New Del Ray Eatery Matt + Tony's Pays Tribute To Austrian Immigrant Baker

ALEXANDRIA, VA — This week, a restaurateur will realize his dream of opening a restaurant and give new life to a restaurant space vacant since early 2020 in Del Ray.

Matt & Tony's All Day Kitchen + Bar opens Wednesday at 1501 Mount Vernon Avenue. This will be the first restaurant for owner Matt Sloan, who has worked in the restaurant industry for 18 years and told Patch he has wanted to open a restaurant for a decade. Sloan has worked with Alexandria Restaurant Partners on other openings, including Ada's on the River. Alexandria Restaurant Partners owns the space at 1501 Mount Vernon Avenue and agreed to Sloan got his first taste of the Del Ray neighborhood working at Lena's Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap.

"Being from DC, I really found a love for Alexandria and wanted to open something here," Sloan said.

The name Matt + Tony's refers to Sloan and his great-grandfather Tony, an Austrian immigrant who arrived in the U.S. in his late teens. Tony worked for top New York hotels baking pastries and cakes and taught pastry making. Tony's "claim to fame" was his rye bread being personally requested by President John F. Kennedy, according to Sloan.

"John F. Kennedy said it was the best rye bread he had ever eaten," said Sloan.

Matt + Tony's is working to perfect its own rye bread recipe and add it to the menu, Sloan said. The menu incorporates it in items such as a salad with rye croutons and a patty melt with rye bread.

While brunch is already a popular concept in the Del Ray neighborhood, Matt + Tony's will have all-day brunch daily and a dinner menu. The restaurant's menu focuses on American comfort food and can be paired with cocktails offerings, local beers and wines. Sloan's favorite menu items are the cornflake crusted French toast, chicken and waffles, Scotch eggs and masa pancakes for brunch and the M+T classic burger and Cioppino (fish stew) for dinner.

"Sometimes people just want chicken and waffles on a Wednesday," said Sloan. "I think it is valuable to have those options."

This will be the third restaurant in the location in recent years. Charlie's on the Avenue operated there from summer 2018 to early 2020, while predecessor FireFlies was open for over 15 years before closing late 2017.

Diners who frequented Charlie's on the Avenue will see the new restaurant has maintained the bar and booth seating. Nevertheless, the restaurant has undergone extensive renovations, creating a contemporary American look inside. One other nod to his great-grandfather is the lamp shades above the booths, adorned with the national bird of Austria.

There are 127 seats at Matt + Tony's with indoor and outdoor dining available. Matt + Tony's will initially focus on dine-in service and will work to introduce takeout and third party delivery in the future.

Sloan noted excitement from the Del Ray community and the feeling that "they have your back as a business in Del Ray." He also credited Alexandria Restaurant Partners for being "a great support" in the opening.

"I can't express how excited I am to open the doors and see people's first reaction," said Sloan.

Matt & Tony's will be open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday, and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For a full menu and reservations, visit www.mattandtonysva.com.