166638 Tue Dec 10 15:08:29 -0800 2002 15 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 890372 So what is everybody's favorite butcher/meat market; baker (for breads etc.); and Fishmonger in DC? I am moving from Ann Arbor, MI and looking to replace my favorite stores. Tue Dec 10 15:08:29 -0800 2002 0 Craig 1 890373 Firehook Bakery in Old Towne Alexandria, VA, near the Torpedo Factory makes great breads that are also available in other stores. Then there is Marvelous Market for breads, olives, cheeses and other gourmet items -- there are several scattered throughout DC. Also try Best Buns Bakery next to the Carlysle Grand (a really good mid-price restaurant) in Shirlington, VA. The Watergate Pastry Shop is where to go for fancy cakes and such. For good meats and fish, go to the Eastern Market on Capitol hill. Welcome to DC! Tue Dec 10 15:10:04 -0800 2002 890372 0 Ex DC 2 890378 Just a note Firehook also has locations on Capitol Hill, Cleveland Park, Farragut Square (and maybe others, these are the ones I know)...but really good bread. I concur on Eatern Market, the place is great! Tue Dec 10 15:56:04 -0800 2002 890373 0 Tweaked 3 890396 I think Firestone's sandwiches, at least at the downtown locations, do them a huge disservice. They are premade, obviously early in the morning. They are made without much care, and are rather skimpy for the price. Worst of all, they are almost always soggy, and do nothing to highlight the bread. Almost as bad, they usually only have 3 or 4 choices, and it's the same choices everyday. That said, there is a line out the door. I'll have to pay closer attention to what exactly others are buying. Wed Dec 11 07:54:33 -0800 2002 890378 0 Pappy 3 890410 Firehook has just purchased the Barista Brava Coffee places and is selling their breads at those locations too. They also have a location above Dupont Circle. I get a Firehook bagel with my latte every morning at the Barista at Judiciary Square. Wed Dec 11 14:06:18 -0800 2002 890378 0 dinwiddie 1 890379 Eastern Market has excellent meat & fishmongers (and a really good cheesemonger(?) as well), however, the bakery inside is only so-so. But if you're there on a Sat. or Sun., there's a Russian lady across the street on 7th who has a big table of really good breads. I don't know if she'll be outside in sub-freezing weather. Tue Dec 10 16:02:03 -0800 2002 890372 0 Malcolm J. 1 890387 I like M. Slavin and Sons. They're off 395 at the Glebe Rd. exit in Arlington. Good selection and quality. That's where I go to get whole fish. Link: http://www.mslavin.com/index.htm Tue Dec 10 17:59:15 -0800 2002 890372 0 Jim Rice 1 890389 From Ann Arbor to the 5.6 million populated D. C. area. I hope you like to drive. The Bread Line on Pennsylvania Avenue has won the "best bread" in D. C. title from Washingtonian since it opened a number of years ago. Virtually every bread that they make is on par with the best in America, i.e. Acme, Ca Brea, etc. For fish the Maine Avenue markets have the best selection and the best prices. There is also a building where they will gut, clean and filet what you buy. The Maryland Wholesale Food Center in Jessup has one outlet open to the public with higher prices and significantly less stock. Some will argue that they are fresher but outside of driving to Maryland's eastern shore Maine Avenue along with the extremely expensive Cannon are as good as you are going to do. Some inconsistency but I believe that overall several of the fishmongers there are the best in the area. Butcher? Wagshal's on Massachusetts Avenue in Spring Valley, Someplace Special in McLean and several branches of Sutton Place including McLean and the Wildwood Shopping Center in Bethesda. Nick's Supermarket in Clinton, MD has "top prime" beef at the best prices in D. C., sometimes though you have to special order this. You didn't mention cheese so I will add that Dean and DeLuca in Georgetown is best for this with, arguably, Fresh Fields in Vienna second. Finally, if you really like to drive there is Summerfield Farms for meat in the Blueridge Mountains along with Rucker Farms for goat cheese, Linden for Blueberries (in season), the city dock in Crisfield for lump crab meat and on and on and on. Some of the finest raw ingredients in America are available within a few hours drive of here. And I haven't even started to talk about sweet white corn. Tue Dec 10 21:59:42 -0800 2002 890372 0 Joe H. 2 890425 I just had Bread Line bread for the first time tonight! Definitely the best bread I've tasted in the area. Marvelous Market is next best. I haven't been all that impressed with Firehook's breads. I second your butcher recs, Joe, and would add that the meat counter in Dean and DeLuca has possibly the most knowledgeable, old-world butcher in the area--an older Frenchman who has been a meat purveyor to the discerning elite of Georgetown for more than forty years. Anyone new in town should plan on becoming a regular at one of the producers' farm markets. I go to Dupont Circle, which has a nice mix of locally grown organic and conventional produce and fruits, artisan cheesemakers, and free-range eggs, poultry and meats. Wed Dec 11 21:45:22 -0800 2002 890389 0 zora 3 890429 Zora, do you mean one of the brothers from the old French Market on Wisconsin Avenue? I read that one of them was at Sutton Place in McLean. Thu Dec 12 00:52:21 -0800 2002 890425 0 Joe H. 4 890434 Yes, the "meat guy" at Dean and Deluca is one of the brothers from the French Market. Thu Dec 12 10:22:58 -0800 2002 890429 0 butterfly 1 890399 I have eaten steaks at a friend's house that were purchased at Wagshall's in NW DC (don't know exact location). It was some of the best meat I've ever tasted. I do know that they're pretty expensive but you certainly get what you pay for. Wed Dec 11 10:41:06 -0800 2002 890372 0 Nancy 1 890419 FWIW, Washingtonian Magazine often has articles that look into this and similar matters. You can probably get a lot of info with some careful searching of their web site. Welcome to DC JohnB (UM; LSA '65) Wed Dec 11 17:52:36 -0800 2002 890372 0 johnb 1 890454 I still swear by the breads at Marvelous Market....the quality has been maintained at a high level through the years and they have several outlets. The bread from the Bread Line is also superb (Mark Furstenberg--the owner--started Marvelous Market), especially the ciabatta. Jim Zurer Washington DC Thu Dec 12 15:18:46 -0800 2002 890372 0 Jim Zurer 1 890856 Recommend you try Wagshalls. Best meats in town. They buy the whole carcass and age the meats for 30 days. Besides the one on Mass Avenue in Spring Valley (across from Crate & Barrel), they have a shop in Bethesda off of Sangamore Road. Not as good a selection of meats as Mass Ave. but the parking is more managable - particularly on holidays ! Call ahead if you want something particular. One of the last true butcher shops - not attached to a market. Fri Dec 27 12:03:09 -0800 2002 890372 0 Johann 1 890866 Everything that you need is at Eastern Market, 7th St. & North Carolina Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. It is open everyday but MOnday. IT is the last of the old carraige markets in DC Link: http://www.easternmarket.net/ Sat Dec 28 06:35:47 -0800 2002 890372 0 Robert Duckham