Among the retailers that define a mature urban enclave — a dry cleaner, a watering hole, a coffee shop, a drugstore — none is more crucial than the corner grocery. It’s a place to grab a bulb of garlic on the quick, a baguette at sunrise, or a bottle of wine (or pint of ice cream) after a long day. Convenience and quality come at a cost, of course, but no neighborhood is truly complete without one.
Residents of Mount Pleasant, in Northwest D.C., are lucky for a lot of reasons unrelated to their skyrocketing property values. The Raven is one of the District’s great dives, and the long-standing Heller’s is a D.C. legend for good reason. But while many hoods around the capital can boast a nice bar and good bakery, none other has a local grocery quite like Each Peach Market.
Like many small markets that have popped up around the city over the past several years, Each Peach is almost painfully charming. Like many others, it sources many of its goods locally — there are fruits and vegetables from area farms, baked goods and charcuterie from independent D.C. producers, sustainably-raised, locally-sourced dairy. Also like many other markets, there are prepared foods, plenty of which are made on site.
It’s the sandwiches that set Each Peach apart. Served from behind a small made-to-order stand fronted by a gleaming case stocked with cured meats and cheeses, the tightly curated menu draws heavily on the products in stock at the market. The Dude, an exceptional rendition of the classic Italian meats hoagie featuring salami, ham, and hot capicola, is boosted by tangy banana peppers. The Park Road Parisian is the Dude’s Francophile counterpart, pairs ham, butter, arugula, and tomato. Admirably, there are three more than adequate meatless options: a classic Caprese, an apple and brie, and the Oak Street Hummus, which features onion, pickled radish, arugula, and tomato. Every sandwich is served on warm, local baguette, and like every great sandwich shop, there are no bad choices.
In a perfect world, every neighborhood would have an Each Peach Market. Those who are lucky enough to live in Mount Pleasant, or wise enough to make the trip, would be well served to heed the sage advice of the late, great Warren Zevon: Enjoy every sandwich.
Each Peach Market is located at 3068 Mount Pleasant St. NW in Mount Pleasant.
Comments
I know you are featuring “the sandwich” in this blog, and the picture and description made me very hungry for it, but a picture of the establishment would be a nice touch. I would like to see a market that is “painfully” charming.