2 ½ George Washingtons (out of 5)
We’d been meaning to try this place for awhile—it always has crowds outside on weekend mornings, and we figured it might be a good place to linger for a bit and enjoy the first meal of the day. One thing we haven’t yet found in Alexandria is a truly great breakfast place, and we were hopeful this would be the one. It wasn’t, at least for us.
The highlight of our trip was seeing Newt Gingrich order a coffee and take a seat at a table by the windows. Patrons stopped him for photos, and it took him a good 15 minutes of posing and hand-shaking to make his way from the counter to his table.
Celebrity-sighting aside, the experience was disappointing. The egg sandwich was served on either a somewhat soggy croissant, or an overly-dry biscuit. The oatmeal, meanwhile, was served in a cardboard cup that was reminiscent of what you might receive at an office cafeteria. On the whole, we didn’t think the breakfast rose far above what you might expect at a place like Starbucks. Serviceable, but nothing special. On the other hand, we did think the coffee was very good. The latte was strong, but not too bitter, and the perfect temperature.
The ambiance is generally bright and attractive, with large windows and substantial wooden tables. We did think, though, that the lay-out left something to be desired. There was no menu at the counter, except for lunch options (which seemed premature at that time in the morning), so it was difficult to know what was on offer. You have to wait by the counter for your food and drink, which is fine but does leave you navigating the crowd (food in hand) to wind your way to a table.
Two and a half George Washingtons isn’t a bad rating. It just means this place is good, but not one we would necessarily revisit when looking for a hearty breakfast. We might return to try a chocolate sweet (those looked like they could be delicious), or to try out the Mexican food that they apparently serve at dinner (an intriguing transformation). We would definitely stop by again when in the mood for a cup of coffee.
George Washington Ate Here* 