1515 N Courthouse Rd, Arlington, VA 22201
Southern food and coffee?! It doesn’t get much better than that. When walking into Bayou Bakery you can’t help but wonder, “Did I just walk into Louisiana?” Whether you want to go home to the South or take a quick trip, Bayou is the place to go. You will immediately be comforted with music reminiscent of Louisiana and baristas that I swear have a little Southern charm.
I step up to order and it feels like a team effort, has that ever happened to you? The interaction goes something like “Can I have this?” “Well, we don’t have it, but let’s figure something out. How do we feel about __?” And, with a “lets” and “we,” somehow we have become teammates. Our game: make it through a Monday.
Yes, so back to ordering. I could not get a drip coffee because they only serve it on weekends, so I end up ordering a 16 oz latte with skim milk, coming to $5.65. I slide down to the pick up window to grab it and run, being that I’m on my way to school. As I gaze around the place, not for the first time, I see bars you can sit at with stools, tables that have half booth and half chair seating, a bench and seating outside (for the daring, so never me). After I get to school, I sip as I draft the outlines so familiar to law students. The foam makes the endless pages of material go down easier on this rainy autumn Monday. The foam is not the only good part though, the whole drink is both light with a smooth finish.
I did not get food this time, but mind you I am not a bayou virgin–the southern inspired food and pastries are amazing. I recommend the beignets. Also, you will be pleasantly surprised–the food here is cheaper than the surrounding areas. Another thing I didn’t have this morning is their tea, which, hot or cold, is very good (see additional photos). A final note, Bayou does not allow computers on weekends because they need the space, so this is not the place to plan to study on a Saturday!
If you get the chance to travel to this spot, that’s awesome, but no matter where your Monday takes you, we hope it is calm and productive.
Ambiance: 8/10
Coffee: 7/10
Price: 8/10
bold brookings & brews 