News

French cafe chain Maman begins construction in Old Town

By James Cullum
Construction has begun at Maman Coffee Baking Kitchen at 701 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Interior demolition work started last week at a new French cafe in Old Town.

Aug. 28 was the last day for public comments on Maman Coffee Baking Kitchen’s special use permit application (SUP) to operate a cafe, bakery, restaurant, and accessory event space at 701 King Street. The building is located at the corner of King and N. Washington Streets, and is the former home to Foxtrot, which closed in 2024.

Construction has begun at Maman Coffee Baking Kitchen at 701 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Contractors at the site said they hope to wrap construction at the 3,900-square-foot venue by the end of the year. Plans call for a cafe, bakery, restaurant, and accessory event space with 30 indoor seats.

Maman Coffee Baking Kitchen was founded in 2024, and there are dozens of locations on the East Coast, including numerous D.C. shops and a single location in Fairfax’s Mosaic District. The owners listed in the SUP are Benjamin Sormonte and Elisa Marshall.

ALXnow has reached out to Maman Coffee Baking Kitchen for more information.

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.