Stomping Ground

I frequently pick up a cappuccino here which is always great, but finally made a point to stop in for breakfast with my husband. We each had a different biscuit sandwich, and both loved ours. Perfectly cooked and very flavorful. We noticed that they are also opened for dinner Wed-​Sun. We tried dinner last night and were definitely impressed. The service was great, food was fantastic. The menu is not extensive but that is what we liked about it –each offering was well thought-​out and creative. There is something for everyone. The atmosphere is cozy and well decorated, the people are extremely welcoming. It is a great little spot that we plan on returning to.

Ordered the Not So Classic Biscuit and was served raw chicken instead. I tried calling multiple times after I got home to talk to the manager and still haven’t received a response.

To me, the most interesting thing about this place is that, even though everything about it is more 4 stars: Menu, Service, Pace, Price, Seating, Ambiance… when combine them, it’s unquestionably a 5 star experience.
My inclination is that servicing the Del Ray community improves everything just a little bit. I have ALWAYS stood in line for coffee or food, and that line is frequently not speedy. But I also ALWAYS end up in a conversation with the people around me. It doesn’t matter if I’m by myself, with my buddies, my girlfriend, or my girlfriend and her kids. There’s always a very pleasant, extended, interaction. The line goes from something one endures, to something one experiences. This is also true when finding a seat in their (genuinely) too small dining area. You will end up talking to people, you may legit end up making new friends. It happened to me, and I am by all accounts, «an obnoxious gobshite.»
So, What you need to know:
1. Space is very limited. This will be a cramped line, an elbows tucked in meal, but you’ll be having too good a time to notice.
2. Food Choice is limited: See Item 1. Physics is often an unkind mistress. There are several versions of the egg sandwich… all great! And 8 or so other breakfast food choices (only had the veggie hash, also yummy!), your standard fare of coffee drinks, and a nice eclectic assortment of bottled beverages in coolers along the wall, and a few lunch items, with which I have ZERO experience.
3. Service is slow. Because they make meals and drinks when you order them, because they aren’t lazy about what makes their products good, and because again, See Item 1.
4. Price, more than one might expect for an egg sandwich or omelette, but it’s a new building in a nice area, and margins aren’t big on food. This ain’t an IHOP!
5. Neighborhood. In Del Ray the residents actively patronize their local businesses. This one is highly favored, and with good reason. You bring great people into a well-​run local business, you get lots of repeat customers.
The whole place is like a self-​fulfilling prophecy. Good product generates a Good Environment, which encourages Good Staff, which begets Understanding Clientele, which encourages Continued Improvement, which keeps the people coming back, etc. etc. etc.
Hopefully the above rambles give people an accurate idea of what to expect. And why it’s worth the effort.

Life changing biscuits sandwiches! The only downside is that the biscuit usually falls apart so you are better off avoiding eating it like a sandwich but instead like a regular dish.

Stomping Ground is inviting, cozy and crazy popular! A handful of indoor tables make up this «order from the counter» style restaurant that serves up delicious coffee (by Swing’s Coffee Roasting), and your choice of breakfast, lunch or dinner. My visit took place on a Saturday morning (prime brunch time) and there was a continuous line to the door.
Put in an order for the veggie hash ($ 11): brussels sprouts, butternut squash, parsnips, sweet potato, caramelized onion, farro and paprika, also served with a poached egg and buttermilk biscuit. Incredible flavor and an original concept. This winter hash inspired me to be more creative with root vegetables at home. Hot coffee pairs well with every meal, loved their fresh coffee here. Also had a bite of the breakfast biscuit, which was delicious, but I was so happy I picked the hash. I would return to Stomping Ground in a heartbeat. The experience was as delicious as the restaurant was crowded, however, I did notice lots of people getting to-​go meals.
My tip: try to grab one of the three bar seats directly to the right when you walk in the front door. You’ll be out of people’s way and still be able to enjoy the hustle and bustle!

