To really experience Del Ray, time your trip on a Saturday when the Del Ray Farmers Market is in full swing and the sidewalks are bustling with strollers and dog-walkers. This tony enclave near Old Town Alexandria is popular for its main drag, Mount Vernon Avenue, which is populated almost entirely with local businesses. That includes a long list of restaurants, many of which have been cooking for decades, as well as a few exciting newbies. Try out these local favorites for everything from lattes to Tex-Mex to frozen custard cones.
Cheesetique
When it’s your 20th year in business, it’s worth celebrating for an entire year, and that’s what this combination cheese and wine shop and restaurant recently did. Back in 2004, owner Jill Erber created a neighborhood destination for interesting cheeses from France, California, the Netherlands and beyond, with excellent hostess gifts on offer, too. The restaurant is just as cheese-focused, serving cheese boards, Swiss fondue, truffle mac and cheese, baked Brie and grown-up grilled cheese sandwiches. // 2411 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Evening Star and Hi/Fi Tex-Mex
A popular date spot since 1997, Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Evening Star serves up slightly Southern-accented favorites like grilled Virginia ribeye and pickled fried green tomatoes. A rooftop garden provides a few of the ingredients, with sourcing from farmers around the region as well. This address has grown into a going-out complex: listen to live music upstairs in the No. 9 Lounge, grab a drink in The Majestic bar or shop for a bottle next door at Planet Wine. The newest addition to the fun is a barbecue/Tex-Mex mashup called Hi/Fi with its own beer garden. // 2000 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
The Dairy Godmother and Just Fine Donuts
Snagging a creamy frozen custard at The Dairy Godmother is a Del Ray tradition that goes back more than 20 years. In 2021, the shop’s new ownership added a doughnut shop offering a different kind of sugar fix. Find a rotating selection of custard flavors, from toasted marshmallow to banana pudding, plus vegan cake and yeast donuts in varieties like vanilla with Fruity Pebbles or maple with vegan bacon. // 2310 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Swing’s Coffee Roasters
Head a bit off the main drag for a caffeine pick-me-up at this local coffee chain, which headquarters all of its roasting in a cool Art Deco-style warehouse. The light-filled space is a popular place to telework, with plenty of drink options, from single-origin pour-over coffee to nitro brews on tap. // 501 East Monroe Ave., Alexandria
Junction Bistro, Bar & Bakery
This stylish bakery and restaurant recently unveiled a swanky new bar area where you can order craft cocktails like espresso martinis and the intriguing, cranberry-centric “Samantha Jones on Holiday.” In the morning, stop in for coffee and pastries (try the cheddar chive biscuit). Later in the day, the kitchen serves options spanning the gamut, from meatloaf to tacos. A rotating selection of family-style dinner kits to-go are popular with busy families. // 1508 Mount Vernon Ave. #1718, Alexandria
Pork Barrel BBQ
Located smack-dab in the center of Del Ray, this fast-casual barbecue spot is a local favorite with a full-service bar. Order standards like pulled pork sandwiches, mac and cheese with a hit of spice, white chicken chili or nachos covered with your choice of meat, barbecue sauce, cheese and coleslaw. Pork Barrel also offers tons of to-go options, from sliced meats by the pound to Sunday smoked chicken dinner packages. // 2312 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Taqueria el Poblano
A mainstay since 1999, this Tex-Mex spot is prized for margaritas made with fresh lime juice, triple sec, silver tequila and a kick of jalapeno. The snug cafe is reliably busy, serving up cheese dip with chorizo, duck carnitas tacos and over-stuffed burritos. Brunch brings breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros and Mexican cheese omelets. // 2400B Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Del Ray Café
Crepes with béchamel sauce, crôque monsieur, French onion soup and cassoulet lamb shoulder are standbys at this beloved restaurant housed in a circa-1925 home off the main drag. Owned by French chef Laurent Janowsky and his wife, Margaret, the long-running destination for French country fare prides itself in using organic, seasonal ingredients. The kids’ menu is fit for a teeny gourmand, featuring dishes like duck leg confit or organic buckwheat crepes. // 205 E Howell Ave., Alexandria
Stracci Pizza
