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    Sylvan Cafe & Restaurant

    4.0 (147 reviews)
    InexpensiveBakeries, Cafes, Bagels
    Open 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    SYLVAN CAFE & RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Eric S.

    I've been going here for years. The coffee and bagels are fine. The last couple of years their lunch and breakfast sandwiches seem to have fallen on hard times. There is always something missing. When you get home and there is no egg or no tomato, it's a real disappointment. They have expanded to serve Ethiopian food. I've found.the portions to be smaller and less interesting that my usual Ethiopian restaurant. I have not yet tried their dinner Ethiopian - And I will do so. They stay open until 10 PM and that's new and exciting. So I'll be back, but I'd love to see them try harder.

    Rumesh V.

    We are so glad to see this cafe do well in our neighborhood. I believe in cafes in every neighborhood. We walk our dog every morning and grab hot chocolate and coffee when we walk by this place. They have recently redid their interiors. Looks much spacious now and very welcoming. With my drinks, I often get their samosa or spinach puffs. It's so good. For lunch, my go to is their Ethiopian combo. They have 5 different veggies and recently added meat as well. Absolutely delicious! Depending on how busy they are, expect to wait for the Ethiopian entree. Worth it.

    Hannah H.

    I'm a fan of Sylvan Cafe & Bakery! This place offers various hot and cold beverages, NJ bagels, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, pastries (such as muffins, croissants, cookies, and cakes), and even vegan Ethiopian eats! We came here for round 2 for breakfast, and we ordered: +a Veggie sambusa - filled with lentils, this was a nice sized sambusa, and the exterior was so flaky and crispy! +Egg, Bacon, and Cheese with Avocado - on an everything bagel, this came out piping hot! The egg was fried perfectly, and this was a very filling bagel breakfast sandwich! +an Egg, Turkey Sausage, and Cheese - on an everything bagel, this came out piping hot! The egg was fried perfectly, and this was a very filling bagel breakfast sandwich! +an Orange Muffin - great orange flavor, and perfect for those who like citrus-y pastries Service was super kind, friendly, and welcoming! There is seating in the back; the place is well-decorated and very clean. I can't wait to return to try some of their lunch sandwiches and their vegan Ethiopian eats! Street parking available. +tasty hot bagel breakfast sandwiches +sambusas! +friendly & kind staff! +street parking available

    Alexander N.

    Sylvan gets the job done, and I mean that in the best way. In our modern cities, too many breakfast places have tried to get cute and really overthought what this is supposed to be. Sylvan makes good espresso, and they make good breakfast sandwiches, and the staff is nice, and the ~20 seat table area is pleasant. Nobody is going to say that Sylvan revolutionized cafés and that's a good thing because cafés are in no need of a revolution - just good execution, which this place nails

    Sylvan kitfo!!!! Comes with kocho!!! Must try!!!

    I live nearby and usually come to Sylvan Café for their fresh, delicious bagels. I recently tried their Ethiopian food after 3 PM, and it was amazing! The kitfo was tender and full of flavor, and the honey wine (tej) was smooth and perfectly sweet. I ate inside, but they also have a nice patio for anyone who wants to sit outside. Great spot for both breakfast and authentic Ethiopian dishes!

    Suzie Z.

    Great spot for working as there are many power outlets in the cafe. We came here on a Saturday afternoon and it is relatively quiet with only a few customers in the store. We ordered the ice americano decaf option and tapped on the free wifi to telework. The wifi is slightly wonky but gets better as some customers left. Overall, a very cozy place in the lovely Bloomingdale neighborhood.

    Kaylyn D.

    This cafe is super cute and chic. Reminds me of a mom and pop shop with lots of style. There are lots of coffee and tea options to choose from as well as bakery and lunch options. I got an americano with a splash of almond milk and some caramel syrup. The coffee was okay, but given the snowy weather it made me feel nice and cozy. I was excited to try a coffee shop that is new to me in the The register clerk was very nice. I will 100% go back to try more things.

    Lox bagel
    David M.

