Grounded Coffee Shop, South Alexandria - Candy and Will Briffa's Little Gem on Telegraph Road

[durwoodx]

I'm sort of surprised no one has started a topic for this little gem. Owned and operated by a lovely couple - the wife works the front of the house and the husband makes all the food in the kitchen - this place is a shining star in the otherwise grim food world south of the Beltway.

The coffee is good. The quiches are great. The lemon curd tart is freaking rapturous. If you are ever stuck down in the Restaurant Hell that is where I live, give this place a try. It's well worth a few extra minutes to get to.

[Jsenter]

When I worked down the street I and my coworkers went every morning for out coffee and pastry. When I am in that part of the world I stop by for lunch. Well worth the trip.

[durwoodx]

I just have to make a quick shout out to the croissants here. Seriously, if there are better croissants in the DC area I would love to know about it. The owner said they make the dough every evening from scratch after closing then come in at 4 AM to finish making them.

Light and flaky with just enough crust to give it texture, and the dough is deliciously buttery without being greasy. I drive 4 miles out of my way to get one 2-3 times a week. Sadly, they frequently sell out before I can get there.

[Escoffier]

I can think of 10 different ways to get south of the beltway.  Might be a lot easier to find if you added the address.

[durwoodx]

Always glad to help!

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=grounded+coffee

[Escoffier]

Always glad to help!

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=grounded+coffee

I'm so grateful that you're (almost) helpful.  I had already Googled it but thought it might be a bit easier for everyone (and better for Grounded Coffee) if you had simply included the address., after all, everyone isn't as smart as you (and those nice tourists who got lost on South Telegraph Road with minimal access to the internet might really need a cup of coffee after managing to successfully cross the Wilson Bridge road maze). And who knows, if you had included the address, there might possibly have been more than 6 responses to your post (three of which are yours and two which are mine).

(I'm sure you're still giggling helplessly at your 'helpful' information).

[Pat]

According to their website, the address is 6919 Telegraph Road, and they are closed on Mondays.

[DonRocks]

I'm so grateful that you're (almost) helpful.  I had already Googled it but thought it might be a bit easier for everyone (and better for Grounded Coffee) if you had simply included the address., after all, everyone isn't as smart as you (and those nice tourists who got lost on South Telegraph Road with minimal access to the internet might really need a cup of coffee after managing to successfully cross the Wilson Bridge road maze). And who knows, if you had included the address, there might possibly have been more than 6 responses to your post (three of which are yours and two which are mine).

(I'm sure you're still giggling helplessly at your 'helpful' information).

[People who've actually met Ken know that he's a good-natured prankster and not a smug A-hole.] 

[Escoffier]

[People who've actually met Ken know that he's a good-natured prankster and not a smug A-hole.] 

However, one who does not suffer fools (or condescending trolls) lightly!

[Biscuit Girl]

I think this thread may be getting off topic. Let's get back on track.  Grounded Coffee is a great locally owned coffee and bake shop.  I've stopped there many times on my way to work to pick up a sandwich for lunch.  Lots of moms and kids visit during the day so be forewarned if you want to have enjoy a cuppa, it can get noisy.  That's my only negative comment about the place.  The food and coffee are worth the stop if you are in the area and supporting our local small businesses is an added bonus.

[porcupine]

I just have to make a quick shout out to the croissants here. Seriously, if there are better croissants in the DC area I would love to know about it.

So would I.  I think a croissant crawl is in my near future, starting at Grounded.

[mnnchas]

I was stuck in Virignia on Saturday morning, trying to think of someplace to kill time with a toddler.  I started to head towards Buzz Bakery in north Alexandria until I remembered this thread.

A trip down Telegraph Road was rewarded with a nice cup of coffee and a sampling of their almond croissant and cinnamon pecan roll.  Around 11am the pastries were still warm (and regular croissants sold out).  Almond croissant was just a bit flakey (which was fine with me); if you like a more flakey pastry letting these cool to room temperature might do the trick.  Cinnamon pecan roll was tasty as well.  If I were to quibble with anything, the pastries could use a bit more filling.  While these are some of the better offerings I have come across, my gold standard for an almond croissant remains Tout de Sweet in Bethesda with Praline a close second, but Grounded Coffee will certainly do the trick.

Would love to make a return trip to try the regular croissants, and give them a compare to Best Buns in Shirlington, which I love.

What struck me the most about the experience was the proportion of customers with young kids in tow (90% maybe).  This gave me plenty of cover for my oft-misbehaving little one, so I was happy, but FYI if you are looking for a different scene.