was going on and to my surprise I was hit with the wonderful smell of bread. After looking around and asking for recommendations I left satisfied with two loaves of bread that was absolutely delectable.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Baguette
Bread Alley has THE BEST croissants in the DMV. It is worth waiting on line for. The sourdough breads are also divine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
This is the best sourdough I've had in DC! The crust is delightfully crispy and crunchy, while the interior remains moist and fluffy. highly recommend their cranberry walnut ✨😣🫶🏼
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It is like a speakeasy place. All the bread and pastries 🥮 🥐 are awesome 🤩!!! I visited the place with my son.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yummm! They made challah bread here over the holidays and it was sooooo good. Wow.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bread & Butter Zen!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It's like a speakeasy for bread. I found out about it through TikTok and while going into an alley and ringing a bell to get into a bakery felt super sketch, the shop itself is very warm, tidy, and welcoming. Plus these baguettes and croissants are delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Baguette
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