Providencia Is D.C.’s Small-Scale Bar With Big Dessert Energy
What they say is true. Good things do come in small packages, and Providencia is the proof that a small-scale bar can deliver BDE: big dessert energy.
No other place along H Street brings together a dessert-forward menu with a tightly curated menu of cocktails that also includes savory snacks like confit duck legs, a root vegetable tamale, and a roasted eggplant pupusa.
The bar originated with Maketto chef Erik Bruner-Yang who collaborated with his bartenders Pedro Tobar and Daniel Gonzalez to give new life to a small federal-style row house tucked into an alley off H Street, NE. They also invited in award-winning pastry chef Paola Velez.
And everyone is represented in the menu through heritage, spanning three continents from Bruner-Yang’s Taiwan to Tobar and Gonzalez’s El Salvador plus the Dominican Republic with Velez. While Providencia may be small in scale (there are only 22 seats) it goes big on large-format desserts familiar in name but unique in flavors.
Take for instance, the tiramisu. It’s less a reflection of Italy and more a mash-up between the Dominican Republic and El Salvador. Velez brings her heritage into a dish that includes spiced plantain jam and mascarpone, but doused with boozy Salvadoran rum.
“We’re weaving a story of culinary joy and herencia [or heritage],” Velez says. “Being back in the kitchen has rekindled my love for creating experiences that connect people. This isn’t just a bar. It’s a celebration of our roots and the powerful stories that come with them.”
In fact, those stories of heritage, which include family and place, are listed on the menu next to the list of ingredients. To learn more, we sat down with Velez to hear how this small-scale bar has turned into an all-encompassing cultural gathering spot, where the D.C. community can sip, savor, and enjoy a world of flavors.
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Resy: Not many D.C. bars feature dessert pairings alongside cocktails. Why did you decide to bring your pastry and dessert program to Providencia?
Paola Velez: Originally, Providencia wasn’t designed to be a dessert-forward bar — it was meant to be a simple neighborhood spot.
But when Erik and I introduced my baked Alaska kakigori with shaved ice, it instantly became a signature dish. It’s the kind of treat that brings people from all over D.C. to our little bar just off H Street.
We also gained unexpected popularity on Xiaohongshu [China’s answer to Instagram], which means our neighborhood bar has become a bit more global. And honestly? We are good with that, but really — you come here for the drinks and stay for a little sweet treat.
Do you have a favorite dish? Any cocktails that pair nicely with this dish?
Heck yes, I do! My favorite savory dish is the roasted eggplant pupusa. It is slightly different from a traditional pupusa and absolutely delicious. Squash blossoms, Gruyère and tomatillo take this dish to my top dishes of the year. And no, I’m not just saying that because I love Providencia.
For drink pairings, the pupusa goes so well with the Lights of the Night Market – a spiced gin and mezcal cocktail. But honestly, every cocktail is a banger, so I would ask Pedro and Danny for recommendations based on what you like.
Each place has its own traditions, but the experience of biting into something bursting with flavor, sweet, and dripping with juice… that is universal.— Paola Velez
Was it hard to build a menu that spans three different cuisines and continents?
Providencia reflects all the owners. Instead of centering on a single cuisine, we follow the little red thread that connects us all.
When you look at it through that lens, you stop seeing it as a blend of cultures from three different parts of the world and start recognizing the common ground we share.
Take pineapples for instance. The same fruit that grows in Taiwan can be found in the Dominican Republic and El Salvador.
Each place has its own traditions, but the experience of biting into something bursting with flavor, sweet, and dripping with juice… that is universal.
Let’s talk about the baked Alaska. Is it hard to work in such a small kitchen space for such a large format dessert?
Honestly, the baked Alaska works perfectly for Providencia. When I first brought it in for our collaboration and opening pop-up, I designed it with a small space in mind — anywhere else, and the volume alone could crush a pastry cook on the station.
At this bar, it hits that sweet spot: just enough covers to make it worthwhile, but still intimate enough that every guest’s experience with the dish feels special and unique.
And as we head into summer? I can’t wait to see what other sweets make their way onto the bar. We’re excited to welcome in more rotations to the menu plus some guest chefs who may want to bring their cuisine into the space.
You recently published a cookbook Bodega Bakes which is reflective of the dishes at Providencia. Tell us more about this book.
Bodega Bakes is a love letter to the flavors that shaped me— just like the desserts at Providencia.
It is filled with bold, nostalgic bakes that blend Americana classics, Caribbean flair, and New York influences in a way that feels effortless but delivers big flavor.
If you have ever had a sweet treat at the bar and wanted to recreate that magic at home, this book is for you. It is fun, approachable, and full of recipes that will make you feel like a pastry chef in your own kitchen. Because everyone deserves a little joy, and dessert is the best place to start.
