A New Neighbor at the Lake: Café Anne Opens Its Doors

By Kaydence Smith, Staff Writer

Café Anne's lamb merguez sausage on a baguette with spicy mango sauce and curry mustard sauce.

If you’re looking for a taste of something new at Lake Anne, Café Anne’s vibrant menu of North African dishes and house-made ice cream offers a delicious place to start.

This recent addition to Lake Anne Plaza is already turning heads with its bold, flavorful cuisine. Café Anne sources its meats from Safa Halal Mart in Falls Church and its baguettes from Baguette Republic in Sterling, ensuring that every sandwich, platter, and salad begins with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients.

On the savory side, the standout dish is merguez, a spicy lamb sausage traditionally found in North African cuisine. While it’s the most popular entrée, the café also offers a variety of proteins, including tofu, chicken, and seafood, to suit different tastes. These mains are served with a selection of flavorful side dishes and house-made sauces, the most popular of which is a spicy mango sauce. Café Anne also caters to a wide range of dietary needs, offering gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options.

After your meal, don’t skip dessert. The café serves up an irresistible selection that includes brownies, chocolate mousse, fruit tarts, and—most notably—house-made ice cream. All chocolate-based desserts feature Belgian chocolate, and the ice cream is made simply with milk, sugar, and fruit—nothing more.

During my visit, I enjoyed the lamb sausage, turkey bacon Brussels sprouts, and Okinawa sweet potato for lunch, followed by an iced latte and blueberry ice cream for dessert. The manager was exceptionally kind and accommodating of my gluten allergy, making for a warm and memorable experience.

Café Anne is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with an early opening at 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays for the Reston Farmers Market.

Whether you’re stopping by for lunch, coffee, or just a scoop of ice cream, Café Anne offers more than great food. With attentive service, bold flavors, and a shaded patio by the lake, it’s poised to become a new local favorite.