How did I just discover this place?! It's like Disneyland for pastry-lovers! So many options and…read moreeverything looks amazing. I've tried several of their pastries. They've all been decadent. Highly recommend. There's plenty of seating inside and they also have a few outdoor tables outside so you can enjoy your morning coffee out in the fresh air.

We needed a quick and easy meal in this part of Alexandria before heading to a convention nearby,…read moreand Paris Baguette was the perfect convenient option. And yes, they have more than just pastries and cakes! Their fridge section is stocked with different subs and sandwiches, with an option to have them reheated. HAM & CHEESE BAGUETTE - 12 It was 1:20 PM, rainy, and I hadn't eaten all day. A toasted sandwich meant the world to me. The deli meat was warm, the cheese was melty and gooey, and the baguette was soft and chewy. I finished that sandwich pretty quickly. The interior is spacious with cafeteria-style seating. It's a bit pricy for a pre-made sandwich that tasted fairly commercialized and heavily processed, but other than that, it was a pretty solid and convenient meal.

We dropped in for some coffee and desserts after a heavy lunch nearby. I'm so glad we found this…read moreplace! The decor is cute, service is great, and no complaints about drinks or desserts. I loved everything! Here's what we really enjoyed: * Magnolia Cream Crepe - I used to have this at a local Thai food festival and never found a place that served it till now. It comes with five crispy crepes that are folded like thin cookie cups, filled with a light cream. * mango sticky rice - tastes exactly as expected, sweet coconut cream sticky rice topped with ripe mangoes. * affogato Lots of pretty picturesque walls and decor for photo ops. The plate settings are pretty and dessert presentations, even down to the menu screams "take a photo"! So don't mind me that I took plenty! Even the bathroom is cool with their Dyson faucet and dryer.

Simple but splendid. The coffee was decent and could have been a bit smoother but great nonethelessread more

Sunday Brunch day! Today I was craving a nice Omelette, and…read moremy brunch philosophy is always quality over quantity. And since it's officially fall, I couldn't resist adding a little pumpkin flavor to my Sunday with a pumpkin spice latte. I actually started at another restaurant that I won't name. Unfortunately, the service didn't quite meet the moment. I sat at the bar for almost 10 minutes without any acknowledgment from the bartender. I completely understand that Sundays during brunch can be busy, but a simple "Hey, I'll be right with you" would have made all the difference. So I decided to take my beautiful self to HomeGrown. ‍ And I'm glad I did! I knew it was Sunday brunch, so I expected it to be busy. Luckily, there were two open seats at the bar, and I was shown to one right away. The bar was busy, but the bartender immediately acknowledged me and let me know she'd be right with me. That small gesture was appreciated, so I happily sat back and waited. My bartender/waitress, Ashley, was friendly, attentive, and made sure everyone at the bar was taken care of. My food came out in a timely manner, and the omelet was really good! I substituted the bread for challah, and let me tell you... that was a good decision. And of course, I had to try the pumpkin spice latte. Delicious! Overall, I enjoyed my Sunday brunch experience at Homegrown and would definitely come back to try something else on the menu. Sometimes it really is the little things -- a simple acknowledgment, good service, good food, and a little fall flavor. Sunday brunch: redeemed.

Hubby and I visited this establishment for brunch and our service was good. The food was also…read moreGood and it was open and roomy. Our waitress attended to our needs and was friendly. My only recommendation is for the staff to be mindful Of the language used while customers are still seated. There were a few curse words used (very loudly)

Love! My son and I visited 4 nights in a row! Gourmet coffees and hot chocolate were amazing along…read morewith the best sweets. The gentleman crafting our goodies were so kind to us.

Good quality food and coffee. This was my fist time visiting. The cafe seemed to have a strong…read moreaesthetic to its interior, but I didn't stay long as they were doing repairs. The sandwich was a little sweeter than expected, but I imagine that was to pair with the croissant bun.

Mere steps away from the Old Town Alexandria Waterfront, Pitango provides friendly service, relaxed…read moreatmosphere, and most importantly, delicious gelato. With the plethora of amazing dining options in the area for food, Pitango serves as the perfect post-meal treat. Or if you're like me, gelato is good any time of day and for any occasion. Plenty of seating inside with outlets nearby. Staff are courteous and kind. They allow you try as many flavors as you want. A combination of 20 staple and rotating flavors, there's really something for everyone. We eventually opted for two flavors, the strawberry and orange dark chocolate. Absolutely delicious. The flavors are bold and the gelato itself is creamy smooth. The consistency in both was apparent -- they clearly use high quality ingredients. Highly recommend giving them a try. This will be our regular gelato stop whenever we're in Alexandria!

Overall: 10/10 I love walking into an ice cream shop and…read morehaving the staff encourage me to sample everything without feeling pressured to make a decision :) all the sherbet and gelato here tastes exactly like what it's named after. Ambiance: Excellent vibe, I can easily see myself working remotely here or hanging out with a couple friends. The entire place is well lit with natural light pouring in through the large windows and ample seating. The establishment is also very clean.

Via Volcan has the best cup of black coffee in all DMV. I drive from Fairfax to Old Town and…read morealways stop for coffee. It should be served at the next Peace treaty.... The taste will make us all recognize we are all human...... and appreciate a great cup of coffee!! The barista is kind and friendly.

