I like their Pastina it taste like focaccia with coriander seed. It's delicious, but I believe it's just the black seeds which are used in Middle Eastern and Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking. Highly recommend it. read more

The blueberry yogurt cake is excellent, so is the service. When I'm in the area I always make sure to stop by!

This bakery carries 4-5 cakes and they are all good. I recently tried Tiramisu and Coffee Velvet. Both were delicious and they are not crazy sweet. They are tastefully sweet. I wish I could come here to try their breakfast menu. They look very good. I also want to try their fruit cakes and pound cakes. Whenever I come to buy injera next door, I cannot resist to stop by here to get some slices of cakes! read more

This place is classic European style baking with Ethiopian flair - meaning, they make things vegan to align with their beliefs. How great is THAT?! I like that people can try the food and not know it's vegan until after, then think: wow, I can do vegan. This place gets top stars for being that kind of a bakery. All the items are created with a light airiness about them, thanks to some nice leavening techniques. However, they do have the classic white flour in them, so sorry for those seeking gluten free items. For vegans, feel free to ask what they have that's vegan as they are definitely not labeled. As others have mentioned, they are so friendly, they're happy to answer your questions! You may want to stay to eat some and then take more to go. Since it's out of the way and reasonably priced, I'd suggest that! Two cake slices and 6 cookies for under $10 - wow, that's a bargain. I almost feel bad! My fav cookies are a toss up between the chocolate vanilla swirl or the raspberry jam filled cookies. My fav cake is between the vegan velvet cake (chocolate and vanilla) and the mocha cake (chocolate and coffee!). However, the fruit cake and rum cake are good choices for a lighter option, or for those who don't like chocolate. It's surprising how airy they are, and it's even more surprising when the cake slice is gone in a minute.... I go back as often as possible - I love their baked goods! Best non-vegan bakery outside of DC, and maybe in the DC area for classic European style vegan items!! read more

So, my beautiful loving friends surprised me with a chocolate raspberry vegan cake for my birthday. This is one of the BEST cakes I've ever had in my life, vegan or otherwise. Its shockingly light, fluffy, yet deeply satisfying and flavorful. The frosting is airy and light and the raspberry filling layers are scrumptious - not too sweet and add a great balance to to chocolate. We're sitting and eating this the next day for post-brunch dessert as I type and it is even better today. You better believe all of my future special occasion cakes will be ordered from here. Thank you Dama for making my baked good dreams come true! read more

Dama Bakery - Raspberry chocolate layer cake. Best birthday cake ever. - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Love love love the food here! Great service, great portions. Some of best Ethiopian food in the area!

I am reviewing a slice of fruit cake I had here, so please take this review with a grain of salt as it does not reflect the overall food here: First of all, I've learned that I'm not a fan of cakes unless it's a sheet cake from select grocery stores, so by the transitive property, vegan cakes will never be as good as a sheet cake from select grocery stores. If you have the same low brow palate as me, know thyself, and don't buy vegan cakes from restaurants. They'll only disappoint you. I've only had one good slice of vegan cake since turning vegan, and it cost me $8. Thankfully, the slices of cake here were affordable, and I only lost $4, but I finally learned a valuable lesson for myself to never buy vegan cake again (and that desserts are rarely worth it). read more

One of the most delicious and extraordinary meals, variety of cakes and excellent customer service. A place that brings to you a little bit of the Ethiopian culture right in Washington DC. Highly recommended! read more

Dama Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Just returned from Greece and was craving a decadent sweet desert. Popped into this bakery to try their baklava It was very delicious and would recommend stopping by if in the area. The staff were friendly but service was extremely slow. read more

My girlfriend and I stopped here for coffee before my flight back home. Tucked away on a road about 10 minutes away from the DC airport, I had assumed the coffee shop would receive a lot of traffic from people waiting for their flights, such as myself. The parking lot was small, but we found a spot relatively quickly, as people seemed to be coming and going. When we walked in, we first noticed that there were a lot of what seemed to be "regulars" at the coffee shop. We window browsed the cakes, I ordered a tiramisu and a mocha latte, my girlfriend ordered a slice of cake and a mocha latte. We were informed that they were out of mocha, so we switched to vanilla. We were served the cake/tiramisu on a plate, with the coffee coming shortly after. My tiramisu was delicious, as was my coffee, which had hints of nutmeg and other spices. My girlfriend's cake, on the other hand, was stale. She struggled through it, and we finished out coffees. As we got up to leave, I brought our used dishes and coffee mugs back up to the counter to ask for a paper to-go cup for my girlfriend's coffee. The lady behind the counter seemed to be pre-occupied by a leaking espresso machine, but I eventually got her attention to ask for a paper cup. She obliged, although I could visibly she was frustrated. All in all, a friendly place with good coffee, good tiramisu, and (mostly) friendly people. A great place to stop by for coffee before a flight out of DCA. read more

