Ellē

“I had a phenomenal experience dining at Ellē! The restaurant itself is cozy, clean, and inviting. The staff were super friendly and professional!!! The drinks were delicious, the appetizers were creative and full of flavor, and my entree was exquisite. I ordered the fried halloumi, tomato/anchovy/blue cheese, cucumber, green tomato gazpacho, beef and mushroom entree with wild blueberry steak sauce, and the flower child drink, and my friend also ordered the swordfish with kimchi jus. We also ordered the honey goat cheesecake to go which was so good and not too sweet I have several food allergies (tree nuts and mango), and my friend who dined with me needed soy-free and gluten-free options. This was the best experience I've ever had dining out, by far! Their attention to detail and consideration for helping me feel safe while navigating all of our dietary needs is unmatched. I highly recommend eating at Ellē!”

“What a spot! The bread is incredible and the food is really top notch. Definitely worth stopping by for lunch or breakfast. My wife got the tempeh burger and she said it was the best non meat burger she has ever had. I got the Reuben and it was huge. No need for chips. We split the smashed potatoes and were very full by the end.”

“I walk up from Dupont Circle just to enjoy this lovely café. The food in the restaurant (and in the bakery) is high-quality. They even have some of the best baguettes in town. If you want to have breakfast with a friend, try to meet them here! It has a very cool vibe.”

“When Elle opened in 2018, it became an immediate favorite for me and my wife. It wasn't long before our weekend ritual was going to the Mt. Pleasant farmers market, getting biscuits from Elle, and going back to our apartment for a veggie scramble with some (warmed in the oven) biscuits. Years later, they are still our top-tier biscuits in DC. This year, for our latest wedding anniversary dinner (cheers!), we had an absolutely wonderful meal. First: thank you, Shayna, for being a fantastic team member and taking care of us! The whole experience was one giant highlight, but here are some of the greatest hits from their always-creative dinner and drinks teams: -To drink: Amaro Camatti Highball made with mint, bitter orange, Dr. Pepper (yes!), almond, and balsamic. I mean, let's face it, when part of your drink has a Ph.D., you're in good hands. -Pan Roasted Sunchokes with anchovy bagna cauda and horseradish gremolata. Savory depth and funky goodness from the bagna cauda. I will be thinking about this one for a long time. -Smashed Shio Koji Sweet Potato with granny smith apple, chermoula, castelvetrano olives, pistachio butter. Such a perfectly executed balancing act of hearty, herby, and acidic. It was a real party of a dish! -Honey Goat Cheesecake with charred citrus, cashew, and blood orange gelee. I don't think the cheesecake has ever left the Elle menu and for good reason: it is a dream of a dessert. They dress it up differently when the menu changes, and it's always beautifully composed and equally delicious. My wife and I split one this year, but I can absolutely see the case for everyone getting their own (and certainly wouldn't judge you for it.) Happy to say that year after year, we continue to visit Elle and we continue to love what we get. I've added pictures from the dishes I didn't cover here, too, and please know that all of them were lovely: we have never been disappointed by any Elle dish. Simply the best.”

“I’m sorry to be writing this because I used to love this place and its great coffee, breads, and breakfast options, but it has genuinely gone downhill. I’m not sure if it’s an understaffing or training issue but the service was quite bad the last time I went. Despite having a reservation, we waited for a while just to sit down, which for me isn’t an issue but for my elderly father with Parkinson’s it’s really tough. The long waits are common here, even when I’ve gone other times and had reservations. The sourdough usually sells out quickly so I asked my waiter to please bring me one. They forgot, and when I reminded them an hour later they were sold out. Brought me a baguette, but no apology. This is less of an issue but after removing several items from the menu that I loved, I ordered a bagel. It was as barely 11am, and our waiter came back after 20 minutes to tell us that there were no bagels—at 11am on a Sunday… Ellē is genuinely a special place with great stuff but management and staff need to pull themselves together before I’d consider coming back or recommending it to anyone. The management style is so chaotic and it shows.”