Inside Southeast Sourdough, Anacostia鈥檚 fresh-milled bakery on the rise

鈥淓veryone needs and deserves fresh bread, and if I can do it, I will.鈥�

That鈥檚 the mission of , a bakery located in Joseph McPherson鈥檚 home in D.C.鈥檚 Anacostia neighborhood.

With his bakes, McPherson is creating and selling unique twists on fresh, artisan breads to communities across the District, especially food deserts found in Wards 7 and 8.

All of his breads and other bakes are naturally leavened, slow-fermented, sourdough-based and free from preservatives. He uses a mix of spelt, rye and whole wheat, from his focaccias to his soft sandwich loaves to sweets like brownies, blondies, Danishes 鈥� and even his cookies are sourdough-based. But what makes his products especially unique is that he freshly mills the wheat because he said it helps increase the flavor and nutritional value.

鈥淭he small steps do end with a big result, and I do think truly it’s because I mill fresh wheat that gives it more of a flavor,鈥� McPherson said.

Along with freshly-milled wheat enhancing the flavor of McPherson鈥檚 bakes, the baker also often combines familiar flavors in unexpected ways. For example, topping a whole-wheat Danish with a homemade banana pudding or enhancing a babka with flavors of sweet potato.

鈥淲hat I do is I take flavors that people are used to and force them to try something new,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 just want to make things that people really like, push the boundaries a little bit, but be creative.鈥�

Southeast Sourdough began in 2025 and has since expanded to two community supported agriculture, or CSA, programs: the and . His products are also available on his and at Bloomingdale Farmer鈥檚 Market on Sundays.

McPherson has also partnered with Calvin 鈥淛.R.鈥� Hines, Jr. of D.C.-based urban farms by providing naturally-leavened focaccia dough for Hines to create pizzas with. These pizzas, which are topped with golden oyster mushrooms, are available at the .

But it鈥檚 not a rare sight to see McPherson carrying his many breads and other delights door to door to his neighbors in Anacostia.

鈥淥ne family became two became five, and we realized there was a need for fresh bread in the neighborhood,鈥� McPherson said. 鈥淚t kind of became a really great way to be even more of a neighbor.鈥�

McPherson comes from a long line of prestigious restaurant experience, including working at Chez Panisse and Zuni Caf茅 in California as well as Mirabelle and Palena in the District.

When he worked at the now-closed Palena, McPherson credited Chef Frank Ruta鈥檚 attention to detail for teaching him that 鈥渆verything deserves love.鈥�

鈥淭he loaf was always perfectly toasted,鈥� McPherson said about working with Ruta.

About his time at Zuni Caf茅, McPherson said, 鈥淭hey had this fixation on the bread as another extension of their generosity.鈥�

And their focus on the freshest, most seasonal ingredients inspired McPherson as a baker as well.

Another local baker also impacted McPherson. Rick Cook of Manifest Bread in Riverdale Park, Maryland, gifted McPherson a mill with no specific instructions, recipes or special help provided.

鈥淗e really didn’t give me a recipe. He just said, 鈥楾ry it all. Don’t be scared. Ask questions. But run with it,鈥� and that’s kind of what I did, for sure,鈥� McPherson said.

Now that Southeast Sourdough is on the rise 鈥� with a growing clientele and more partnerships in the works 鈥� McPherson hopes to eventually increase the capacity of orders he can take on because, 鈥淚 want people to have great bread all the time.鈥�

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