Sweet and savory, breakfast pastries can make a morning meeting at the office more palpable, or even a morning at home infinitely better. Here are six places to get the best breakfast pastries in Northern Virginia.
Northside Social
This cute café is known for its wine bar, but it also offers great pastries and opens at 7 a.m. daily, so you can grab a pick-me-up treat before rush hour. Find muffins and scones at both its Arlington and Falls Church locations, but head to Falls Church for more specialized pastries, like homemade pop tarts, cinnamon rolls, and chocolate croissants. 3211 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 205 Park Ave., Falls Church
Duck Donuts
Not just a top breakfast choice for cops anymore, doughnuts have become more high-end than ever before. Duck Donuts creates lots of unique flavors – blueberry pancake! Pina colada! French toast! – and they almost look too good to eat. With eight locations in NoVA, there are lots of opportunities to try them. Multiple locations
Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe
European pastries are simply the best, and Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe offers Virginia residents a taste with its delicious breakfast pastries. Cheese danishes, quiches, sweet-filled croissants, and rugalas are just a few of the items you can enjoy from this spot. 2150 N. Culpeper St., Arlington
Good Company Donuts and Café
This place offers a homemade lineup regularly and flavors sell out often, so your best bet is to order online. Usual suspects like chocolate cake, sprinkles and cinnamon sugar are among unique flavors like gingerbread glaze, butter crunch, and cran-apple pistachio glaze. 672 N. Glebe Rd., Ste. 1, Arlington
The Swiss Bakery and Pastry Shoppe
Whether you’re craving a sweet breakfast pastry like a scone or strudel, or something more savory like a ham and cheese croissant, this place has delicious options for both. Since it is a Swiss bakery, they use traditional Swiss recipes (like for its apple strudel) and even use European pastry dough. 5224 Port Royal Rd., Springfield
Tatte Bakery and Cafe
Founded by a self-taught Israeli pastry chef, Tatte has several locations in DC and Bethesda, but lucky for Virginians, one location in Arlington. Try the ham and cheese croissant, one of their quiches, or tartines. 2805 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington
For more great places to eat around NoVA, subscribe to our Food newsletter.