Mae's Market Cafe - Alexandria

This the best coffee I’ve had by far— bold flavors, not watered down. I got the cappuccino vanilla

As a local who spends way too much money on coffee, I firmly believe that Mae 's makes the best espresso in Old Town trust me I have tried them all. They switched over the past year from Counter Culture (which is great, but a dime a dozen in the DC area) to Ceremony, an Anapolis based roastery that is SO GOOD and I have not seen anywhere else in NoVA. If a latte or cappuccino is your schtick, you have to come here. They also have creative breakfast and lunch options that make lunch a real treat. And the space is very open, chic, and comfortable with many seat options. My only wish is that they serve breakfast a little later, but that is definitely more of a me problem then theirs.

The best coffee I’ve had in Alexandria out of the 10 or so shops I’ve tried. Their espresso is incredible, their pastries and warm food are too. Can’t recommend it enough.

Aesthetics, yes! Coffee is good! Breakfast was eh. Came here for the smoked salmon, sunny side up egg and avocado toast (but apparently it was from a year ago). Avocado had too much lemon juice in it, and the egg was hard and rolled. Taste 2/5Also got their breakfast burrito, it was too small for the price as well. Taste 2.5/5I’m not sure about the other foods but what I had was not worth the price.

Excellent coffee and food options served in a bright airy space much larger than most places in the area. They have a good selection of take-away items as well, including an interesting wine selection I may come back for. The croissant was particularly flaky, buttery, and delicious, and the latte was very good. One thing I didn't appreciate was the breakfast burrito and breakfast croissant both featuring very creamy sauces. I know those are popular, but to me they detracted from what would have been otherwise wonderful dishes. It is just my personal taste, though. I just wish there were some other taste option available.