If you’re like me, you have several friends without any dietary restrictions who truly don’t understand the struggle us NOBREAD-ers live day-to-day. Sometimes it feels like we’re denied the basic human right to seemingly normal things like drunken pizza, a pastry with our morning coffee, and other notable carbs like bagels and sandwich bread. But luckily for those of you that live in our Nation’s Capital, your life is about to change because Rise Bakery exists and is 100% gluten-free…
Rise is located in Adams Morgan, which is debatably one of my favorite neighborhoods in DC. This epicenter has become known as somewhat of a cultural Mecca, with is amazing food, art, and cocktail culture. Rise Bakery, a charmingly sunny second floor unit, is in the threshold of it all.
Rise’s slogan is “Gluten-Free. Flavor-Full” and it couldn’t be more accurate. The bakery also caters to those who avoid dairy, eggs, soy, and nuts, with each item in their precious cases color-coded for easy navigation. As someone who also doesn’t consume dairy, I was in heaven.
Rise Bakery has been around for a couple years, but they recently added a series of savory items to their menu. Having visited the bakery at lunch time, I thought it appropriate to get a cup of their Carrot Ginger Soup because even though I’ve eaten chocolate cake for a meal before, I’ve been trying to be a bit more #healthy lately. The soup was packed with the lovely flavor of roasted veggies and was filling but still left me feeling light.
I accompanied my soup with Rise’s protein-packed Nutty Vegan Bar. Similar to your typical granola bar, the Nutty Bar makes the perfect snack. The dried fruit provided a pleasant tartness that cut through the creaminess in each bite of the soup.
Because I couldn’t stay good for long, I also ordered a slice of the Flourless Chocolate Cake. This had me crying tears of joy. The texture was perfectly dense and rich as flourless cakes should be, and was moist and chocolate-y despite the fact it’s also dairy-free. Topped with a fine dusting of powdered sugar, this chocolate cake is a must-have.
Lastly, I grabbed a Carrot Cake Cupcake to-go. When it comes to gluten-free baked goods, I sometimes think the cupcakes are the hardest to pull off. I’ve definitely had my share of gluten-free cupcakes with pretty strange consistencies from crumbly to so dense it’s hard to sink your teeth into it. I can honestly say there is literally no way I would have known Rise Bakery’s Carrot Cake Cupcake was gluten-free except for the fact gluten-free is plastered over every wall.
For those of you who can eat dairy no problem, there is an even larger arsenal of goodies awaiting you at Rise Bakery. Highlights include their homemade Oreo, the Lemon Mini Bundt, and their wide variety of croissants. Also make sure to hit up the freezer for bagels, breads, and biscuits galore.