A lot has happened in the dining scene since we rang in 2015, and restaurateurs are making sure Northern Virginians have plenty to look forward to. Here’s the year in review, plus a taste of what’s to come in 2016.
By Rina Rapuano
Hot Neighborhoods
The Mosaic District in Fairfax realized much of its potential this year, with the appearance of Brine, DGS Delicatessen, Mom & Pop, Sisters Thai and the newly minted sushi spot Iron Chef House, among others. Plus, when celebrity chefs Mike Isabella and Jennifer Carroll decide to host a pop-up in your development, you know you’re hot. More on that later.
Forget piling into a limo and hitting the wineries. Purcellville is quickly becoming a beer, wine and spirits hub with its three new-ish craft breweries; WK Hearth and the late-fall addition of West End Wine Bar & Pub for wine lovers; and the well-regarded Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. Coffee heads take note, too: Fiola chef Stefano Frigerio and his wife, Dusty Lockhart, have recently taken over LoCo Joe and will expand its offerings.
It seemed like the Ballston boom could not be stopped thanks to rapid-fire ribbon-cuttings from restaurateur Mike Isabella, who invested heavily in the area with Kapnos Taverna, Pepita and soon-to-open Yona. Ser Restaurant was another welcome addition to the neighborhood.
The Year’s Top Trends
It’s easier than ever to find ramen following this year’s openings of Kizuna (Vienna), Gaijin (Arlington), Marumen (Fairfax) and Ramen Temple in the Whole Foods Market in Fair Lakes (Fairfax). And, of course, we continue to wait for Yona in Ballston.
Doughnuts had a big year with the January opening of Sugar Shack (Alexandria) in Alexandria; the expansion of Duck Donuts into Fairfax, Herndon, Bristow and Arlington; and the launch of a Falls Church outpost of Astro Doughnuts and Fried Chicken.
More than a 12-pack of breweries launched in the region this year, including Caboose (Vienna), Fair Winds (Lorton), Ocelot (Dulles) and Dirt Farm (Bluemont). One of the most recent is Loudoun Brewing Co., which opened in Leesburg this October serving such brews as Jalapeno Business and Gourd is Great.
Pizza had its ups and downs, with the opening of The Upper Crust Pizzeria (Arlington), Spinfire Pizza (Arlington), Wiseguy NY Pizza (Arlington; wiseguynypizza.com) and Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap (Alexandria). But there were also a few pizzeria closings: R.I.P. to the short-lived Pizza Vinoteca and to HomeMade Pizza Co., the new home of Upper Crust.
The Big Guns Were Busy
Mike Isabella is crushing hard on Northern Virginia. Not only did he open three restaurants in Ballston this year, he also announced a pop-up in the former Gypsy Soul space with chef Jennifer Carroll in advance of their D.C. waterfront restaurant, Requin. Next year, he will turn the Mosaic District space into a Kapnos Kouzina (Fairfax), a more homespun version of his sleek downtown original.
Eat Good Food Group, which owns Restaurant Eve, cut ties with The Majestic (Alexandria), now under new ownership. Flagship Eve (Alexandria) made waves by adding a Filipino tasting menu, forcing diners to make the tough choice between chef Cathal Armstrong’s deft Irish or bright Asian dishes.
Restaurateur Peter Chang, the enigmatic chef who once inspired fans of his authentic, spicy dishes to stalk him from Falls Church to Atlanta before he settled down in central Virginia, finally moved back north this year with an Arlington opening (peterchangarlington.com).
Surprise Closings
This year sadly saw the end of embattled chef RJ Cooper’s Gypsy Soul in the Mosaic District, longtime Ballston favorite Willow and the restaurant element of Curious Grape, which now conducts private wine tastings and tours.
Things to Get Excited About for 2016
Taco Bamba, the popular Falls Church taqueria from chef Victor Albisu, expands from one to three locations next year with outposts opening in Springfield’s Backlick Shopping Center in early 2016 and in the Vienna Shopping Center next summer. Menus at both locations will feature favorites from the original as well as some larger Mexican entree options. The biggest boon will be the booze: Springfield will sell margaritas and beers, while Vienna will offer a full tequila program.
Star and Neal Wavra, who formerly worked as innkeepers at The Ashby Inn, plan to open an edible ode to Virginia’s Piedmont region in Marshall next spring. The couple has taken over a historic home on the town’s main street and will call their new venture Field & Main Restaurant. Neal, who also served as sommelier at Ashby, will likely craft a Virginia-heavy wine list to go along with the local eats.
There’s a great story behind Portner Brewhouse (Alexandria), named for pre-Prohibition brewery The Robert Portner Brewing Co., which operated in Old Town Alexandria until 1916. Fast forward 100 years to next summer, when Portner’s great-great-granddaughters, Catherine and Margaret Portner, will open their own brewpub in Alexandria’s Modera Tempo Apartments building serving German-American cuisine.
Market Table Bistro owner Rebecca Dudley says she’s hopeful the yet-to-be-named Mexican spot she’s working on with chef Jason Lage will open next summer. She says the old bank in Leesburg (7 W. Market St.) will feature the town’s first rooftop dining option and focus on authentic Mexican street food with Oaxacan, Pueblan and Veracruzan influences. Continuing the emphasis on local ingredients, she’s working with Catoctin Creek to make an agave spirit but will also serve imported tequilas and mezcals.
(December 2015)
