There are plenty of reasons to linger on Del Ray’s picket-fenced streets, taking in the charming front porches where strollers, dog leashes—and the occasional small dog in a stroller—are as common as rocking chairs.
When a full day of gawking at the manicured rhododendrons and petting strangers’ dogs leaves you hungry, take heart: Del Ray’s main strip contains equally enchanting breakfast and lunch spots, with enough dinner options to convince you to make a day of it.
Plan a visit around the year-round Saturday farmers market at the corner of East Oxford and Mt. Vernon avenues from 8 a.m. to noon.
And if you have dogs or children, bring them along: The furry ones will find free watering bowls outside many establishments, and Del Ray is nothing if not family friendly. With access to the Braddock Road Metro stop and Capitol Bikeshare racks nearby, you’ll want both in case you decide to stay indefinitely.
Junction Bakery & Bistro
The light-filled and spacious bakery that Nathan Hatfield and Noe Landini opened last year has become a hit with locals, so arrive early to get a table for a weekend brunch of chili over a cheddar-chive biscuit or coconut-quinoa porridge, served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The breakfast fare, served starting at 7 a.m. every day, is just as impressive—from chorizo-egg sandwiches to a “California” toast that stacks avocado, fennel, arugula and other fixins on a thick slice of sourdough. Hatfield’s baking chops, earned in the kitchens of Restaurant Eve, Society Fair and Le Diplomate, shine here, making it difficult to choose between savory and sweet. May as well have both. //1508 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Swing’s Coffee Roasters
Get your coffee fix here before taking your furry best friend to a different kind of play date at the popular dog park across Monroe Avenue. Located just a few blocks from Del Ray’s main thoroughfare, the rustic, light-filled coffee shop is worth the walk for pour-over drip brews from beans roasted just behind the baristas.
The Swing’s brand is found in dozens of restaurants and had been roasting in and around the District for almost a century before the Del Ray location opened in 2013. On weekdays, the café’s reclaimed wood tables are filled with laptops, newspapers and friends chatting—but there’s often a pup or two waiting just outside for that play date to begin. // 501 E. Monroe Ave., Alexandria
Del Ray Café
Quaint doesn’t quite cut it when it comes to describing this French-American café proffering organic eats inside a converted 1925 farmhouse, complete with wraparound porch. French-born chef Laurent Janowsky, who co-owns the café with his wife, Margaret, also cooked at Alexandria’s renowned La Bergerie until it closed at the end of 2016. Many of his specialties—including mussels à la Marinière and duck legs confit—can be found on the Del Ray eatery’s expansive lunch menu.
Lighter fare includes a deconstructed Caesar salad or salmon gravlax over greens with vodka-crème fraîche dressing. But we dare you to resist the crôque madame sandwich. // 205 E. Howell Ave., Del Ray, Alexandria
Cheesetique
Nothing shouts “day date with the girls” quite like a cheese board and wine—and maybe a salad to even things out. Allow time for some dutiful drooling over the sprawling cheese case before being seated at a table, where you may decide the mac ‘n cheese Arancini or pimento-cheese balls would go better with lunch than that salad (although the arugula-and-pear one topped with fried chèvre medallions is still a contender).
If you’re in the mood for a sandwich, go for The Grown-Up grilled cheese. Not only has it won awards, but it comes with an aura of maturity—until you chase the gooey cheese strings draping down your chin, that is. // 2411 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Taqueria el Poblano
Five o’clock is rush hour on the weekends at this small outpost of the Arlington eatery, where the staff is known to dote over how cute your children are, free of charge. Don’t bring the extended family, though, because the dining room is quite small, spilling onto a covered patio in the warmer months.
Do bring your kids. They will find plenty to their liking on the Cal-Mex menu inspired by executive chef Glen Allen’s upbringing in California. Besides chips and chunky guacamole, the chicken taquitos and quesadillas are favorites for little eaters. But the more adventurous among them might get jealous of mama’s baja-fish or chile-braised beef tacos—not to mention her margarita on the rocks. Just remember to remember your kids when you leave. // 2400-B Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Pork Barrel BBQ
If getting messy is at the top of your kids’ list, then saucy barbeque is the way to go. This five-year-old eatery’s picnic-like tables and brown paper-lined platters make the meat-eating experience feel that much more genuine.
That said, most of the sauces do come Texas style: on the side and at the table, so you can make a mess on your own terms. Pulled pork, sliced brisket, pulled chicken, smoked turkey and Texas beef sausage are all on the menu, along with sides such as BBQ baked beans, cheesy grits and collard greens. Warning: your kids will want one of the vintage sodas sold in glass bottles from an ice-cold trough near the register; budget (their sugar) accordingly. // 2312 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria
The Dairy Godmother
Fans of Wisconsin-style frozen custard were crushed when Liz Davis, the owner of this signature ice-cream place in the heart of Del Ray, announced in January that she would not reopen this spring (she takes an annual month-long winter vacation). Fortunately, Davis says she’s now looking for someone to take over the business. Here’s hoping that come warmer weather, kids and grownups will again be able to sample the shop’s rotating custard flavor of the day (vanilla and chocolate also offered daily), sorbet, ice pops and baked goods. // 2310 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Evening Star Café
It’s hard to go wrong with this modern American standby from the Neighborhood Restaurant Group. It’s been a mainstay in Del Ray since 1997, but the ambiance and menu are anything but dated, with the kitchen hewing strongly to seasonal ingredients.
Roasted chicken leg and grilled pork cozy up to winter vegetables such as butternut squash and sauerkraut, and—no matter the time of year—can be paired with one of nearly 1,200 wines, all of which are available at the next-door wine store, Planet Wine. The restaurant’s two indoor bars have craft and cask beers on tap, and an outdoor space called “The Front Porch” opens in the summer for under-the-stars imbibing. //2006 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria