New Orleans native Chef David Gaus has won accolades from The Today Show, the Travel Channel, Food and Wine, Southern Living, Saveur and Bon Appetit for his Arlington, Virginia restaurant Bayou Bakery. There you can taste the authentic flavors of the Crescent City while in the suburbs of D.C./Northern Virginia.

When you walk in, you order your food choices at the counter, and then take a seat to wait for your items to be prepared. There are colorful Southern and New Orleans touches to the decor, but it’s not kitchy. Sofas and smaller tables make mingling and socializing easier, and there is wifi should you want to bring your laptop (which many people seemed to want to do).

New Orleans was a port destination for coffee for centuries, and  Bayou Bakery has some unique and natural coffee infusion drinks, incorporating unexpected flavors like basil, honey, and ginger root. Or, if you are in the mood for something a little harder, did you know cocktails were invented in New Orleans? Their Bloody Mary takes a fresh twist with pickled veggies as garnish. It won’t sear your tongue, however, but rather, it has a tangy drinkability.

Different seasoned and candied nuts, deviled eggs and a sizeable selection of house made biscuits will get things going. The South just wouldn’t be the same without BBQ, and here, you can get their chopped pork BBQ, lightly dressed with slightly sweet sauce on their famous biscuits.

Bayou Bakery pays solid homage to Virginia, as well; world-famous peanuts, and cornmeal from George Washington’s grist mill down the road bring a sense of local pride to the menu.

What is the one thing you can’t leave New Orleans without trying? Beignets! Bayou Bakery’s have heartiness, yet (of course!) the crazy, silly sweetness from tons of powdered sugar. Just smile and wear casual clothes, because you are going to be covered in it.

Bayou Bakery is open from breakfast through Happy Hour.