Café du Soleil — Restaurant in Alexandria

For months my girlfriend raved about the food at this unique French cafe. Whenever she was free she would call me from there with her mouth full. Finally we were free to experience it together.

Located a few blocks from the wharf or dock is this idyllic white corner building that is very welcoming. Walking inside reminds you of a European inspired cafe with brick floors leading to cozy seating areas, a wine collection in display cabinets along the walls, a quaint dedicated area to order and select pastries, and on the wall a hand written colored menu. The atmosphere is cozy, the lighting is calming with French music playing in the background.

People are sitting at couples tables, relaxing on small couches as couples, small families, or at tables on their computers. It is also pet friendly.

Several of the staff have accents and they are friendly, attentive and welcoming. The service is excellent and your order arrives quickly. The food is excellent. We had their quiche Florentine which arrived steaming hot with every bite and was incredibly flavorful and delicious. Spinach, diced asparagus, cheese and eggs were perfectly combined. The quiche came with a mixed green salad tossed in a house dressing. Their roasted cauliflower and pan-fried potatoes were seasoned to perfection.

I tried their antioxidant rich smoothie made with cranberry juice, Greek yogurt, bananas and mixed berries. It was thick, rich and balanced with each ingredient.

Now I understand why she loves this hidden jewel. They have the best quiche I have ever had in the US. I woke up the next morning having a food fantasy and licking my lips for another huge slice of quiche.

Good food is worth a premium price. If you can't find street parking which is in high demand there are parking lots...

I visited Café du Soleil at ~6:00 PM on Sunday, 01 December 2024.

Maybe the employees were having an off night, but the service I experienced at Café du Soleil was terrible. I stood at the cash register for 10 minutes waiting to order before anyone acknowledged me. There was no line and it wasn't crowded. The young woman with the long black hair walked past me and the register three times without saying a word to me. There's no way she didn't see me. The young man making the coffees didn't acknowledge me, either. I just stood there, waiting, seeing how long it would take for anyone to notice me.

It wasn't until another customer who was also waiting on his order said to me "have you been helped yet?" that the young man behind the counter acknowledged me. He was nice enough and took my order.

The service only got worse from there. The customer who asked if I had been helped yet ordered a cinnamon scone after I ordered mine. The young man behind the counter gave him the first cinnamon scone that came out of the oven even though I ordered mine first. After I finally received what I ordered, I observed another customer go to the register to order something. The young lady who ignored me helped the customer immediately, yet she ignored me.

I'm not sure what I did to be ignored and treated this way. I was polite, didn't get upset, and treated the employees with dignity and respect. I even tipped them, despite the terrible service. I won't be returning to Café du Soleil again. The service I received was the worst I've received in recent memory. I hope that the owner/manager talks to the employees, especially the young lady. Continue to treat customers like this, and it'll be tough to stay...

Great hidden gem for breakfast or lunch in Old Town Alexandria. This is French café food with excellent coffee/tea, crepes (love the savory options), quiche, warm sandwiches, salads and more. Everything is fresh and made to order. They also have smoothies, pastries plus soups made from scratch every week (in the winter season). But the truly underrated and unreviewed offering is the wine! They have a well-curated collection of wines from a French distributor at a price/quality point that you cannot replicate in Old Town, with many great options under $30 per bottle. Overall their prices are correct and you'd be hard pressed to find a better deal in this neck of the woods. Atmosphere is great, French/Ethiopian hands-on owners are humble, accommodating, and friendly. This is a solid place where you can grab a hot or cold drink to go, have a good, filling lunch, or linger for hours on your computer while you sample various things. Or you can come with friends and shave off a few bottles of wine without breaking the bank. Also, can accommodate parties and special events, just talk to the owners and they will work with your reasonable requests. It has become one of my favorite spots in Old Town and I go there several...