We were looking forward to our visit to Via Volcán to get a caffeine fix after having lunch in the…read morearea, and we decided to stop by. Unfortunately, whoever the individual was on shift today was just a total piss poor person - she seemed to have an issue with our party, as she automatically assumed we just came there to 'squat' without ordering anything (if you have been to this place before, there isn't much seating and this isn't where you'd want to sit for a bit anyway); when I called her out and stated that I already knew our party's orders, she backtracked. She then continued to make a snide comment on the number of drinks we were ordering - what's with the passive aggressiveness? I didn't know that there was some rule that each person was required to order something. Like, are you okay? I just had a bad feeling about all of this, and we should have just walked out instead of giving our money to support this business - to add to it all, the coffees that we did receive (latte with soy milk, and the mocha) were just poorly made and not strong at all; they were both watered down and bitter at the same time... come on! UGH, the regret, but it was a choice. Shame on you, Via Volcán! You might want to heavily reconsider who you employ and train them better - this individual is really hurting your business! What a miserable person. Street parking can be found in the area. +NASTY employee +watered down/bitter coffee +street parking in the area

- creamy light and a good price for gelato! - they pack it…read moreup - cute seating area inside and outside!

Stopped into Dolci Gelati in Old Town Alexandria and immediately ran into the classic problem:…read more"I'll just try a little something." Famous last words. Went with the Biscoff and pistachio gelato. Both were excellent, but the Biscoff is clearly the crowd favorite--I even asked the staff what people usually order, and they didn't hesitate. So of course I did the responsible thing and ordered it... and then almost didn't share it. Normally I'd pace myself. Not here. Also tried an Americano, which was surprisingly solid. Not an afterthought coffee situation at all--actually good enough that I'd come back just for that alone. What really stood out though was the staff. Super friendly, all smiles, really personable. I think the guy who helped me was named Avery--shoutout to him for making the whole thing feel like a neighborhood spot instead of "just grab dessert and leave." Bottom line: this is one of those places you end up going back to "just to try one more flavor," and suddenly it's a habit. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Old Town... which, realistically, will be sooner than I'm admitting.

Convenient location if you're waiting for your transfer bus or train. They were quick and very…read morefriendly. Reviews say prices are high for type of coffee. I for one figure it's the area. There are plenty of other options if you're looking for budget friendly. I myself ordered a coconut vanilla latte and enjoyed it! Would come back!

coffee/pastries are good. customer service seemed horrendous and mean-spirited. music…read more seemed too loud for a coffee shop.

This place rocks Friendly and fast service…read more Very tasty items for breakfast Clean and good vibes

We try a new coffee spot every week at work and were not crazy about the coffee here. We agreed the…read morecoffee tasted slightly burnt and my muffin was not great. The apple cinnamon pecan muffin was apparently better though. Love the creativity in the flavors but think we may have gone on an off day.

Husband and I came here to try some coffee and empanadas for brunch!…read more The indoor seating is a bit limited, and where you order/pay can get cramped depending on how busy the restaurant is. But, there's plenty of outdoor seating (so hopefully the weather is good)! As for the quality of the food and drinks- we loved it. I'm gluten free, and there were options for me which the staff was immediately knowledgable about. Give this spot a try!

I've been here a few times now and my experience has been mixed. The first time I went, the service…read morewas horrible, and it honestly made me never wanna go back. Since then though, I've been back a couple of times and the service has been on the standout side (I wish I could recall my most recent server's name to give him a shoutout -- next time!). So hoping that part is there to stay! Aside from the recent service, I like the ambiance upstairs -- exposed brick is always a win, and they've done a great job fitting in as much seating as possible in a fairly tight space. The menu is great too, with lots of appealing options -- many of which (like plantain chips and pupusas) are otherwise hard to find in Old Town. (I tried the plantain chips last time btw and enjoyed them.) It's really nice to have a Latin-inspired coffee shop nearby, and even cooler that they serve not just coffee but also food and wine. That said, here are a couple watchouts: - While the space is definitely cute and cozy, the downside is that it is smaaaall. Especially upstairs, tables fill up fast. It's always a toss-up whether there will be one available if I want to go. - They have a laptop policy that restricts laptop use to 2 hours tops (though I'm not sure if/how they actually enforce it). On the one hand, I absolutely love how intentional the policy is; particularly in such a small space, a row full of laptops could definitely kill the vibe so wanting to preserve that balance between productivity and leisure seems totally fair and actually good. On the other hand, I have to admit it does deter me from going there vs. another coffee shop at times when I'm not sure I can wrap up what I have to do in under 2 hours. This is especially true if I know I'm planning to eat. - The Mayan hot chocolate is basically hot chocolate/cocoa that is made from Guatemalan chocolate, rather than the kind of Mayan hot chocolate that has a kick to it. This may not be a biggie but I was definitely thrown off and disappointed when I first ordered it expecting the latter, so you've been forewarned! Overall it's a cute spot and I'm glad it's in the neighborhood. Though it's not someplace I'd call my go-to, I'll no doubt be back and will keep giving it more chances now that that first bad service experience has been overwritten a bit in my head.