Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery

The casual, counter-service community gathering spot, Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery, made its debut in 2010. As the name says, this is an establishment with southern hospitality – and plenty of sugar – in its soul. Louisiana native, Chef David Guas, produces alongside his talented krewe a balanced menu of delectable southern sweets and a selection of savory casual eats. Winner of the 2019 Arlington Best Business Award for “Retail Small Business of the Year,” Bayou Bakery and Guas have garnered national praise in publications like Food & Wine, Fine Cooking, Saveur, Southern Living, The Local Palate, Bon Appétit, Garden & Gun, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Every day, it’s all about sharing the culture and community of Southern foodways.

With a focus steeped in the heritage and rich culinary culture of New Orleans and the South, Guas polled his peeps on their favorites for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and happy hour. Fan favorites include Buttermilk Biscuits, Pimiento Cheese and Ritz Crackers, Roast Beef Arm Drip Sandwich, Muff-a-Lotta, Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo. Confections like traditional Beignets, Pralines, and a rotation of daily baked goods includes seasonal and savory Scones, Muffins, Croissants, and Cornbread - all displayed in the glass pastry case. Grab n’ Geaux items in the new, refrigerated provisions case include Roasted Chicken Salad, Pepper Jelly, Pimiento Cheese by the pint, and Blackened Turkey Meatballs.

Freeze!!! Reminding all that Bayou Bakery serves alcoholic beverages and now they’ve got something NEW! These ultimate ‘chilled’ cocktails pay tribute to Guas’ hometown specialty, the New Orleans Original Daiquiris. Rotating frozen drinks will flow from the restaurant’s new daiquiri machine to pour into grab n’ geaux containers: 16 oz. pouch, 32 oz. quart, and 64 oz. half-gallon. Frosty flavors include the Hurricane, a riff on the Crescent City classic, and The Dude a nod to the most famous cocktail to hit the big screen, other than the martini, a White Russian – paying tribute to Jeff Bridges’ memorable character in Guas’ favorite film, The Big Lebowski. Ice-col’ beers, and bourbon-kicked Mason Jar cocktails, spiked punches, and boozy brunch beverages like the Bayou Bloody Mary will also all be available to-go. Or, stay a while and sip on the patio where weathered tin planters and colorful tables and chairs provide an eclectic, casual “front porch'' vibe. 

Caffeine connoisseurs get in line for artfully poured java with the highest quality organic beans from Counter Culture Coffee. Sodas including Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale, and Dr. Pepper are available by the can along with still and sparkling Perrier water by the bottle. Additionally, no southern kitchen can go without Scratch Lemonade or Proper Southern Iced Tea [mean or sweet!]

Located on the corner of N. Courthouse Road and 15th Street, a lively spot where each Saturday the Farmer’s Market emerges in the morning hours, Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery recently underwent kitchen renovations and select interior refreshments before re-opening August 24, 2020 - the eatery retains its casual charm and vintage Southern character. Wide-plank wood and weathered looking concrete covers the counters; warmed cement flooring and booths, banquettes, and bar-like seating accented with fashionable patterns and a deep southern palette of pastel blue, tropical lush green, cypress brown, and banana-cream yellow anchor the interior. The bustling sounds of the kitchen – shielded by re-claimed shutters – are a source of entertainment. A four-foot water meter stamp, an iconic symbol for New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, hand-painted by local artist, Ken Matthews, anchors the exposed brick wall.  Historic maps of Louisiana grace the walls and original drawings on distressed panes in the lower windows catch the sunlight playfully. 

With the abbreviated menu, some of the signature dishes of Bayou Bakery will not be available at this time so we encourage you to check out Guas' first cookbook, Dam Good Sweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style [Taunton Press] - available to order online through Amazon or to purchase in the eatery. A gorgeously photographed collection of his recipes, which includes his Porkorn – Salted Caramel Popcorn tossed with Allan Benton’s Bacon, Southern Layer Cakes, the classic King Cake, Pies, and more. The book was a James Beard Award finalist in the Baking and Dessert Cookbook category and was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Dessert Cookbooks.” It was also a finalist for the prestigious International Association of Culinary Professionals [IACP] Cookbook Award in the American Category.