More than 40 years after launching The Inn at Little Washington, Patrick O’Connell opens Patty O’s Cafe & Bakery.
The exterior of the new Patty O’s Cafe & Bakery, which is across the street from The Inn at Little Washington
To Patrick O’Connell, details are the oxygen of a damn good time. Without them, we are forever lost in life’s banalities. And so it shouldn’t surprise anyone who has frequented The Inn at Little Washington, O’Connell’s hospitality and culinary shrine in a small Shenandoah village 90 minutes from DC, that his new place is special. Patty O’s Cafe & Bakery isn’t grandiose, but its vision is just as outsize as the mother ship. Call it gourmet comfort food in the Virginia hills, with an elevated bakery that wouldn’t feel out of place on Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud.
O’Connell’s success over the years—he’s won a James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award, aft er all—has always stemmed from surprising patrons. This is certainly true at Patty O’s, where there’s a stark contrast between the design of the country cafe and big-city bakery. Architecturally, it’s a visual coup, as a hallway leads from one space to another (the cafe also has a separate street entrance). Cafe guests will take in a bright exterior framed by exquisite landscaping, white painted brick and soft teal awning; outdoor seating invites leisurely meals on warmer days. Once inside the cafe, patrons will see a barn-dance mural by William Woodward; dining spots include the bar or cozy tables adjacent to a hearth. And, yes, the restaurant takes reservations, which, once word spreads, will be coveted.
Pan-roasted citrus lobster, with grapefruit butter sauce and baby bok choy.
Inspiration for Patty O’s, which is located across the street from The Inn and was once a gas station (which, to witness it now, is inconceivable), comes from O’Connell’s many trips to France; the vision came together at the hands of French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, who’s renowned for integrating iconic European hotels into their locations. “A cafe can become the living room of a small town. A passerby should be able to stop in for a drink or coffee anytime during the day and expect a fine meal at lunch and dinner,” O’Connell says.
When O’Connell cut the cafe’s ribbon on a rainy evening this fall, he told the assembled crowd of longtime Inn patrons that he wanted an unfussy place to eat with a menu of simple American classics that reminded him of his childhood. Chef Devin Bozkaya returns to The Inn to oversee the cafe’s kitchen, which offers lunch and dinner. Early dishes to adore include onion soup gratinée with perfumed Calvados; half-roasted chicken with Grand Marnier-glazed carrots and pureed potatoes; pan-roasted citrus lobster; and an Ovoka Farm half-pound burger with tomato jam, crispy onions and comté cheese.
Patrons may dine at the bar or at one of the cozy tables inside the cafe
Christian Capo, who has been with The Inn for two years and previously worked at Michelin-starred Fiola and New York’s Dominique Ansel Kitchen and Bakery, leads the charge in the bakery. The dreamy space produces freshly baked breads, croissants and O’Connell’s famous granola, among other confections. Guests may order takeout, of course, but the best bet is to linger inside—sipping single-origin coffee or a custom-blended tea—and enjoy the little mercies offered by O’Connell and his team. It’s a culinary trip to Neverland worth taking every time. 389 Main St., Washington, Va., 540.675.3801, pattyoscafe.com
Photography by: Greg Powers