Omg my brother got me a birthday tiramisu from this bakery and it was easily the best I've ever had in my entire life. I wish I lived closer! When we visit Arlington, we will be sure to try all their other cakes and pastries, too. read more

Not everyone knows this, but Dama Bakery has great vegan options as well! All of the cookies (raspberry or apricot jam, chocolate swirl, almond, and anisetee are my favorites) are always vegan (not that anyone could tell), as is the baklava, and they generally have 1-5 vegan cakes available as well (fruit, lemon rum, mocha, velvet, milefolle, and raspberry lemon are the most common). Occasionally they have special custard tarts or fancy cookies, and during lent they offer even more vegan items (they are working on a raspberry mousse to be released soon). Anyway, the pastries are delicious and pretty cheap, and the folks working here are incredibly friendly and helpful. Definitely a must for any vegan dessert-lovers to try! read more

Dama Bakery - Vegan velvet cake (vanilla, mocha, and chocolate) - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Hole in the wall Ethiopian pastry shop, with truly amazing cakes and cookies. With vegan options! The cakes are freaking DELIGHTFUL. The only reason why I took one star off is that some of the cake slices that I ordered had a taste of fridge: you know that flavor when you've had something in the fridge for too long? Yeah. But the other slices were perfect. I'm coming back, not just for the cakes, but also for the food items. I need their ful medames in my life. read more

The vegan tiramisu cake was so worth the trip I made from silver spring MD! Never had anything quite as good. I was surprised it's a cute little whole in the wall type place and the lady who helped me was so sweet and very wholesome. read more

Desserts and coffee are always excellent. Great portions and value as well. My wife and kids love this place. Ordered a creme puff, chocolate cake, fruit cake, and tiramisu. All super moist and delicious. Parking is the only drawback to the entire Dama establishment but the food, can't say enough about it, totally makes up for tricky parking. Highly recommend! read more

Dama Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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The perfect Vegan spot. The food was delicious and the price was so low they deserved a great tip. The chef cooked a great vegan meal for me. it is the best mom&pop restaurant near the Pentagon. read more

*I would give this place a zero star, but it's not an option, therefore y'all get a one* As a vegan, I was excited to have found out (online and through Yelp) that Dama Bakery had vegan pastries. I drove there and went inside, I looked over at their LIMITED selection, one side had cakes and the other had cookies that lookedstale and like they sat there through the night. Anyways, a clerk finally asked me what I would like and I asked her for vegan croissants. She said she would check in the back... ok? Then came back to inform me there were no vegan croissants just the vegan (stale) cookies and she pointed. I then asked if they had any other vegan pastries, she said no, sorry. I thanked her for her time and left Dama Bakery very disappointed. All the reviews this bakery has on Yelp is possibly a load of lies. First impressions say a lot of me, I was not impressed by the inside appearance of the bakery, as the place is somewhat run down. Additionally, their "menu listing" that is hanging behind the register seemed illegible and smeared (written with chalk). Needless to say, I will not be going back to Dama Bakery. Your first impression say a lot, no thanks. read more

Most people recoil and watch their appetites run out of the door, at the mere mention of the word 'fruitcake'. The fruitcake served at Dama is by no means the dry, brick-hard version people have such a strong distaste for. It is quite the opposite, in fact. I have had a whole cake for myself - on more than one occasion. The combination of almonds, strawberries, kiwi fruits, peaches and pineapple should let you know just how tasty and beautiful this cake is. I was never one for a whipped cream frosting, and grew up demanding the most sugary and butter-rich confections to adorn my birthday cakes. However, Dama Bakery's light and airy (albeit, moist & creamy) cake tastes just how I imagine a slice of heaven would; that is, without all the unhealthy, concentrated sweetness. The customer service at this establishment also takes the cake. One can sit and have coffee or tea, after a great meal next door, while waiting for his/her favorite baked goods. Five stars - and I'm being modest. read more

Like others, we nabbed the Groupon to Dama and set off to try as many different bakery goodies as our $20 would allow us. Turns out, that was a LOT. The cakes and pastries here are ridiculously well-priced ($2.25 for baklava, $3.25 for any kind of cake, around $2 for coffees, etc). Dama is also clearly a favorite with the Ethiopian community - the place was PACKED at 6:30 pm! Despite these things, the food is just OK. I realize the food is vegan, and therefore not entirely equitable with regular baked goods. The best item we tried was the tiramisu, which my hard-to-please-with-baked-goodies husband deemed "great". The others, however, fell really short. The baklava was super gooey, and not in a good way - the flakiness was completely lost in the syrup. The chocolate cake was just too wet. The Napoleons are pretty decent. I guess this is a good option for vegan people, but I don't think I would travel out here just for another slice. read more