One of Del Ray’s most ambitious restaurants began in a humble trailer, where chef Thomas Cardarelli and his wife, Annalisa Cardarelli, started serving up Roman-style pies in 2021. Today, fans continue to line up for pies topped with freshly-made stracciatella cheese. The operation has grown to include a dining room, and the menu has expanded accordingly to include dishes like meatballs, chicken liver mousse and duck and porcini lasagna. // 106 Hume Ave., Alexandria
Bagel Uprising
The cream cheese is as important as the bagel at this little shop that can be a zoo on the weekends: go for a savory shmear with add-ins like cilantro, jalapeno and lime, or a sweet one, like chocolate raspberry (a seasonal flavor). The bagel itself is boiled and baked in-house, and is a perfect little chewy delivery vehicle for sandwiches like fried egg and cheese or roast beef with horseradish mayo — or even a pepperoni-topped pizza bagel. // 2307A Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Piece Out Del Ray
The pie shop’s decadent, deep-dish Detroit-style pizza is loaded down with parmesan and mozzarella. Not into weighty slices? New York-style pizza is an option too, and you can make it gluten-free. Italian dishes such as house-made focaccia, arancini, spaghetti and meatballs and cannoli round out the menu. The relaxed bar is a fun place for game watches, happy hour deals and events like music bingo. // 2419 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Spice Kraft Indian Bistro
This modern Indian bistro serves classics like tikka masala and garlic naan, but if you want to get more creative, you can mix it up with fusion fare like butter chicken pasta, chicken tikka burgers with kurkuri potato fries, or chai tiramisu. Vegans and those eschewing gluten will find plenty of options here, with temptations like quinoa sun-dried tomato kale kofta with turmeric and coconut sauce. // 2607 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub
Consider it Del Ray’s version of Central Perk. Opened in 1996, this coffee house now has several sister locations, but the flagship remains a neighborhood fixture, with a cozy interior complete with a piano that encourages musically inclined visitors to stay awhile. The menu features Counter Culture coffee, Bullfrog bagels, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, quiches and more, with wine in the evening. // 2300 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
The Garden
Patio furniture, fire pits and a mobile phone system for splitting tabs make it easy to post up at The Garden for drinks and a good hang. Housed in a former garden supply shop, this outdoor beer garden hits the spot with cocktails on tap, along with draft lagers and stouts. Tacos and burgers are popular menu items among the dog owners and families who like to congregate here. // 1503 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Matt & Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar
Brunch is a big deal at Matt & Tony’s, where you can stop in for cornflake-crusted French toast and masa pancakes every day of the week while sipping on brunchy cocktails ranging from beermosas and Bloody Marys to milk punch with waffle-infused bourbon. The dinner hour brings comfort foods like smash burgers, baked ziti and gumbo. // 1501 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Gustave Boulangerie
The pastry case is overflowing with eclairs, croissants and freshly-baked bread, but for kids (and parents too), the biggest draw here might just be the sandbox. Little ones love playing outside at “Gustave le Jardin,” while the adults relax with a latte, a beer or a glass of wine. The menu includes salads and meat and cheese boards, and the outdoor area is dog-friendly. // 2213 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Shorty’s Deluxe
In December, Neighborhood Restaurant Group (which also owns Evening Star and Hi/Fi Tex Mex on the same block) introduced a mufaletta-inspired sandwich shop. Chef/butcher Nathan Anda starts with a 12-inch wheel of homemade bread and piles on the toppings (picture combos like herb-roasted beef, whipped gorgonzola and salsa verde; or mortadella, toasted pistachios, stracciatella, cherry pepper mayo and onion marmalade). Vegetarians should go for the marinated artichoke and red pepper-stuffed “Tommy.” Soups, salads and chicken tenders on the kids menu round out the offerings. // 2016 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Market 2 Market
This corner deli from the owners of St. Elmo’s caters to its strengths—namely craft beers and Italian-style subs such as chicken parm or roasted Italian pork. The takeaways also include classic sandwiches like Reubens, turkey avocado clubs and grilled cheese. The fridges here are stocked with more than 300 craft brews, with beer on tap, too, plus a selection of wines. Plan your sandwich run around one of the shop’s frequent free beer tastings with local breweries. // 116 E. Del Ray Ave., Alexandria