BREAD & BAKED GOODS

Gold Crust Baking Company
501 E. Monroe Ave., Alexandria; 703-549-0420; www.goldcrust.com
Open 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays.

Although acknowledging their carry-out business is small (maybe 5 percent of sales), Gold Crust general manager Bennet Helfgott notes that bread lovers and community groups routinely empty their shelves.

Shoppers unfamiliar with the name would probably still recognize the product, given that Gold Crust supplies various commercial entities (Five Guys, Trader Joe’s and “lots of white-tablecloth restaurants in Alexandria,” according to Helfgott).

Two things: They’re cash-(or check)-and-carry. And don’t go if you are the least bit hungry.

“I guarantee some of it gets eaten on the way home,” Helfgott speculates.

Cenan’s Bakery
122 Branch Road S.E., Vienna; 703-242-0070; www.cenansbakery.com
Open from 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.

Owner Cenan Pulak knows which side his bread is buttered on. Hence the reason the savvy grain salesman peddles his fresh-baked wares at half a dozen local farmers markets—giving outlying consumers good reason to later flock to his Vienna-based headquarters.

For it is there that Pulak reveals the full power of his baking operation, a well-oiled machine that can field up to three dozen homemade breads daily, including: traditional French baguettes (baked two to three times per day), Danish kernel (packed with a whopping 17 different grains), brioche, artisan sourdoughs (seeded, green and Kalamata olive-filled, garlic-Parmesan), myriad croissants (butter, chocolate, apricot), muffins (oat bran-raisin, blueberry, banana-nut) and scones (cinnamon-raisin, cherry, hazelnut).

South Street Under
203 Harrison St. S.E., Leesburg; 703-771-9610; www.southstreetunder.com
Open 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

“We see people three to four times a day,” South Street Under general manager Beth Reed says, hinting at the powerful pull the Leesburg bakery exercises over its fiercely loyal clientele.

The multitasking baking outfit—SSU handles all the bread baskets/desserts for Tuscarora Mill and starts the dough for Fire Works Pizza (both sibling ventures), does direct sales at the Leesburg farmers market and wholesales to other local businesses—specializes in around a half-dozen breads, including: their signature ciabatta, which is embellished seasonally (hot peppers-cheddar, spring onions-Asiago) and spontaneously (farmers market folks are often privy to a special chocolate-chip variety), a hearty eight-grain loaf, cinnamon-raisin, baguettes, whole wheat and traditional sourdough.

Wicked Bread
2941 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 105, Falls Church; 703-270-1690; www.wickedbread.com
Available from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Artisan baker Patrick Deiss, the craftsman behind the tempting bread baskets and toothsome parting gifts at 2941, quietly launched Wicked Bread last summer.

A year later, his star’s risen higher than one his loftiest creations, with Deiss hustling to keep 2941 (commands around a half dozen gourmet breads—and sometimes hundreds of loaves—per day), 2941 Café (his only direct-to-consumer outlet features a handful of seasonal offerings) and Pizzeria Orso (Deiss’ baguettes are the go-to sandwich base) fully stocked.

From savory (knobby olive-rosemary twists pack a briny punch) to sweet (cherries and chocolate invade every bite of a dessert-worthy baguette), Deiss has you covered. Up next: a semolina-cheese mash-up and garlic-tomato-herb baguette.

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Shopping key
(CSA) Participates in Community-Supported Agriculture
(DS) Direct to Consumer Sales
(FM) Available at Local Farmers Markets
(O) Online Sales
(R) Available at Local Retailers
(YR) Year-Round Operation

Abuelita Mexican Foods • 9209 Enterprise Court, Manassas Park; 703-369-0232 
Afghan Bakery • 8532-Q Terminal Road, Lorton; 703-550-0422
Amphora Bakery • Multiple NoVA locations 
Atlanta Bread Co. • 45633 Dulles Eastern Plaza, Suite 100, Sterling; 703-444-4360
Baguette Republic • 1109 W. Broad St., Falls Church; 703-237-3717 
Banh Mi D.C. • 3103-C Graham Road, Falls Church; 703-205-9300
Best Buns • 4010 Campbell Ave., Arlington; 703-578-1500
Bon Matin Bakery • 1 E. Main St., Berryville; 540-955-1554
Buzz Bakery • 901 Slaters Lane, Alexandria; 703-600-2899 
Caboose Cafe & Bakery • 2419 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria; 703-566-1283
Firehook Bakery • Multiple NoVA locations
Fonda Latina Panaderia • 6119 Backlick Road, Springfield; 703-866-4343
Great Harvest Bread Co. • Multiple NoVA locations; www.darngoodbread.com; www.warrentonbread.com
Heidelberg Paåstry Shoppe • 2150 Culpeper St., Arlington; 703-527-8394
Hot Breads • 14027 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, Chantilly; 703-263-1466
The Majestic Bakery • 9255 Center St., Manassas; 703-330-4447
Mancini’s Café & Bakery • 1508 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria; 703-838-3663
Marvelous Markets • Multiple NoVA locations
Le Matin de Paris • 7326-A Little River Turnpike, Annandale; 703-914-0088
Mello Out • 2 E. Federal St., Middleburg; 540-687-8635
Mom’s Apple Pie Company • Multiple NoVA locations 
Northside Social • 3211 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703-465-0145
On the Rise Bakery • Manassas; 703-754-8952 (DS)
Pan American Bakery & Grill • Multiple NoVA locations
Panera • Multiple NoVA locations
Le Pain Quotiden • Multiple NoVA locations
Pie Gourmet • 507 Maple Ave. W., Vienna; 703-281-7437
Shilla • Multiple NoVA locations
Silva’s Patisserie • 167 Glyndon St S.E., Vienna; 703-255-6880
The Swiss Bakery and Pastry Shop • Multiple NoVA locations
Triple Oak Bakery • 11692-A Lee Highway, Sperryville; 540-987-9122 (R)
The Upper Crust • 4 N. Pendleton St., Middleburg; 540-687-5666
Yas Bakery • 137 Church St. N.W., Vienna; 703-242-4050