Del Ray Cafe

This is our favorite places in Del Ray. The food, the people, the location. Everything is so great

Came to Del Ray Cafe for the first time for Restaurant Week, and was surprised by the look of this place. Situated on a street in a residential neighborhood, the house-turned-restaurant serves up decent French cuisine. My date and I had a reservation for 7:15pm, and upon arriving, was offered a 2-top table in a small den on the entry floor of the establishment. The entry of the restaurant has 5 steps to the door where the hostess greeted us as we walked up. We told her we had a reservation and she said she only had a table "downstairs," which is in a small den area about five steps to the left of the door on the same floor as the entry. If we wanted a table upstairs (in the more spacious area of the restaurant/house), the wait would be ~40 minutes. When we got to our table in the den, there were 4 other couples in that area, making the seating feel very cramped as the tables were only inches away from each other. (A word of caution for those who are claustrophobic!) On one side of the table is a wooden bench, and the other side a wooden chair with a butt cushion to provide additional comfort for the guests. The best part of the entire experience was the food. My date and I each ordered an appetizer and an entrée for $40/pp. Our favorite appetizer was the Burgundy snails served in a garlic parsley butter, which was served with 3 (small) slices of baguette. The garlic parsley butter was rich in taste, making the dish very tasty. I would've liked more of the baguette (given their small size) for dipping into the garlic butter, but the snails tasted good on their own, too. My date enjoyed the seafood medley in puff pastry, which was perfectly flaky and flavorful, but the snails were the clear winner between the two appetizers. For our entrées, I had the Icelandic cod while my date had the Coq Au Vin. Topped with leek fondue and sautéed in a tasty Chardonnay dill sauce, the cod loin was above average, but portion was small (I would've been completely okay with paying more for a slightly bigger portion), so beware those with a big appetite who come here for restaurant week. Similarly, the coq au vin, cooked in a red wine sauce, was pretty good, but the portion was also very small (a chicken leg and thigh piece on top of polenta with pearl onions and smaller slices of smoked bacon). We opted out of getting dessert based on the selection they offered and our taste. Overall, I'm unlikely to come back given the better French options nearby in Old Town Alexandria.

Been meaning to check out this place for a while and glad to have finally done so!My friend and I came here for brunch and everyone was so friendly and welcoming when we entered. That was super refreshing -- made us feel like we made a good choice off the bat. The café is in a charming little house and has such cozy vibes! We sat upstairs and I loved the checkered napkins, the skylights up above, the cabin-like simplicity. The noise level was perfection too: not too quiet, not too loud. Just the perfect amount of buzzy conversation all around us, with some light music in the background. The ambiance gets five stars from me. (I also love that it's located in the middle of a neighborhood, feels unassuming and local.)As for food, I ordered the vegetarian eggs Benedict and my friend got the dish that had spinach and goat cheese and smoked salmon with eggs. We were both happy with our selections! The veggies included as part of my Benedict felt fresh and well-selected, and the eggs were perfectly poached. Would get again. We also got a side of sweet potato fries, and they were probably the most disappointing part of the meal. They arrived cold and were incredibly dry and over-salted. It felt like they'd been sitting out for ages before they were served to us. Not a fan. We ended our meal by being a bit gluttonous and ordering two desserts: the chocolate mousse and the chouquettes. I didn't really like the mousse; it felt too sweet for my taste. But we were impressed with the chouquettes -- they were soft and fluffy and the serving size was huge, definitely a shareable item. Overall great experience and I'd love to go back. Glad this non-pretentious little eatery (with its impressively (read: scarily) large menu) exists just outside of Old Town.P.S. This is really more of a 4.5-star review; I'm hoping to try eating here again and have a 5-star experience next time (it feels like that's totally within the realm of possibility)!

lovely little local cafe!not a very big place -- maybe 20 tables max. party of 5 on a saturday at 2pm and didn't need to wait for a table. limited street parking. our service was good, nothing exceptional. the menu is very interesting. it's not your classic american brunch spot with loads of options for all dietary needs -- it's a bit more limited and has a french flair. not a ton of options for vegetarians and certainly not many for vegans. half of the brunch options are some variation of eggs. that being said - everyone did enjoy their food! it was hot and fresh and tasty. i would come back if i was in the area but wouldn't necessarily seek it out.

Absolutely delicious place for brunch! First, they have the only authentic croissant in the DC area. Perfectly laminated, fresh, and soft with a slightly crunchy exterior. I've only had a better croissant in Paris (and probably only better because I was eating it under the Eiffel Tower). Don't sleep on the croissant as a side. I got the crab meat eggs Benedict and it was quite possibly the best Benedict I've ever had. Plenty of crab meat, perfectly poached eggs, but the differentiator was the bread that they served it on. I don't know if it was a challah, or brioche, or what... but it was a game changer. The wait staff here is incredibly pleasant and accommodating. We arrived without reservations and they found us a spot immediately. I like that they are all wearing kit from their favorite football teams. But for the first time diner, everyone working here is a joy to talk to. The Del Rey is tucked away on a side street but has plenty of seating. You have a choice of eating inside or in their back garden area. Definitely make this a must-dine spot if you are in the area.

Attempted to make a reservation at this quaint cafe but to no avail. We decided to try our luck by doing a walk in and gave our contact and went to saunter around the town center. 35 mins later, they contacted us and told us a table is available. We were seated at the porch which was heated so that's nice amidst the cold wintery weather but since I was seated near the dishes, it smells a little foul. Everyone there is really nice but the wait time for the food is longer than expected, approx 30 mins. The portion is a bit small but maybe just right for some people.

Del Ray Cafe once was THE SPOT. Now it's desolate and I can see why. While the service was good, the food was subpar leaving us frustrated and disappointed. The price point and decor hasn't changed in 6+ years but the food has certainly gone down hill.

Very first thing to notice about this establishment is that it is inside a house, super cute location! I love that its setting really sets it apart from other restaurants. Nestled in a quiet neighborhood, parking appears to be plentiful albeit street parking. We were immediately greeted once going inside, and also promptly served by our waiter. They have an extensive brunch and lunch menu alike. Average prices for a restaurant in this area. Portion sizes were not massive which I really appreciated, but perhaps others might want multiple items from the menu if extra hungry. I couldn't decide what I wanted, so I requested my server surprise me with his favorite sandwich. He chose the croque monsieur and I was very happy with this option. Thanks for a great lunch today, Del Ray Cafe!

A really cute brunch spot in Alexandria! I stopped by at about 11:30am on a Saturday and had no trouble getting a table. It's a small but cozy place and the decor makes it feel very homey. My friend and I ordered coffee and the eggs benedict. It was good, but it came out to about $30 and I wouldn't say it was worth the price. Id probably come back to try the lunch as well.

Missed this place... I had enjoyed many breakfasts at Del Ray Cafe when I lived in the DC area and was excited to return. It still lived up to the hype I had remembered it for. I got the veggie hash with two eggs. It was such a great dish from the numerous well cooked vegetables and nicely cooked eggs. The potatoes were also nicely roasted and paired well with the other portions of the dish too.The staff were super friendly and continued the vibe I remembered it for. I love when you return to a place and it's just as great as you remember it.