Ballston’s Buzz Bakery Will Open Monday

Buzz Bakery will open its new Ballston location on Monday.

That’s the word from Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the company that runs Buzz and its next door neighbor on the 4000 block of Wilson Boulevard, Rustico. Buzz is expected to open its doors as early as 7:00 a.m. on Monday, with plenty of free samples of coffee and baked goods.

The 2,000 square foot shop will have many of the same features and menu items of the original Buzz location on Slaters Lane in Alexandria, but will add treats like breakfast pop tarts, made-to-order waffles, individual serving quiches, homemade ice cream, sorbets, popsicles and “take-and-bake” products.

See more information on Buzz’s Ballston location from the company’s press release, after the jump.

Photo courtesy Neighborhood Restaurant Group

Today, Buzz Bakery announced that on Monday, May 9 it will officially open its second location in Ballston, Virginia, a modern 2,000 square-foot shop offering an array of new treats including breakfast pop-tarts, made-to-order waffles, individual quiches, house-made ice cream, sorbets and popsicles, and take-and-bake products – all created by Executive Pastry Chef Tiffany MacIsaac. The interior of the new space conveys the same bright, welcoming atmosphere as the Alexandria location interwoven with contemporary details including sleek bar stools, unfinished wood tables, and a unique product display crowned with hand-blown Italian glass domes to showcase Buzz offerings. New to Buzz and the Washington DC area, are craft roasters MadCap Coffee Company, who will supply the shop with all its coffee products.

“We’re fortunate to be able to open a second Buzz Bakery. The success we’ve had with this concept can be credited to a devout following of loyal guests, for which we are extremely grateful,” said Michael Babin, owner of Buzz Bakery and Neighborhood Restaurant Group. “We want to expand on the upbeat experience that’s become Alexandria’s trademark while personalizing the space to the Ballston community.”

For the first time, Buzz will offer take-home ice creams and sorbets in an assortment of flavors including Brown Sugar-Oatmeal and PB Crunch – peanut butter ice cream with bits of PB toffee and chocolate dipped pretzel chunks. Also available will be limited-supply flavors that reflect the season and incorporate ingredients from passion fruit, coconut and mango, to roasted apricots, cinnamon and cloves. Buzz plans to roll out summer popsicles in unconventional flavors such as Apricot-Chamomile, Kiwi-Basil, Grape-Elderflower and Strawberry-Passion Fruit, as well as Chocolate-dipped Bananas and Pudding Pops. Guests will also find new take-and-bake items in the freezer including cookies, sausage-cheddar biscuits and manchego scones – packaged for travel and ready to pop in the oven.

Buzz will introduce new changes to its breakfast choices beginning with Homemade Whole-Wheat Pop Tarts available daily in a variety of seasonal flavors including Lemon-Poppy Seed, Sour Cherry Cheesecake and Strawberry Cheesecake. Buzz’s beloved Belgian style waffles have also been refashioned, now available in two choices – plain or bacon & toffee-studded – and cooked to order daily.

This opening marks the debut of a new coffee supplier for the shop – MadCap Coffee. Buzz Bakery is pleased to be the exclusive carrier of MadCap products in the Washington, D.C. area. The small Michigan-based company was recognized this year for its innovative business model and exceptional coffee by the Good Food Awards.

“MadCap quickly demonstrated that they were more than just a quality product. They develop relationships with their often distant farmers, visiting each site and getting to know the families that produce these amazing coffees. That was so important to us and made the decision to carry their coffee, an easy one,” said Caitlin Lowry, General Manager at Buzz Bakery. “MadCap follows a roasting process that accentuates the bean’s natural flavors and also rotates their blends according to the season. There’s an artistry in making coffee, and both MadCap and Buzz share that passion.”

All espresso drinks will be manually prepared with MadCap beans on La Marzocco machines, handmade in Florence, Italy. All Buzz baristas are meticulously trained on the nuances of each espresso beverage and techniques to bring out the flavors in each coffee. In addition, Buzz has streamlined and simplified its coffee menu to highlight MadCap’s products.

The new Buzz location is located at 818 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, Virginia, 22217 with the storefront entrance on Wilson Boulevard. Buzz Bakery’s phone number at the new location is 703-650-9676 and website is www.buzzbakery.com. Hours of operation are Sunday to Thursday from 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. and Friday to Saturday from 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Buzz Bakery is a full-service bakery, coff­ee shop and dessert lounge built to showcase the talents of its pastry chefs with an array of cakes, cupcakes, pies, pastries, cookies, brownies and other confectionery creations. Everything on the menu is housemade from scratch using the finest ingredients available. The perfect spot for breakfast on the run, an afternoon snack or sweet nightcap to round out the evening, Buzz is open daily late into the night.

MacIsaac’s pastry team focuses on freshness – baking in small batches throughout the day – and creativity, as seen in their nods to playful childhood favorites such as the White Rabbit, 9:30 and Cookie Monster Cupcakes. MacIsaac herself was named Executive Pastry Chef of Neighborhood Restaurant Group in December 2010, and in addition to her role at Buzz Bakery, she oversees dessert programs at all NRG restaurants including Tallula, Eatbar, Vermilion, Evening Star Cafe, Columbia Firehouse, and Rustico. MacIsaac devotes an extra dose of attention to the kitchen at Birch & Barley and ChurchKey where she offers an exceptional bread program and creates innovative desserts to complement the cuisine at the beer-centric restaurant.

MacIsaac’s previous experience includes pastry positions in top New York City restaurants including assistant at Union Square Café, Pastry Chef at CRU, and most recently, Pastry Chef at Allen & Delancey. During the past few years, she’s been recognized as a Rising Star by Star Chefs, nominated as Pastry Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington and helped Birch & Barley earn the Best New Restaurant of the Year honor, also from RAMW. She is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.