Tatte Bakery DC Review: Is the food any good?

If you’ve ever visited Washington, DC, chances are you’ve heard of Tatte Bakery in Washington, DC. But, is the food any good? That’s the million-dollar question.

Former Israeli film producer Tzurit Or, who is also a pastry chef, founded Tatte and opened its first location in Brookline, a Boston suburb in 2007.

The casual restaurant has since expanded into 30 locations – 22 in the Boston area and eight in DC, including Dupont Circle, Navy Yard and Georgetown.

What does Tatte sell?

The bakery features delicious comfort food, delicious desserts and a wide range of coffees and drinks. There’s something for everyone – vegetarians, those with dietary restrictions, those with gluten-free diets, etc.

During my first visit to the restaurant, I took a server’s suggestion and opted for the lamb hash. The hash, which features warm spices, sweet potatoes, pickled red cabbage and carrots was absolutely delicious (see photos down below).

My friend opted for the lamb meatball topped with spicy labneh. I tasted that, too and it was incredible.

Plate of a delicious lamb meal from Tatte Bakery. — Yummy! Here’s the lamb hash we tried. It features warm spices, sweet potatoes, pickled red cabbage and carrots. Absolutely delicious.

Pita sandwich from Tatte Bakery in Washington, DC — The lamb meatball meal in a pita. Equally yummy.

So, how do you pronounce Tatte?

If you’ve been wondering how to pronounce Tatte, you’re not alone. I remember doing a YouTube video on this spot and had the same question. For the record, it’s pronounced, “tah-tay” or even better, latte. I asked one of the workers just to be sure. Here’s another fun fact, tatte is yiddish for “daddy.”

People stand in line ordering food in Tatte Bakery in Washington, DC.

The decor + atmosphere

I absolutely loved Tatte Bakery’s decor and atmosphere. Everything from the colour scheme to the tiles to the way the desserts were displayed made the entire trip to the restaurant oh so satisfying.

For some reason, I didn’t feel like I was in DC. Instead, I felt like I was in New York or Boston when I stepped inside the restaurant.

The entire spot is spacious, clean and well-organised. It’s also incredibly popular as it was hard to find seating at first.

Decor means a lot to me. It’s one of the main reasons I go out to eat.

Workers make coffee and cocoa inside of Tatte Bakery, Washington, DC. — Tatte Bakery’s baristas hard at work making espresso.

This Bahamian Gyal blogger, Rogan holds a hot cup of cocoa in her hand.

Pick a number, any number

The way the bakery and restaurant is set up, you have to order your food at the register, take a number and sit down at a table until your food is delivered to you. That’s kinda how it was at Rebel Taco as well.

The servers were really friendly and kind.

I really enjoyed the wide selection of foods, desserts and drinks that were offered.

Several stands of numbers sit on the counter for customers to take.

I was so excited to try out the menu that I found myself buying a bunch of different food items and drinks. I bought the mint lemonade, which was bottled. It was refreshing, but could have used a little more sugar. I don’t even have a sweet tooth, but this could have used some more sweetener.

This Bahamian Gyal blogger, Rogan holds a bottle of homemade mint lemonade in her hand.

Package of spiced almonds at Tatte Bakery.

Dessert time

I was a little hesitant to try the desserts at first because, as I mentioned, I don’t really have a sweet tooth, but after my friend bought a huge, chewy oatmeal cookie, I had to get one. Sadly, I ate it so quickly that I forgot to take a photo. All I have is the bag with the cookie. Sorry, kiddies. Oh, the brownies were good, too.