Old Town Alexandria Restaurants
 

My SO is going to be staying in Old Town for a few days, and I'd like to send him a restaurant recommendation or two. Ideally, I'd love to identify one or two places he can go on his own, on the casual side but not divey, and one where he can meet some friends of ours for dinner one night, nice but not so upscale that coats and ties will be necessary. He's not much into steak, so a steakhouse wouldn't be ideal, but anything else goes. He's staying at the Hilton on King Street. Thank you!

Howdy NewbE. We were there last month....had brunch at a pretty good spot, but meal was totally ruined by two people who sat about 5 feet from us and started chain smoking. VA cities cannot pass clean air laws. The majority in Alexandria want them, but it isn't happening soon. I later found that many restaurants have decided to be smoke free since there are so many small, shotgun type places. I would check on that before deciding on a place! ps...tell him to take the 10 min "tour" of the old church and to sit in the "famous pew".

Farrah Olivia has good food and a bit different, sort of African French fusion.
http://www.farraholiviarestaurant.com/ct/index.html

Hanks Oyster's Bar on King St
htpp://www.hanksrestaurants.com
is a popular place--small and generally crowded. Vermillion,
http://vermillionrestaurant/com
also on King St, gets good reviews.

For French I always liked LeGaulois,
http://www.legauloiscafe.com
but haven't been there in awhile, so don't know if it's still as good.

Does Le Gaulois have at least one fireplace? If so, wow, it's still there! I loved it many years ago... has anyone been recently?

Thanks for all the other ideas, yestravel, I will pass them on.

LLindaC, smoking near food is the bane of my existence, but whaddaya gonna do? If it makes you feel any better, North Carolina is worse, IMO. We got spoiled living in CA back in the 90's.

Any other ideas out there??

I'd add Vermilion and The Majestic Cafe, both on King Street within a block or so of one another. Both are upscale casual in dress, moderately priced. I'm pretty sure that the Majestic is non smoking.

I'd recommend Geranio for Italian, American and Continental and Warehouse Bar & Grill for Southern & Soul, Seafood and Steakhouse. They're both on King Street.

Warehouse is where we went for brunch. It was good, but the smoke was awful...choking bad.