Keep It Local: Union Market

Mom fell down a food blog rabbit hole last week and somehow landed on DC Eater's post on "15 New DC Sandwiches That Are Selling Like Crazy." Among the popular sandwich joints listed was Red Apron Butchery at the recently revitalized Union Market, which opened last September. The favorite sandwiches there included a porkstrami? Done.

We hit up the Market fairly early on a Sunday morning -- it opens at 8 a.m. on Sundays, but some things were still getting started. First stop was obviously Peregrine Espresso for mom and dad. And then Curbside Cupcakes for Kane and me (we'd technically already eaten breakfast at home). We walked around, sampling yummy things -- pickles, cheese, honey. Kane bought mom and me each a flower. We oogled at the giant pig hanging from hooks at a butchery stand ("don't worry mom, he's dead," Kane explained). Mom gawked at the delish spread at Rappahannock Oyster Co. where you can eat right at the oyster counter. Brunch was bumping at Buffalo & Bergen, which offers a New York soda shop inspired counter and appeared to be dishing out legit New York bagels and egg creams.

Dad bought a paper and we set up at a table with a view of the neighboring wholesale warehouses (in addition to the counters at several restaurants, there is a sizeable area of general seating available). Mom and Kane worked their way through Kane's Greek mythology book and I sipped fizzy water and danced. It was the first real lazy Sunday morning mom and dad think they've ever had since the two of us arrived on the scene. We hung out until lunch time and then got down to business.

We shared a Buffalo & Bergen chocolate egg cream while daddy procured Red Apron sandwiches -- a deluxe grilled cheese for the kiddos, a meatball sub for dad, and, surprise surprise, porkstrami with 'kraut for mom. YUMMERS.

We look forward to spending more time here as the Market grows and checking out some of the shops that were closed (Trickling Springs Creamery for ice cream) or contained too many breakable items for us that morning (Salt & Sundry). The hope is that the Market will serve as an anchor to revitalize the entire area and, right now, it's much like a scaled down San Francisco Ferry Marketplace (although obviously not oceanfront). There also seems to be a great schedule of ongoing events held at the Market, including a Gospel Choir Brunch the first Saturday of every month, which is coming up this week and looks awesome. Maybe we'll see you there.