    Stopped in here for a quick breakfast and some coffee. It is a nice little place to grab some breakfast. It can be hard to find seating here as it isn't very big. They have a piano in the front that you can play if you feel the need to. Service was good we sat outside and they brought our food outside. We got their iced coffee and a lox bagel. Everything was delicious and I would recommend them if you are looking for a good breakfast spot.

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    Anya T.

    This cafe was the sweetest pocket of sunshine. It was exactly what I needed on a chilly DC morning. Me and my gal pals got breakfast there. We bought breakfast sandwiches, muffins, and cookies. Oh my gosh, their orange muffin was so friggin good. It had the perfect fragrance and taste. I had a stacked bacon, egg, cheddar cheese and avocado sammie on a sesame seed bagel. Yo! Mouth watering. Don't say mouth watering when it's in from of you cause you might dribble a bit. It's a pandemic, you're not allowed to dribble. But what you are allowed to do is order All the Things and wear a mask as you do it. Dogs are not allowed inside the cafe but you can leave your pup safely outside in close view. They'll be jealous for a short moment but will be fine! And you'll be full. It works!

    a hand holding a sandwich
    Karla W.

    Great local spot that can easily be missed if you aren't looking right. Give this place a try on your next visit around Rhode Island & Capitol. The space is open and laid back, very community based. Everyone is so nice and the coffee had me wired for a solid chunk of time! The breakfast was great. Cannot complain here, just go try it now!!!!

    Bagel with Turkey sausage and provolone

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    5 months ago

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    2 days ago

    Food was perfect! I tried the Ethio Smash Burger and it was an explosion of flavor. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it!

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    4 months ago

    Delicious food and welcoming atmosphere- try out the Ethiopian menu! Definitely worth a visit :)

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    8 months ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great place for coffee and delicious pastries. Great friendly and fast service. Will come again.

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Sylvan Cafe is a neighborhood coffee shop that cannot be missed. Great coffees, Pastries, lunch sandwiches!

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Good/simple spot for breakfast sandwiches. A little pricey but nothing unusual for DC.

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    Nino's Bakery - Everything croissant

    Nino's Bakery

    4.8(211 reviews)
    1.3 miDowntown
    $$

    Top marks! Got there right at opening and there was a bit of a line but nothing too bad. We grabbed…read morea pistachio croissant, a savory za'atar gruyere pastry, and a blueberry danish. All the pastry was delightfully flaky and appropriately filled. Pistachio croissant was dancing on the edge of being a bit too sweet but went very well with my latte. Latte and cappuccino were nothing to write home about, potentially underextracted as there wasn't too much flavor coming through. Totally inoffensive and wouldn't hesitate to get another espresso drink if we were grabbing pastries again. Nice quaint limited outdoor seating. Had a nice chat while we demolished our goods right out front. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff that knows how to move the line quickly!

    Went around 11 on a Saturday, we were pleasantly surprised that they still have quite a bit of…read moreselection. We got an assortment of pastries, both sweet and savory. all did not disappoint. We also got a mocha and a vanilla latte made with their house vanilla syrup. Both drinks were delicious. The pastries were quite tasty, our favorites were the balsamic, mozzarella and tomato, savory pastry, as well as both the berry and cream cheese pastry, and almond croissant. The housemaid vanilla are up in the vanilla latte had great flavor and was not overly sweet. They didn't have a variety of milk options or your coffee drinks. A small table outside in minimal seating inside makes this bakery best for takeout. Staff was friendly and efficient. When we came, but I could see how there may be a line of times based on how good the pastries were and how small the storefront space. As bonus points, the merch is super cute with the little wiener dog on it!

