Founding Farmers in Alexandria marks the eighth outpost of restaurateur Dan Simons’s beloved DC restaurant chain, but even with that level of expansion, the restaurants have always stayed true to their farm-to-table roots. Everything is still made in-house with fresh produce trucked in directly from nearby farms.
“This is all about our mission, buying as many products and ingredients from American family farmers and producers as possible,” Simons says. “We’re also on a quest to unbundle the industrial supply chain, meaning, we’d much rather generate profit for American companies rather than the multinationals.”
Simons debuted the first Founding Farmers in 2008 on Pennsylvania Avenue alongside Michael Vucurevich and the North Dakota Farmers Union. The restaurants have since become some of the most popular in DC and one of the most booked restaurants on OpenTable. They’re lauded for their sustainability efforts with the Huffington Post calling them one of the 10 most sustainable in the country.
This newest location is part of Virginia’s Oakville Triangle development, an up-and-coming area that’s become a base for young families and DC commuters. “We’ve wanted to be in Alexandria for a long-time, it’s a true neighborhood, a real community,” Simons says. “It reminds me of the small New England town that I grew up in. Even though the area is bustling and sophisticated, it also feels to me like it is easy going, kind, and welcoming.”
Read on for what to expect at Founding Farmers in Alexandria, and book your spot on OpenTable.
What to eat
There’s a big emphasis on Southern-inspired foods on the expansive menu, and you’ll see that in dishes like the warm skillet cornbread, pimento cheese garden roll sushi, and the restaurant’s award-winning chicken and waffles.
Make sure to get an order of the rotisserie chicken. The kitchen is outfitted with state-of-the-art self roasters that slowly turn the chicken until tender and golden brown. Choose from a half roasted chicken with mashed potatoes; get it in the enchiladas; or try the chicken in a herb salad with crunchy croutons.
Definitely save room for dessert. Simons’s favorite is the Virginia peanut butter mousse pie. “The Virginia Belmont peanuts that we grind fresh are just one of the amazing ingredients in this absolutely decadent and mind-blowing dessert,” Simons says. “It’s so good, I think of it as an entrée.”
What to drink
The drinks menu stays true to the local theme. There are Virginia craft beers and local wines and all the cocktails are made with spirits distilled and bottled at the Founding Farmers distillery in DC.
Tropical drinks like Buck’s Best Mai Tai and the Chi Chi Colada are among the cocktail highlights and Simons loves cocktails featuring bourbon. “Our Maple Bourbon Smash is my favorite cocktail,” he says. “Made with our own Bourbon from Founding Spirits and [with] just the right amount of sweetness from our premium maple syrup, it’s perfect.”
Where to sit
Even though the space is massive—9,600 square feet—it feels cozy with its modern farmhouse vibes, including swivel chairs at the bar, cheerful floral wallpaper, and green leather booths in the main dining room.
Grab a seat at the bar when you want something a little more lively and are looking to make new friends. The Garden Room (the main dining room) is where you’ll want to post up for a relaxed meal with family and friends. And the Farmhouse alcove is for those quieter evenings when you want a little escape from the buzz in the restaurant.
Claudia Rosenbaum is a writer, reporter, and podcaster based in Annapolis, Maryland. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Eater, New York Magazine, BuzzFeed News, The Los Angeles Times, and Vanity Fair.
