Little Beast’s New Cafe Will Soon Unleash Cruffins on Chevy Chase

Neighborhood newcomer Little Beast is close to tacking on an interior cafe stocked with pistachio croissants, Vigilante coffee, and quirky croissant-muffin hybrids dubbed “cruffins.”

Owner Aaron Gordon (Red Velvet Cupcakery, Bakers & Baristas) tells Eater his family-friendly eatery (5600 Connecticut Avenue NW) is about a week away from opening its morning-to-late afternoon extension. The cafe is projected to operate daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the weeks-old rustic restaurant, which seats 74 inside and 44 on its adjacent outdoor patio.

He says pastry chef Naomi Gallego, who hails from critically acclaimed Blue Duck Tavern and Le Diplomate, “is most excited” about debuting cruffin creations flavored with raspberry rose and lemon meringue, as well as a “Kouign Amann,” aka cardamom coffee cake.

The new cafe’s menu selections also include glazed nut braids, everything bagel croissants filled with chive cream cheese, cinnamon rolls, and quiches.

Sugar rushes will come via cookies like lemon drop and brown butter chocolate chunk, and vegan selections include double chocolate cookies, raspberry hand pies, and banana nut muffins. The dry goods section is packed with granola and flavored biscottis in varieties such as lemon cornmeal pistachio and apricot almond.

Also expect fruit cups, banana cream pie, and cake pops. Chocolate pudding cups, macarons, cakes, and cream puffs will be rotated in and out on a daily basis.

Dinnertime selections at the whimsical and colorful restaurant, covered in playful animated “monsters” created by a Berlin-based graffiti artist, include hearty comfort foods like wood-fired pizzas and meaty pastas.

• A Berlin Muralist Puts His Mark on Chevy Chase’s New Little Beast [EDC]
• All the Things to Devour at Chevy Chase Newcomer Little Beast [EDC]