So this place was featured in a Washington Post article about random ethnic markets in the greater DC area, and it mentioned that there were vegan options available. Not being vegan myself (but knowing someone who is--shout out to Lauren C), I figured we should check this place out. Our first impression was that the parking around this place was absolutely filled with cabs, which is always a good sign when you're looking for a local and inexpensive favorite. Once we had parked and gotten to the front door, that's where the confusion started. There are three distinct businesses within one small building: a bakery/café, a restaurant, and an Ethiopian grocery store. We only sampled some yummy pastries from the bakery, but did peruse the restaurant's menu and were impressed. Definitely going back for some spicy lentils and collards at some point! The pastry options were plentiful with the requisite fruit tarte and black-and-white cake with shaved chocolate on top. Being coffee whore that I am, I got a cup of coffee to go with my lovely fruit tarte, but the server didn't bring us any creme. I took a sip and to my satisfaction their coffee didn't need anything added. Ultimately the lesson learned from this experience is to explore more! I thought I knew most of the gems of DC (at least on the Virginia side), but there are always new places to explore. The restaurant and market staff we talked were friendly and welcoming, so I really am looking forward to going back. read more

This place makes you want to become a vegan! But then you realize there's the traditional Ethiopian restaurant right next door that is also run by the same owner, and so you order the lamb tibs:l I came here originally because I've heard of their great pastries. If you know anything about Ethiopians then you know that they don't play about dessert. Baklava, tiramisu, and other familiar Greek and lots of Italian related treats. Everything is fresh, flaky if that's a feature it should have, moist where necessary ..and perfect for vegans...although i am not vegan, i like the idea that my food, especially my dessert, is 'incident' free. Lol! So i noticed the first time i visited that there were all kinds of happy people enjoying breakfast/brunch and raving about their meal when they would come up to pay. I immediately made a mental note to come back and try the breakfast menu myself. So i came back here about 4 days ago, on a Friday, looking for a place to study and have a yummy breakfast. I called at noon to confirm if breakfast was still available and what do you know it ends at 12:30pm...perfect! I drove like a mad woman in the rain, got here and was pleased to find just a few people hanging about. Ordered the Dama platter, mainly because i didn't know what to get or what many of the items were and the owner mentioned that the platter was the most popular. And I can see why, it came with "Ethiopian style" scrambled eggs (which looks like it just has green peppers and other goodies mixed in); some grainy wheat thingy (sorry I have no clue what it was) but it was plain and healthy tasting/looking; but the bang came with the potatoey side which was clearly seasoned up with some serious spices. All in all, yummy and fulfilling. Not heavy at all but very flavorful. Btw, I stayed there nearly the whole day to study and went over to the restaurant and did, in fact, order the lamb tibs. YUM-REAL!! Just have it, your heart will smile :) read more

Perhaps it was here that I read that the pastry chef once worked at the white house. If not, then I'll say it. This place is one of the reasons I love Yelp - I would never have come here otherwise, or even known that this place existed. It's located either in or next door to a co-owned restaurant, and there are always a lot of Ethiopians outside or sitting down, but just go up to the counter and take a look. Often times, I have no idea what I want, but the ladies are always friendly and willing to give you a small taste - especially when you're buying a whole cake. Anyways, the cakes are absolutely delicious, and I look forward to special occasions, which give me an excuse to try out another one. read more

Stayed at the Sheraton National Hotel next door, and often found myself here for coffee and an occasional breakfast. This place is were the locals go for great coffee and I can see why. Great customer service! They serve standard bakery items and a few Ethiopian breakfast dishes. They also have an attached restaurant which serves traditional Ethiopian dishes.AMAZING read more

What a treat! Dama Bakery, next to the wonderful Dama Restaurant, is full of delicious vegan-friendly treats. They variety changes on a regular basis, so be sure to ask who ever is attending the cash register what is available. I am delighted every time I go to find something new, or a familiar and delicious treat. My favorites right now are the raspberry jam cookies and the fruit cake. I can't wait to go again! read more

Vegan bakery was delicious. Sambusa was on point and service was kind. Good place to swing by for coffee or quick bites. Have not tried their lunch entrees. read more

