A compact Italian-style sandwich stand holds its own among dozens of vendors in Union Market serving everything from seafood pizza to chocolate-filled dumplings.
Positioned near the market’s entrance, Fossette Focacceria opened its Union Market stall last May, following its debut in Shaw the previous November. The establishment, run by chef Mike Friedman — the restaurateur behind several D.C. favorites, including The Red Hen and All-Purpose — revolves around focaccia-based sandwiches.
Located in a lively area of Northeast D.C. filled with street murals, the market is about a 10-minute walk from the NoMa-Gallaudet Metro stop, which is reachable in roughly 20 minutes by Metro from campus. Fossette is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Fridays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. The walk from the Metro station was pleasant, and I arrived just in time for a late lunch, ready to explore the wide array of food stalls.
The shop draws inspiration from traditional focaccerie in Italy, with its name coming from the Italian word “fossette,” meaning “dimples,” a reference to the textured surface of focaccia bread.
Compared to its neighboring vendors like Cowbell Seafood & Oyster and Lucky Buns, Fossette is small but makes effective use of its space, with fresh loaves of house-made focaccia stacked on cooling racks and displayed along the counter for purchase. The oven sits behind the stall where the bread is baked, and a clear prep area holds an array of vegetables and cheeses ready to be put into stacked up sandwiches. White subway tiles line the front of the stand, paired with dark green countertops matching the shop’s white and green logo hanging overhead.
When I visited around 4 p.m. on a Tuesday, there was no line at the stand, though other vendors had short queues, and many of the nearby tables were filled with people who had just finished their meals. The empty area allowed me to watch the staff pull a fresh batch of focaccia out from the oven, and as steam rose from the bread, the smell of olive oil and freshly baked dough quickly filled the air.
The menu is on the short side, with nine sandwich options — two of which are unique to the Union Market location: the Carpa, featuring prosciutto and chili honey ($15), and the Portofino, a vegetarian specialty ($14).
I chose one of their featured sandwiches, the Mortazza ($14), eager to try one of the shop’s self-proclaimed specialties. It comes with mortadella, stracciatella, pistachio crema, black pepper and extra virgin olive oil. I ordered at the register where I was greeted by the staff, though a self service kiosk is also available. After ordering, I watched my sandwich come together as warm focaccia was sliced, brushed with olive oil and layered carefully with each component before being wrapped and ready within about five minutes.
True to its name, the housemade focaccia was easily the best part of the sandwich: crisp around the edges and well salted on the outside, yet soft and airy on the inside where the slight brush of olive oil added a nice herbal flavor — all without making the bread feel greasy.
The mortadella, a type of Italian cold cut, had a smooth texture and mild, savory flavor, which was layered generously and contrasted well with the rest of the sandwich. On top of the mortadella, the fresh stracciatella cheese added a soft, almost creamy texture as it slightly melted from the warmth of the bread.
The last component, the pistachio crema, brought a notable crunch with large pistachio chucks and slight nuttiness. While I have not often seen nuts being featured in a sandwich, the crema worked well to help balance the saltiness of the bread and mortadella. Overall, the different ingredients came together in a balanced mix of salty, savory and slightly nutty, making each bite enjoyable.
The sandwich was satisfying without being too filling, making it well suited for a quick late lunch. While the $14 price point may seem steep at first, the freshness of the ingredients and the quality of the bread made it feel justified.
I hope to return to Fossette to try more of the menu, particularly the Chicken Parm ($17) or Caprese ($14), and I’d like to pick up a loaf of their fresh focaccia. Although Fossette was a trek from campus, I found the trip well worth the distance for a small taste of Italy.
