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City Perch Kitchen + Bar
City Perch Kitchen + Bar
R. Lopez

These Elaborate Bread Baskets Are Worth the Calories

Baguettes, popovers, corn bread and more, served with rich, creamy butter.

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City Perch Kitchen + Bar
| R. Lopez

It's common for restaurant meals to begin with a hearty bread basket. Too frequently though, bread baskets seem like an afterthought — a pile of empty, flavorless calories. But when done right, good bread can be a highlight of a meal and turn a restaurant into a must-hit spot.

Think crusty, airy baguettes with butter or warm, puffy pita accompanied by oil and vinegar for dipping. Here are some of the best bread and butter offerings being served up in the D.C. area.

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Acadiana

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Diners rave about Acadiana's complimentary — and indulgent — biscuits with pepper jelly.

Consider ordering the $6 bread basket, which comes with a choice of the pita-like lepinja, fried sourdough or a mix of both. It's served with a selection of three traditional Balkan spreads.

Birch & Barley

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Diners here are treated to a board of three kinds of breads, including pretzel rolls, served with butter and beer mustard.

BLT Steak

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Meals at this steakhouse start with a free order of hot, cheesy, fluffy popovers served with fresh butter and salt. The popular treats come with their own recipe card.

Bombay Club

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Choose from a selection of a la carte naan and roti, such as the garlic or truffle naan. Or, purchase a basket of assorted breads for $9.

Del Campo

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Everything at Chef Victor Albisu's upscale Argentinian restaurant has an element of smoke, and the pre-meal bread is no different. It's served in a cast-iron skillet alongside smoked olive oil.

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

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This swanky seafood and steak spot serves up a free basket brimming with a variety of breads such as bialy, pumpernickel and pretzel sticks.

Le Diplomate

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Sourdough baguette is the star here, complete with a crusty, flaky exterior. It's served alongside two other types of bread — a cranberry walnut boule and a rustic rye wheat boule. Enjoy all three with the rich, creamy butter.

Lupo Verde

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This buzzy Italian spot starts diners off with a gratis basket filled with homemade goods like tomato and rosemary focaccia, bread sticks and walnut and raisin bread.

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

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The rolls and cornbread here are the perfect partners to Pearl Dive's Louisiana sensibility. The first order is free, and refills are $3. [Photo: Yelp/Norry H.]

The $12 baker's basket comes with a mix of breads and spreads from the bakery section of this restaurants vast menu. Expect things like cheddar chive biscuits and ciabatta with garlic and olive oil.

Diners at this acclaimed Indian restaurant can order naan a la carte for $3 an order or opt for an $8 basket with three bread varieties including onion and sage naan and mint paratha.

Rose's Luxury

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Waiting in line should work up an appetite for Rose's complimentary homemade challah bread loaf, sprinkled with sesame seeds and served warm with honey butter.

Vidalia

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This Southern-inspired bread basket comes with a selection of cornbread, onion foccacia and buttery rolls with jam and butter.

Zaytinya

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Meals at Jose Andres' Greek spot come with complimentary orders of hot, puffy, soft pita. It's great with the house olive oil and pomegranate vinegar or with a traditional spread like hommus or tzatziki.

City Perch Kitchen + Bar

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Chef Sherry Yard was known for her pastry prowess before taking the helm at City Perch. Find cornbread and biscuits among the offerings.

Acadiana

Diners rave about Acadiana's complimentary — and indulgent — biscuits with pepper jelly.

Ambar

Consider ordering the $6 bread basket, which comes with a choice of the pita-like lepinja, fried sourdough or a mix of both. It's served with a selection of three traditional Balkan spreads.

Birch & Barley

Diners here are treated to a board of three kinds of breads, including pretzel rolls, served with butter and beer mustard.

BLT Steak

Meals at this steakhouse start with a free order of hot, cheesy, fluffy popovers served with fresh butter and salt. The popular treats come with their own recipe card.

Bombay Club

Choose from a selection of a la carte naan and roti, such as the garlic or truffle naan. Or, purchase a basket of assorted breads for $9.

Del Campo

Everything at Chef Victor Albisu's upscale Argentinian restaurant has an element of smoke, and the pre-meal bread is no different. It's served in a cast-iron skillet alongside smoked olive oil.

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

This swanky seafood and steak spot serves up a free basket brimming with a variety of breads such as bialy, pumpernickel and pretzel sticks.

Le Diplomate

Sourdough baguette is the star here, complete with a crusty, flaky exterior. It's served alongside two other types of bread — a cranberry walnut boule and a rustic rye wheat boule. Enjoy all three with the rich, creamy butter.

Lupo Verde

This buzzy Italian spot starts diners off with a gratis basket filled with homemade goods like tomato and rosemary focaccia, bread sticks and walnut and raisin bread.

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

The rolls and cornbread here are the perfect partners to Pearl Dive's Louisiana sensibility. The first order is free, and refills are $3. [Photo: Yelp/Norry H.]

Range

The $12 baker's basket comes with a mix of breads and spreads from the bakery section of this restaurants vast menu. Expect things like cheddar chive biscuits and ciabatta with garlic and olive oil.

Rasika

Diners at this acclaimed Indian restaurant can order naan a la carte for $3 an order or opt for an $8 basket with three bread varieties including onion and sage naan and mint paratha.

Rose's Luxury

Waiting in line should work up an appetite for Rose's complimentary homemade challah bread loaf, sprinkled with sesame seeds and served warm with honey butter.

Vidalia

This Southern-inspired bread basket comes with a selection of cornbread, onion foccacia and buttery rolls with jam and butter.

Zaytinya

Meals at Jose Andres' Greek spot come with complimentary orders of hot, puffy, soft pita. It's great with the house olive oil and pomegranate vinegar or with a traditional spread like hommus or tzatziki.

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City Perch Kitchen + Bar

Chef Sherry Yard was known for her pastry prowess before taking the helm at City Perch. Find cornbread and biscuits among the offerings.

Related Maps