District Home Magazine May 2014 | Page 28

BIG BEAR CAFE bigbearcafe-dc.com “With few businesses and no sit down restaurants a decade ago, there was an opportunity to develop the environment that we live in and to create the kinds of businesses that neighbors very much wanted to see.” —Stu Davenport, Owner of Big Bear and Bloomingdale resident since the early 2000’s 28 ISSUE NO. 5 On Sundays between May and November neighbors and visitors to Bloomingdale enjoy the Bloomingdale Farmer’s Market, and can stop in for an omelet and coffee next door at Big Bear Café. Opened in 2007, at the corner of 1st and R Streets NW, Big Bear gets its name from the market and deli that existed in that spot in various iterations over the past hundred years. A large bear painting, by Bloomingdale resident and artist Sean Hennessy graces the west side of the building. (Incidentally, Sean Hennessy’s decorative painting can also be found in Boundary Stone and at 10 Square Team’s offices). Although Big Bear is largely known as the place to go to get an excellent cup of coffee, they have a full service dinner that is definitely worth checking out. They strive to use local ingredients sourced from farms in the region, and grow their own herbs on site.