There will soon new be a new location for your half-smoke kolache fix. Republic Kolache, D.C.'s first purveyor of the beloved Czech-Texan pastry, will operate in Union Market on Saturdays and Sundays from Feb. 13 through early March—and possibly longer.
The pop-up from Texas natives Chris Svetlik and Brian Stanford will offer six sweet and savory options, including staples like half-smoke, jalapeno, and cheddar as well as cream cheese and pecan. New to the roster: poppyseed, a favorite of Svetlik's Czech grandmother. Topo Chico, a mineral water with something of a cult following among Texans, will also be available.
Republic Kolache will continue to sell kolaches out of American Ice Company as well. And eventually, they plan to open their own shop.
"One of the big lessons of the last six months has been people really like kolaches... We're blown away by how many people line up still," Svetlik says. "There is something that we've tapped into with kolaches that it feels like the logical next step is to find a home for ourselves."
Photo by Jessica Sidman