5 star for the cakes! Amazing cakes! I drive long distance just to eat the cakes! They also have nice coffee! Affordable bakery! Also traditional Ethiopian cuisine! Kitfo and tibs are my favorite! Even tho there was one close by, I drive here! read more

Dama Bakery - Outside! - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This is my favorite breakfast place in the country. No joke. Their Foul is my favorite food. Not my mom's whatever, their Foul. Last meal...you guessed it - FOUL. I found Dama when I was working on a project in 2005 and lived at the end of the street. I eat there every day that I am in DC. They also have amazing baked goods. Besides the food, the owners are the nicest people in the world and have always been so hospitable and gracious. read more

One of the best breakfast deals in town. Egg sandwich and boiled potatoes with jalapenos is delicious. The bread is very crusty and soft at the same time. Potatoes were very well seasoned. Delicious coffee as well! read more

AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL moist pineapple cake. Love it so so much! Ethiopian former pastry chef for White House. WOWZERS.

Delicious Tiramisu! With a dusting of Ethiopian coffee powder, a moist and not so cloyingly sweet center, this is a great option if you're looking for a birthday cake for grown-ups. Most of us ended up getting a second slice at our friend's 30th birthday. Talk about portion control and New Year resolutions. Everything went down the drain thanks to Dama Bakery (just kidding). read more

This place has EXCELLENT CAKES. I dont even like cakes and when its from DAMA , M eating big chunk. Being an Indian, I was introduced to Ethopian cuisine by a friend who is a regular Dama Customer and m so thankful to her for doing that. Also love the Chechebz for breakfast. Now anyone has a birthday at work or any occassion we get cakes from here. Its a modest place and in hidden corner BUT ITS A GEM. Go eat a cake or try their chechebz. read more

Came here specifically for the baklava but also left with a slice of Tiramisu. The baklava was not the best I've had but the tiramisu is a different story! The size of the slice was a very generous one. Parking was all full when I got there on a weekday around 1 but I found parking a block away. Definitely will be back to try more! read more

Great local bakery with amazing cakes. This is our go-to for special occasions. I highly recommend the white chocolate cake.

Don't be deceived by the modest appearance of the bakery - their mille-filo and Napoleon ARE TO DIE FOR!

Love Dama Bakery. They have some really tasty vegan cakes (they sometimes leave you wondering if it is really vegan). The attached Ethiopian restaurant is quite good as well, with great vegan options too. read more

A small, off-the-beaten path kind of place that I am so glad I found out about! Judging by the sheer number of Ethiopians that were also patronizing this place mid-day on a Sunday, I suspect they have many good options. I had their spicy lentils at DC VegFest one year and heard a rumor that they make vegan baked goods. A friend and I split two. SO good! I'll be back to visit the restaurant next door for a full meal soon (those collards are calling my name). read more

Delicious. I stopped in to buy a cake for my co-worker's birthday and walked out with 9 cookies, a chocolate cake, and a slice of fruit cake. At 3 cookies for $1.25, how could I not get 9?? I bought almond cookies and raspberry filled, both were so tasty. The almond cookies would be perfect with coffee, just sweet enough without being like a cookie cookie. I didn't plan on buying that much and I didn't plan on eating the entire slice of fruit cake in one sitting but I did! And I don't regret it!! The cake part was fluffy and moist enough and the flavors were just right. The birthday chocolate cake was also quite the hit at the office, with shaved chocolate covering it and the perfect icing.. Again not too sweet, you know how sometimes cake can be sickeningly sweet, this was a good balance of sweetness and moistness (totally made a face typing moist, which I've now used twice). I was told the work birthday cakes should always come from Dama now and not wherever we order them from downtown. Yum yum yummm! The older couple working behind the counter was so friendly and patient with me as I made my selection, too. Parking isn't ideal, the lot always appears full (I drive by every day). read more

Bought a groupon voucher and tried a dozen of various pastries. VERY TASTY! I will definitely go back again. I would recommend their cakes! Not too sweet, and very soft texture. read more

This place is the sleeper bakery in Northern Virginia. I went there initially for a cake because I was desperate. It does not look too inviting from the outside. Passed it so so many times and never entered. But little did I know!!! Parking can be a real bitch. That is the only downside. read more

A great hole in the wall spot for Ethiopian food! The menu has some great vegan options and lots of variety!! The sambusas were ok, a bit dry I thought! We got an assortment of dishes, all of which were amazing! We got the Veggie assortment platter and some Tibs! I also enjoyed the Red and Yellow lentil dishes wer ordered. The wait wasn't too long and I would definitely go back, especially with all my vegan friends :) read more