Little City Gourmet

Where did you go? You left your loyal customers high and dry, not to mention those of us who bought gift cards with no way with which to redeem them.

So, I don’t know why I found this affected our breakfast on a Saturday morning, but expect a constant flow of residents (from the condos above and across) buying coffee… in there pajamas… including parents with kids too young to leave alone. The whole family in sleeping gear with hair adrift. If that type of people watching appeals, the food was better than average, the self-​serve coffee was good, the service reasonably prompt and courteous. Prices a little high, but this is the DC-​area.

Now called Urban Pantry after a redesign to the store. I live close by and walk here on a Saturday or Sunday. It’s delightful. Good house coffee and they have lots of quality Illy products for those espresso lovers. Wifi, warm interior and it’s a little hidden. Beats a crowded Starbucks.

The Little City has changed names and re branded the Urban Pantry. The food is really good. Try the omlettes and pick up a bottle of wine. Really a nice place to stop in and enjoy a quick bite. Staff is so friendly and attentive. The coffee is good also.

This place is truly a hidden jewel. It is very hard to find… but so worth it when you do. The food is outstanding. The value for the dollar is the same. The service is good…
I especially like to come here for breakfast with my kids on the weekend.
The side salads are wonderful and I always leave with more than two.

Telecommuter’s paradise! I almost hate to give this place away since it’s so quiet and definitely not overrun with other work-​from-​home folks, but since I want them to stay in business, I’m sharing it with the world. Little City Gourmet has free unlimited wifi with a strong signal, free garage parking (or a quick walk from East Falls Church), and friendly, accommodating staff. It’s on a quiet street, so when the weather’s nice, it’s a joy to sit outside. Last time I was there, they remembered my beverage order and accommodated a special dietary request, which made me feel pretty special.
The food that I’ve tried has been great, whether a pastry, salad or sandwich. I haven’t tried the dinner offerings, but do appreciate that I can get a glass of wine to get through my afternoon report writing and emails. There’s a small but nice selection of gourmet offerings, such as imported italian preserves and crackers, and gluten free baked goods. They also sell pastries from Natalia’s.

This is a pleasant little addition to the development on N Westmoreland St. Having previously lived for 2 years in the building across the street, we were stuck with the now defunct Bear Rock Café (now Chasin’ Tails). My wife still works nearby and occasionally I find myself in need of a quiet place to sit, drink a coffee, perhaps grab a bite to eat. I find Chasin’ Tails a little too loud and the service a little too slow for the fifteen to thirty minutes that I need to «camp out.» It also slightly offends my native Louisianian sensibility to be served crawfish that has been steamed in a bag and sauteed in butter.
Little City Gourmet is a small but quiet space with good coffee, fresh fruit, omlets, several salads and sandwiches, some tasty looking baked goods, and a nice array or affordable bottled wine. I didn’t inquire as to whether or not a corkage fee was added to drink the wine on site (or if this is even allowed), but most of the bottles were priced under $ 15. A previous reviewer complained that some of the food was placed in a display case. Personally I found it nice to be able to see what I was ordering in advance. The one specific time that I ate breakfast here, I was in a hurry and it was nice to know I wouldn’t have to wait 20 minutes for an egg and vegetable wrap. My wife has eaten here several times, as it is a short walk from her office and has been happy with everything she’s tried.
The staff was also very friendly and attentive. With two large apartment /​condo buildings on the street, a nearby neighborhood and a the West Falls Church metro a short walk away, I think Little City Gourmet should do well in this location.

Little City Gourmet is a welcoming «little» café tucked away in a luxury apartment building (just half a block south down N. Westmoreland from Chasin’ Tails.) There’s a small, cozy sitting area reminiscent of your living room, and the staff are friendly folks. I picked up a grab-​and-​go sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich with my perfectly brewed café mocha; it was simply wholesome and filling. The other sandwiches I spotted in the display were either turkey, bacon, or vegetarian. There were also quiche, donuts, and other pastries. Their tapas and wine sound nice for after office hours today.

Roast beef doesn’t get any better! Perfect size and delicious. Coffee was really great. Bought a bunch of it to take home with us. Staff was attentive and helpful and parking is a breeze. What a great local spot. Makes me wish we lived closer.

We love this place. So pleasant sitting outside on a nice day. Great place for a quick bite. Not cheap, but food is fresh and not your everyday sandwich shop.

I love this place. I work in the area and I am never disappointed for lunch. The soups are divine. The side orders are delicious. They consist of unlikely but scrumptious combinations. If you are unsure on what to order, you can sample the sides orders, as well as the soup. I love the harvest wrap and the roasted chicken panini. The cranberry mayo comes with the panini but it also tastes great with the harvest wrap. This place is definitely a gem in the neighborhood.