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    Sharbat Bakery And Cafe - Honey Cake

    Sharbat Bakery And Cafe

    4.6(130 reviews)
    1.7 miAdams Morgan

    I had one of those days where I went for a walk in an area I've been to many times before but never…read morestopping to notice all the little shops here and there. That's when I stumbled onto Sharbat. It's a rather quaint and cute Azerbaijani bakery and as I was window shopping all the cakes and baklavas, someone across the counter says "let me know if you have any questions" and I look up to see an angelic beautiful woman (this does not affect my rating haha) but I guess I wasn't expecting to see that. Anyway, she went through explaining various pastries and had a couple Turkish ones as well. I went with a pistachio baklava and a slice of honey cake. Honestly, I wanted to try all the cakes and even though they say honey cake is their most popular, there were a few that looked more appetizing. However, slightly convinced by the one other customer there eating her slice of honey cake, I decided to try it. I've only had honey cake once before so I won't act like I know what's best but that time the layers were thinner which I prefer but I like how it wasn't overly sweet despite it being honey forward. The baklava was one of the best, but I probably say that about most baklavas.

    Previously I wrote that Sharbat is a bakery for people who think they don't like baked goods. I was…read morewon over by the silky apricot cake. But still I shunned the baklava, my friends' favorite but at the very top of my list of pastries I could do without. I find it papery and drenched in syrup - way too sweet! But now I suggest that Sharbat is a bakery for people who think they don't like baklava. My friends finally persuaded me to try some, and oh man is it good. It's nothing like the baklava I know. Perhaps because it is made Azerbaijani style - at the eastern end of Turkish culinary reach. It is more cakey and less sweet. But still plenty sweet, with a nice nutty crunch. I don't know whether to kiss or curse my friends for turning me on to this, but now I know. And now so do you.

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    Sharbat Bakery And Cafe - Inside

    Inside

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    Whisked! - Cherry Pie

    Whisked!

    4.4(50 reviews)
    1.1 miU Street Corridor
    $$

    No Thank you Apple…read morepie- dry, gooey and overly sweet filling that did not look hand made. The crumble top was terribly underdone with dry oats and no texture whatsoever to help save the filling at all. Crust was doughy and under cooked. Warming it would not have even helped at all. Brownie pie- I was so disappointed. I do not usually go for brownies, but the way the top of the pie looked pretty well baked I went for it super excitedly on first glance. Instant regret on the first bite. All I tasted was an overwhelming sweetness overload and then a shock of salt instead of balance. The worst part was, the center of the pie was all goop and the caramel infused into it almost made it worse. I hated the texture and I am not usually a texture person. I was super disappointed. I ate three bites, and it went to the trash. I was expecting at least a soft chewy brownie baked into pie crust, similar to a brownie cookie. Big let down. The pumpkin pie- had a weird sour after taste to it like the wrong type of milk was used when baking it. I wanted to love this one so badly, but got half way done eating it and just could not. This was very unfortunate, because the filling structure was perfect, but the filling itself was bland and sour. The crust was once again doughy and undercooked. No brown golden crust in sight. The pies were given to the 909 apartments on 11/25/25 as a way to celebrate Pie day. I really appreciate the small business effort. I love supporting them too. Honestly though, I am so glad those pie slices were free, because unfortunately, I would not waste my money buying from them unless they make some huge changes. All the crusts were undercooked and doughy, and I did not finish any of the pies entirely. I would add pictures but I was so disappointed, I did not bother taking any, and I am a foodie, so I usually take pictures of all my food dishes. Please I mean no harm. I am just giving my honest constructive feedback. I will see if I can add a google review with pictures. I am an honest reviewer and I believe having pictures helps people visually understand better sometimes too.

    I was checking out at Mom's Organic Market in Rockville, when I saw a stack of pie boxes that…read morecaught my eye. I'm a sucker for cherry pie, and these looked really yummy so I snatched one up on an impulse buy. And boy, I wasn't disappointed. Cool, sweet, tart cherry filling, not syrupy or overly sickly sweet, surrounded by crispy crumble on a nice crust. This pie didn't last too long in our kitchen. I can't believe I haven't seen Whisked! pies before, but now I know that wherever I see one, I'm definitely gonna pick one up. You should, too! These pies are fantastic.

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    Whisked!
    Whisked! - Cookies

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    From Mom's Organic in Rockville

    Sylvan Cafe & Restaurant - bakeries - Updated May 2026

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