Sugar Daddy’s Bakery has its roots in the Middle East but turns out delectable homemade cookies, cupcakes and other all-American goodies to boot. Fadi Adnan Jaber, the founder, opened his first bakery in Amman, Jordan in 2007, and the D.C. outpost marks his first foray into the United States.
Photo by Emma Delaney
About a ten minute walk from the Dupont Circle, Sugar Daddy’s is close enough for an easy afternoon trip but not close enough to endanger your self-control. Plus, they have free wi-fi, so you could plant yourself there with a treat (or two–who’s counting?) and a coffee to do work. Though a word of warning: I’ve read reviews saying that it can get quite crowded on weekends. The interior is bright, cheery and just the right amount of old-fashioned cutesy, like Martha Stewart gussied up the airy interior of Leopold’s. Downstairs, three tables nestle up to a banquette in the large front window, and the upstairs houses a few more tables as well as a big, comfy couch and a couple of armchairs.
Now on to the good stuff–the food! The first thing we tried was the “Supernatural Brownie,” and though I’m not sure what made it supernatural, it was a dang good brownie. If you like cakey or fudgey brownies, this one is not for you. But if you want a crackly top, chewy edges and a melt-in-your mouth interior, this brownie has just about everything you could ask for.
Photo by Emma Delaney
The next thing we tried, the cappuccino cookie, was the only dud of the bunch. That isn’t to say it was a bad cookie–it just didn’t taste remotely of coffee. As a mislabeled chocolate chip cookie, it was pretty good; as a cappuccino cookie, it was pretty sub-par.
Photo by Emma Delaney
The Nutella cookie, on the other hand, turned out better than expected. At first, it seemed to suffer the same problem as the cappuccino cookie–good, but not particularly Nutella-y. Then, we discovered the hidden pocket of pure Nutella in the center. I cannot even imagine how good this cookie would be warmed up, but next time I go I intend to find out.
Photo by Emma Delaney
Finally came the cupcakes. Perfectly palm-sized beauties–no forks needed here–they struck just the right balance between cake and frosting. The chocolate-peanut butter cupcake was decidedly decadent for a diminutive cupcake; between the rich chocolate cake, intense peanut butter frosting, chocolate-peanut butter crumbles, and peanut butter glaze, attempting to finish one of these solo should only be attempted by a true chocolate-peanut butter lover. The strawberry cupcake struck a much more restrained but equally delicious note, earning its place as the undisputed favorite of two out of the three taste-testers. What it lacked in looks it more than made up for in flavor, with a simple vanilla base and buttercream accented with chunks of fresh strawberry.
Photo by Emma Delaney
So next time the sweet tooth strikes, branch out beyond the usual Georgetown haunts and try Sugar Daddy’s–the line of tourists outside Georgetown Cupcake will thank you.
Location: 2006 18th St NW, Washington D.C. 20009
Hours of operation: Mon-Fri: 9am-9pm, Sat: 10am-10pm, Sun: 10am-9pm