Life is better with biscuits!
I had been wanting to try this place for a while and I happened to be nearby one day after getting a massage in Old Town (I know, biscuits and massages, what could be better?!) so I swung by. I was lucky enough to get a spot on Mt. Vernon Ave right out front which I imagine is a bit of a stroke of luck. It was packed at noon on the Sunday I was there. You order at the counter (check the butcher block paper to the right of the cash register for specials of the day) and they’ll bring what you ordered to your table (grab some water — self serve — and silverware before you sit down, next to the counter). I grabbed a seat at the communal table (I think there might be seating outside too if the weather is nice) and got my food quickly later. I ordered the not so classic biscuit — amazingly delicious, super moist and tender chicken, great mix of toppings — I can tell you that it looked small from the pics on Unilocal but it is not! I could have just eaten this (my typical gluttonous self, you lighter eaters probably won’t finish it) but I just HAD to go and get a side of bacon which was good but a tad overcooked. I ate it anyways. It is super cozy inside (right down to the charming plates) and I could have stayed longer if I wasn’t destined for a grocery shopping trip. Next time! If I lived closer I would be here all the time!

Generous bacon, cozy atmosphere, and about the best coffee i’ve had? Whats not to love about this place. Go here. Now!

MUST GO HERE.
If you love biscuits and meat and cheese and beer and delicious food, do not skip this place. I came to DC for the weekend and this place is right by my friend’s apartment so we had brunch and it was aweeeeesome.
The classic, the favorite, and the not so classic were amazing. The chicken was sweet and crispy on the outside but melted on the inside– absolute perfection. The cheese grits are a necessity! The bacon and cheese scone was fantastic. The apricot tart was way too sweet and the lattes were just alright, but they were not the stars of this show.
The vibe is very rustic and chill. Also, everything is locally sourced, so you’re supporting the little guys! Seriously, this place couldn’t have been better. SO glad we picked this one.

Good biscuits, but not great. May be a novelty to people unfamiliar with southern — style biscuits. Good came quickly and was tasty. Like other reviewers, I did like the freshly squeezed orange juice, but I agree that it is overpriced for the quantity that you get.

The website for the Stomping Ground describes that everything «except Duke’s Mayonnaise» is made in house. Good or bad, you have to respect their ability and attempts to do everything in house. I loved the idea of a departure from «fresh frozen» or «home made from a can’ restaurants that are looking to made good margins.
I know I’m late to the party but I finally found some time to swing by for breakfast. I’ve told everyone I’ve spoken to that Copperwood Tavern has some of the best breakfast biscuits in Northern Virginia. Well, no I can honestly say that Stomping Ground has converted me. One of the best biscuits not just in Northern Va, but that I’ve ever had. You can really tell the amount of time that goes in to making the biscuits.
When you walk in, the atmosphere rings of rustic /​industrial. An old time country feel in the middle of the city. In to the doors there there are menus hanging around as well as the days specials up on the wall. If you’re interested in a special, get there early or you will miss it. In the drink cooler, there are adult beverages, as well as sugar cane sodas for sale. At the ordering station there is also coffee and tea available.
The kitchen is upstairs, and if you come by the night before Stomping Ground is open, you can see some of the magic elves upstairs preparing the breakfast for the next day. There are two options, dining in (about 40 sets) or take out. My wife and I went with «The Favorite», which is a biscuit, egg (baked or poached), and a choice of bacon, sausage, or greens with cheese. I went with the sausage and baked egg.
The sandwich is bigger than I had imagined, so much that I eventually pulled it apart and had half the biscuit with egg, and the sausage with the other half of the biscuit. I thought that the baked egg was interested. It was about 2 inch thick slice of egg cake. The biscuit (and some times house made hot sauce) were perfect compliments together. The sausage was interested. It was much more dense/​firm (lean meat mixture?) than I had expected, but it was impressive with flavor.
Overall, it was a heck of a biscuit. The egg and meat almost came as a compliment. I am a biscuit lover (obviously) so I will certainly love to come back and try the biscuits and gravy.

Eat here! Delicious. Friendly. Health. Local. Relaxed.
I met a friend here for brunch, and it was well worth my drive outside of my DC bubble. Waiting in line (which was out the door on a summer day — but worthwhile) everyone was clearly there with a good friend or they were a local. It was a very community friendly vibe (not like the type of place where you stand in line silently looking at your cell phone and listening to hipster music).
I wanted to order everything on the menu! Seriously it all looked great and the man in line with me recommended everything, as its all made from scratch. I went for the chia pudding with mango and a latte. Pretty good. I’m very excited to go back again!

