Mae's Market Cafe - Alexandria

"A wonderful find slightly off of King Street. The sandwiches were delicious and the atmosphere was enjoyable and laid-back. Overall, the sandwiches were great."

Another issue I encountered was that while I was eating, the server started spraying cleaning solution within 5 feet of me without acknowledging my presence. She mentioned they were preparing for evening service, which I assume is for the restaurant section. However, it was unclear where the dividing line between the cafe and restaurant was, causing confusion. The food was also disappointing, particularly the chicken croissant sandwich which was very dry. The espresso was decent, but overall not worth enduring the lack of outlets, unclear seating arrangements, and subpar food. Apart from its aesthetics, this place does not offer much for a productive work environment. I will not be returning.

I really enjoy the coffee, food, and atmosphere at this restaurant. As someone who often works remotely from coffee shops, I would appreciate it if the staff could lower the volume of music during the day. It can be difficult to concentrate on work, reading, or conversations when the music is playing loudly in the background at 4:30.

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.