Pastry Xpo is located in an area that seems to be half-remodeled and half-under construction. As a result, it may be easily overlooked, located between the new massive gym facility, Xsport Fitness, and the deconstruction of the Merrifield Multiplex. 
Pastry Xpo is located in an area that seems to be half-remodeled and half-under construction. As a result, it may be easily overlooked, located between the new massive gym facility, Xsport Fitness, and the deconstruction of the Merrifield Multiplex.
Current owner and pastry chef Toni Srour has made Pastry Xpo one of the elite pastry shops in the Washington, D.C. area, which is something that is made immediately obvious to the customer when they walk through the front door.
Besides a café, it is also a source for elegant cakes for many occasions, including weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and baby showers to name a few.
Upon entering Pastry Xpo, one gets the feeling of a Starbucks crossed with a Panera Bread crossed with an elegant patisserie. More or less, that is exactly what it is: Pastry Xpo serves coffee from their espresso bar, offers breakfast and lunch menus and bakes French pastries and wedding cakes.
The atmosphere is extremely relaxed as soft music plays and bright, unique paintings decorate the walls. Most of the artwork is for sale for interested customers, featuring the original works of artist Lulu Dat. For those who would like to surf the net while they enjoy a coffee or pastry, Pastry Xpo offers free wi-fi.
For lunch, they serve assorted sandwiches, such as the smoked turkey on a sourdough baguette ($5.95), topped with peppered mayo, fontina cheese and cornichons (little pickles). Another mouth-watering sandwich offering is the albacore tuna sandwich ($4.95), served on multigrain pita bread with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.
The house salad ($6.99 for a large salad, $3.99 for half salad) is available for the lighter appetite, served with feta cheese, spring mixed greens, goat cheese and topped with balsamic vinaigrette.
For coffee lovers, the espresso bar is accessible from open to close and they serve a variety of different beverages from espresso, to ice cold shakeratos. A shakerato is a popular European drink and can be found on cafe menus from Italy to Scandanavia. It is simply espresso and ice shaken together until the crema foams up. The mocha espresso ($3.40 for small, $3.60 for medium, $3.99 for large) is one of many delicious drinks also available on the menu.
If you’re trying to satisfy your sweet tooth, the café is lined with hundreds of different pastries, cakes, chocolates and truffles that will more than sooth any sugar craving. The personal fruit tart is a particularly enticing item, though the personal carrot cake and chocolate éclair are just as tempting ($5 each).
Pastries are by Maurice Pastries Incorporated, a company started by Srour with his wife, Samar Srour. Srour has over 28 years of baking experience and started his career in his father’s pastry shop in 1979. Prior to starting Maurice Pastries, he served as an executive pastry chef in Washington, D.C. from 1990 – 1992.
Pastry Xpo also has a catering menu that serves breakfast and lunch, which they will deliver.
Pastry Xpo
8190 Strawberry Ln. #6, Falls Church, VA
571-282-4970
pastryxpo.com
Hours:
Monday – Thursday, 6:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday, 6:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday, 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.