Baltimore’s Kneads Bakeshop Is Expanding to D.C.’s Navy Yard

Baltimore-born Kneads Bakeshop is preparing to expand into Washington, D.C.’s Navy Yard, taking over a prominent restaurant space at the base of the Thompson Hotel. The company is targeting an October opening after a light redesign expected to begin in September.

The approximately 5,500-square-foot location previously housed Maialino Mare. Plans call for a pastry counter, full-service bar, dining room, remote-work area and outdoor patio, creating an all-day format that can move from coffee and breakfast into lunch, happy hour and dinner.

Kneads is known for combining artisan bread and pastry with a broader café menu. The Navy Yard shop is expected to offer items such as crème brûlée doughnuts, pistachio baklava croissants and smoked-salmon bagels while adapting the menu to a hotel, neighborhood and waterfront audience.

The new kitchen will also support Kneads’ wholesale business, giving the expansion a role beyond walk-in service. Supplying restaurants from the D.C. location could help the company build a regional network while reducing the operational distance between its Baltimore roots and new Washington customers.

The Paterakis family behind Kneads has a long connection to Baltimore baking through H&S Bakery, founded in 1943. That history makes the Navy Yard move more than a single restaurant opening: it is another step in the evolution of a family food business with deep local roots.

Kneads is entering a neighborhood with residents, office workers, hotel guests and event traffic, but the October target still depends on the redesign and opening process staying on schedule. The next meaningful update will be a confirmed opening date and final service details from the company.

Expansion details were verified through Eater DC and Kneads Bakeshop.

Find more Baltimore-first business and community coverage in Power1047’s Power Beat.