EXCELLENT ADDITION TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD! There is finally an option for coffee, baked goods, gourmet sandwiches, etc. Great little café setting and outdoor seating. I have had good experiences for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as carry-​out and sit-​down.
The banana walnut muffins alone are worth a trip.
Hopefully this helps in developing a critical mass for this area and something good also come in to the North Gate (and Shreve eventually) developments.
I rarely write reviews but I really want this place to stay in business.
I recommend the breakfast sandwiches, frittata, veggie delight sandwich, and most of the pasta and seafood dishes.
I am not a big fan of the side dishes (vegetables, pasta salad, etc) that they have on display. Also, the chicken in the packaged salads is a little dry. They hurt themselves by not putting an actual menu on the wall which ends up attracting attention to the food in the displays. Many of the best items are only shown on the paper menus made to order.
It is also a nice place to eat outside and also great for the kids. They are friendly and accommodating even when our toddlers are running around.
A few notes on other reviews
— It sounds like they had some service issues when they first opened. However, I have not had any problems. Also, it pays off to experiment with a few of the dishes as you will run into some that are duds/​overpriced while others are excellent and reasonably priced
— Comparing this place to lost dog completely misses the point– different product offering and target market entirely

After multiple visits since their opening, the quality of their food, while never great, has noticeably declined. The crab cakes were tasteless and didn’t meld at all with the chipotle aioli, the mac and cheese was just heavy and the chicken was dry. You can see into their kitchen area through the glass storefront — I didn’t see any cooking areas, just a couple of prep tables. IMHO calling microwaved food «gourmet» is an oxymoron.

This little place has a great atmosphere. The staff is very friendly, and the tables outside are a nice place to sit and enjoy one of their delicious lattes and a pastry on a nice day. I recommend the sausage and egg breakfast sandwich, but the doughnuts and croissants are fantastic too. I love that all the breakfast dishes are served with a skewer of fresh fruit. Also, their crab cakes are some of the best I’ve ever tasted – and that’s saying a lot. It’s definitely worth stopping by LCG and giving it a try!

I wasn’t terribly impressed with the food here, but I think it’s a result of what I ordered. I ordered crab cakes and chicken lollipops. Both were tapas sized. The crabcakes were straight up bad! All bread, fried, and what little crab was fin meat and chewy. I prefer broiled crabcakes with lots of lump meat. The chicken lollipops were basically drumsticks, but almost no flavoring. I’ll give this place another shot because it’s close by and the people working there are friendly and attentive. Some of the food looked really good. But if you do choose to go here, steer clear of those crab cakes.

The food at this place is delicious. I’ve had the tomato soup and the french onion soup, both excellent. Also, I’ve had a turkey sandwich and a cookie, also both good. The place is nicely decorated. I’d say the cost is a smidge high, that’s why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. But I will definitely be returning.

My husband and I stopped in Little City tonight for dinner. In a word, our experience was underwhelming.
I ordered the roast beef sandwich with chips, he ordered the turkey sandwich with chips — no drinks — and the total came to $ 20. Definitely pricey.
And, there was nothing special about either sandwich. Couple things to note:
— Mine came in two triangle sections; his came in four — twice the size of mine! (WTF??)
— The sandwiches and most of the food are sitting out in a display case, not made to order. Not very appetizing to wonder how long it’s been sitting there before we ordered…
— Not sure whey they refer to themselves as gourmet — these sandwiches couldn’t have been any more basic than they were. cold cuts, cheese, and mayo slapped between two slices of bread. That’s it.
Not special.
We live very close, but, doubt we’ll be back any time soon.
If you’re craving a good sandwich and a menu with more variety, try Earl’s, Lost Dog or Stray Cat — all far superior than Little City…

It’s pretty good, if a little pricy (think panera and add 2 bucks to the price on everything). Everything is already made, so know that if you want something heated, it’s microwaved. So I’d recommend sticking to cold dishes. I got the goat cheese salad, which was pretty good. There was a generous amount of cheese, and the dressing was delicious.
Also, note that you should plan to take whatever you order to-​go. I counted maybe 5 tables (inside and out) so you shouldn’t count on there being a table. But overall, it’s a cute place in a location where that type of food is desperately needed.

I had Chai latte the first time, and I love it! (yes, it is pricy, but well, it’s Arlington anyway, where you need to pay at least $ 3,000 a month for a small 2 bed rm apartment upstair)
We also had the take-​out dinner last night, both orders we had were great! even our young kids love it and asking to eat it today. Too bad that they don’t have same menu every night for take-​out but, it’s fun to looking fwd to it!
I love the daily family take-​out dinner, it’s easy (put in oven for 15 min) and yummy! It’s great price for gourmet dinner at home!

I only had the mocha (Illy brand coffee) and I really liked it. Quick friendly service and a nice, cute café. Will definitely go back here again.