This place is conveniently located in the heart of Del Ray and has a nice sized parking lot.
There is a small patio and a very cozy seating area in the back of the establishment. The place has a welcoming local feel and most people that frequent appear to be locals.
I went and had a hot tea and a couple snacks with my misses. We enjoyed hanging out here and the biscuits and the pumpkin scone are fantastic.
Unfortunately the quiche on the biscuit was served cold (intentional? Not sure.) which was not enjoyable. My earl grey tea was not my favorite, I’m not sure if it is the brand or the fact that it was given to me with very little hot water making it fairly bitter, even with milk and honey. My wife said the coffee was fine, but not great.
These small missteps with food and drink are not the reason for going below 4 stars. I found the customer service sub-​par. A couple folks who worked there were very friendly but our cashier was pretty standoffish and wasn’t very forthcoming with explaining the process of what’s available to order and how and where to order.
Nevertheless I like local spots and we will probably revisit the place and down some more of those delicious biscuits.

Came across Stomping Ground while searching for a brunch spot to grab some grub in Alexandria before heading back to Philly.
After a long day of sight-​seeing and a long night of bar-​hopping, my crew and I were in the mood to splurge on something filling and delicious. When we arrived, It was very busy and there was a long line of people waiting to order at the counter. I didn’t realize it was a seat yourself, order at the counter type of place, but we were starving and decided to stick it out.
We stood in line for about 15 minutes (it seemed more like an hour!) and finally arrived at the counter. We ordered the fried chicken biscuit (the «classic»), the biscuits and sausage gravy, a pumpkin pecan chia seed pudding, and some baked goods (apple tart, lemon muffin). It was packed and no seats were available inside, so we braved the cold and sat outside.
We all decide to split everything, which was a great idea because the portions were pretty big. The chicken biscuit was my favorite out of all of the dishes. It came with a homemade pimento cheese spread and house made pickles. the chicken was fried to perfection and seasoned well. A cabbage slaw was served on the side, which was a great addition to the texture/​flavor profile. The biscuits and sausage gravy were equally as delicious, and definitely a favorite among the group. Everyone really liked the gravy– it was heavy, peppery and slightly spicy. The biscuits held up well and maintained their flaky layers.
Our least favorite item was the chia seed pudding. I was most excited about this, as I am a sucker for anything pumpkin, as well as chia seeds. The pudding had absolutely no flavor, and the texture of the crunchy pecans did not go well with the viscous texture of the pudding. I was expecting the pudding to be more like a rice pudding– sweeter and creamier-​and unfortunately it was not.
The baked goods were great, especially the apple tart.
All in all, the service was friendly and the food was delicious (for the most part). I can definitely see myself coming back here next time I am in the area!

Walked in the other day and loved the place and menu. We only grabbed a coffee but decided to return for breakfast since my friend has an egg allergy and the biscuits and fried chicken are eggless.
When returning and ordering one classic fried chicken sandwich and one not so classic fried chicken sandwich. The only thing they got right was the americano. I had ordered a breve latte and upon getting it it was made with milk not cream. Not only was I letting it slide to get my caffeine fix, I was putting up with how badly it was made. They butchered Swing’s coffee and the good dairy milk they have by producing a latte closer to a cappuccino with no richness or foam.
On to the biscuits. Soggy and no flavor. The fried chicken was low quality meat and no seasoning. The pimento cheese on the classic sandwich did not work and made the biscuit basically disintegrate. Pickles were out of a jar and the worst part was the blonde hair clustered in the skin. We decided to just bus our plates and go. A crossaint and coffee at starbucks would have been better. Very bad meal and would not return. Of course in this culinary wasteland it will thrive since the yoga freaks and soccer moms seem to flock to it. Most don’t know good food.
For 26 dollar breakfast for 2. You really need to get the food freaking right! Disgusting after taste and it is all style over substance. Sad because it is nicely decorated but that is about it.

