Colony Grill opened in Stamford, Ct. in 1935. I joined it, one town over, a little less than 50 years later. I’ve got hot oil, the famous topping on the ultra-thin, bar-style pies, running through my veins. You could say I’m a bit excited that my native cuisine is making it to my adopted NoVA region. But now, the countdown is starting in earnest with the announcement from the company’s CEO, Ken Martin, that the first Arlington location (in fact, the first outside the New York area) of Colony Grill is opening in the middle of October.
“Everyone at Colony Grill is extremely excited,” said Martin in a press release. “During our search, we traveled to dozens of cities and states and we just kept coming back to the greater Arlington area. We absolutely fell in love. It is simply a remarkable part of the country with diverse people who together celebrate their community and enjoy gathering for life’s special moments. We look forward to introducing our unique pizza to the neighborhood and becoming a part of that community fabric for years to come.”
As the name suggests, Colony Grill indeed started serving fire-kissed meats. But the Irish-American owners employed Italian and Eastern-European chefs who wanted their Fairfield County clientele to try one of their favorite recipes from their homelands: pizza. They were made personal-sized to fit on the restaurant’s slim bar top. And the hot oil? It’s chile-infused, a replacement for the chile flakes with which some diners load up their pies.
Since Colony Grill is essentially an Irish pub with pizza, beer is also important, with 12 different brews on draft. The 5,100-square-foot space will be open daily. // 2800 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington
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