Photo by Whitney Pipkin

There are plenty of reasons to linger on Del Ray’s picket-fenced streets, taking in the charming front porches where strollers, dog leashes—and the occasional small dog in a stroller—are as common as rocking chairs.

When a full day of gawking at the manicured rhododendrons and petting strangers’ dogs leaves you hungry, take heart: Del Ray’s main strip contains equally enchanting breakfast and lunch spots, with enough dinner options to convince you to make a day of it.

Plan a visit around the year-round Saturday farmers market at the corner of East Oxford and Mt. Vernon avenues from 8 a.m. to noon.

And if you have dogs or children, bring them along: The furry ones will find free watering bowls outside many establishments, and Del Ray is nothing if not family friendly. With access to the Braddock Road Metro stop and Capitol Bikeshare racks nearby, you’ll want both in case you decide to stay indefinitely.

Breakfast & Brunch

Junction Bakery & Bistro. Photo by Whitney Pipkin

Junction Bakery & Bistro

The light-filled and spacious bakery that Nathan Hatfield and Noe Landini opened last year has become a hit with locals, so arrive early to get a table for a weekend brunch of chili over a cheddar-chive biscuit or coconut-quinoa porridge, served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The breakfast fare, served starting at 7 a.m. every day, is just as impressive—from chorizo-egg sandwiches to a “California” toast that stacks avocado, fennel, arugula and other fixins on a thick slice of sourdough.

Hatfield’s baking chops, earned in the kitchens of Restaurant Eve, Society Fair and Le Diplomate, shine here, making it difficult to choose between savory and sweet. May as well have both.

1508 Mt. Vernon Ave., Del Ray, junctionbakery.com

Breakfast Grit Bowl at  Stomping Ground. Photo by Whitney Pipkin

Stomping Ground

Just try to choose between a “breakfast grit bowl” topped with smoked Gouda, chorizo, pickled jalapeno and a poached egg (gluten free!) and a towering, fluffy biscuit. The latter can be topped with sorghum butter and gingery jelly. Stomping Ground opened in early 2015, applying a lighter touch to Southern-inspired fare with a menu that includes a suite of creative salads.

If you try only one thing, the fried-chicken biscuit with pimento cheese and pickles is worth whatever stains it leaves on your shirt. Order breakfast and lunch from the counter before finding a seat (although good luck finding that seat on weekends), or visit for a full-service supper on Thursday and Friday nights.

2309 Mt. Vernon Ave., Del Ray, stompdelray.com