I recently purchased a home in the Del Ray neighborhood and am in the process of moving. Not having time to actually plan meals this weekend while surrounded by boxes, my boyfriend and I decided to check out quick/​good eats in the neighborhood and fortunately discovered Stomping Ground for brunch.
I’m a sucker for fried chicken and pimento cheese so of courseI had to order the «classic;» a biscuit with fried chicken, pickles and pimento served with orange slices on the side. I can honestly say the fried chicken was the best I’ve ever had. So good, I almost wish I didn’t discover it because I know I’m going to make a habit out of ordering this on the regular.
My bf tends to eat insanely healthy so he ordered the «avocado smash» which is a biscuit with a poached egg, avocado and what looked like an entire salad smushed in-​between a biscuit. He «liked» it which is why I’m giving the four star rating; the poached egg was a bit too runny for him as the whites were under cooked and runny. If it weren’t for the runny whites, I would have given a five star rating.
The coffee was good, the ambiance was nice and it’s clearly a local favorite. I would caution that seating inside is limited. However, there is plenty of outdoor seating.

We came here for breakfast and I got the Cowboy Steak & Egg which is a biscuit packed with espresso-​chili rubbed tenderloin, salsa verde, poached egg.
The Tenderloin itself was absolutely delicious and I was looking forward to the egg yolk running all over my sandwich; unfortunately, I got a teeny-​tiny egg on my sandwich, which didn’t balance out the flavors, thus making this a poor choice.
Even though the egg was small, it was poached perfectly!
The biscuit was tasty; however, it fell apart when I tried to eat the meal as a sandwich.
My girl got a biscuit and coffee and loved it.
The outdoor patio was very comfortable and allowed us to eat with our dog, the staff was friendly and the place was clean.

Order, pay, get a number, get your food delivered to your table, dump your dishes and go. Not your typical sit down restaurant (although I came for breakfast/​brunch, so dinner may be different), and I liked it. very chill atmosphere, and good shading in at least half the outdoor seats.
Pretty good! The veggie hash was what I would describe as: local, farm-​to-​table, original, fresh and incomparable. I’ve literally never had the squash, barley, onion, mushroom?, potato combination. I was a skeptic at first, but with the poached egg and almost perfect biscuit, I was won over. Each vegetable was cooked to their perfection: onions caramelized, squash soft but crunchy, potatoes slightly crispy but moist, etc. The biscuit was moist, flaky and buttery and clearly one of Stomping Ground’s gems.
Downsides to this place are long line, few seats, and tiny drinking cups (which makes me sound really lazy, but if you drink allot water be prepared to get up to refill multiple times). Also make sure you check the hours or call ahead; they are atypical.

Since my last review, I have come here about half a dozen times and I wanted to upgrade to a full five stars.
Here, it’s all about the biscuits. I’m pretty sure these are the biscuits that Ma Ingalls packed for Laura on her first day of school with a little side of lard to smooth on top. The snowy white insides are mile high with tons of flaky, peelable layers that melt on your tongue as soon as it hits it. There are several iterations of the biscuits here but so far I’ve only indulged on the avocado jam one which comes with a poached egg and a side of coleslaw (mmm, probiotics).
The avocado is mushed to perfection with a slight citrusy tang and that poached egg… ooh child! I love when the yolk breaks and mixes into every single bite.
It is truly a decadent meal! For those looking for a lighter bite, I’m a huge fan of the mango chia pudding. They also have a yogurt parfait which is fine but their other items are more special.

This place is popular because of its biscuits, so I decided to check it out. I had the steak and eggs (my egg was poached).
I found the food to be good and the price fair. My steak reminded me of a beef jerky and had a good rub. My poached egg was just a poached egg. My biscuit was hearty and filling. I found the rupbar jam and butter was the best part.
To down it all I had a michalda? It’s a beer with a bloody mary. It’s fine.
My friend had the scramble and I found that was the better choice.
I’d come back for a bite.

Ho-​lee crap that fried chicken and biscuit is amazing! It came perfectly fried (not at all greasy), with house made bread & butter pickles and house made pimento cheese on a delicious biscuit. My husband ordered it and we fought over it (semi nicely). I ordered the egg and bacon biscuit, which was lovely but just in no way could compare.
The wait is a tad long, even at 11 am on a weekday, but I assume that’s due to just opened excitement. I will definitely be back to try more of the biscuits.
It remains to be seen whether this would be a good place to come with a laptop and work but I hope it is so I can add it to the rotation.