A family-owned bakery and café from Arlington has officially expanded to Old Town, offering French pastries with Lebanese flavors.
Eclairons held a soft opening in February at 430 S. Washington Street and is now spending its first spring in Alexandria. The business replaced a vacancy left by Firehook Bakery, bringing a fresh look to the space with new outdoor pergolas and flowers.
The bakery — named for a portmanteau of éclairs and macarons, which also means “to enlighten” in French — offers classic French pastries with flavorful touches reflecting owner Maya Srour’s family heritage.
Her father, Chef Toni Srour, immigrated to the United States from Lebanon at age 26 and brings more than 40 years of industry experience to the area. His first retail store, Pastry Xpo Cafe, opened 18 years ago in Fairfax County before the family brought Eclairons to Arlington’s Rosslyn neighborhood in 2020.
In Old Town, Eclairons’ display cases are filled with cake slices, various cookies and guest favorites like the pistachio éclair and a vegan coconut orange blossom cake. Maya Srour said the latter confection is reminiscent of Lebanese namoura, a cake made with semolina flour.
“You’ll see [Lebanese influence] in items with pistachio, orange blossom, rose water, and subtle spice profiles,” she said. “Throughout spring, my mom makes the pistachio and date ma’amoul from scratch and of course with lots of love. We try to balance adding a layer of warmth and uniqueness while still keeping that refined French technique.”
Eclairons’ staple éclairs, meanwhile are filled with a homemade pastry cream and come in flavors like tiramisu, Biscoff cookie butter and Boston cream.
On the savory side, the café dishes up chicken shawarma, soujouk egg wraps, za’atar croissants and sandwiches filled with curried chicken and prosciutto.
Following an initial soft opening period, Maya Srour said the past few weeks “have been exciting, to say the least.”
“Opening a new location always comes with its challenges, but the support from the community has been amazing,” she told ALXnow. “We’ve felt so welcomed, and it’s been really energizing for our team. We can’t wait to start introducing new items as we continue to settle in.”
The café seats about 25 to 30 people inside, along with 20 on an outdoor patio with new pergolas and fresh pink blooms. Inside, a new café-themed mural decorates the westernmost wall.
“Our goal has always been to create more than just a bakery — we want it to feel like an experience or even a quick trip to Europe,” Maya Srour said.
Alexandria felt like a natural next step in Eclairons’ expansion for the family due to its walkability, community feel and “charm.”
“It’s really evident that the community really cares about supporting local small businesses,” Maya Srour added. “We also loved the idea of being part of a historic area while bringing something a little fresh and unique to it.”
Looking ahead, the café is planning to add some as-yet unnamed menu items and frequently rotates its seasonal offerings. Maya Srour expressed gratitude to the bakery’s supporters in the region over the years.
“As a family business, every guest who walks through our doors means a lot to us,” she said.
Eclairons is open in Alexandria from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
