Pupatella co-creator Anastasiya Algarme’s new eatery, Little Falls Café, is set to open in mid-May. The cozy creperie is nestled in a historic building at 106 Little Falls Street in Falls Church.
‘A Totally Different Vibe’
“I’m trying to do something separate from Pupatella — totally different cuisine and a totally different vibe,” Algarme says of the new café. “During COVID, we moved to Europe for almost three years. And I got a lot of new ideas and new inspiration after traveling through Italy and France.”
The café promises European-inspired fare in a thoughtfully curated setting. Algarme collected vintage items from European flea markets and U.S. antique stores for the cafe’s furnishings. “I really just want it to be a cute spot where local families come,” she says. “I really want to keep it small. I want to have this cute, little vintage, romantic cottage where people come on dates, where retired ladies have lunch, where little girls bring their dads.”
‘Seasonal and Local’
Little Falls Café’s menu will highlight seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Most will come from the nearby Falls Church Farmers Market, as well as Locke’s Mill in Berryville. The shop will be open for breakfast, lunch, and aperitivo hour from 4–7 p.m. Diners can expect dishes like savory buckwheat galettes as well as crepes made from organic flour. Specialty offerings like cremolato — a fruity Italian frozen dessert — and a variety of local alcohol-based offerings will also be on the menu.
“I’m actually going to try to only have seasonal and local products on my menu,” Algarme says, noting alcoholic offerings will be sourced from area distilleries.
Algarme, along with her husband Enzo, are no strangers to making culinary magic. What began as a modest Neapolitan pizzeria in Ballston, Pupatella has flourished into an internationally lauded artisan pizza empire. There are 11 thriving locations and more on the way through franchising. It was also the winner of Northern Virginia Magazine‘s 2024 Best of NoVA pizza category.
‘A Connection with Community’
Now, with Little Falls Café, Algarme is channeling her passion into something more intimate. She hopes to create a romantic, vintage-inspired haven where the food is as thoughtfully crafted as the ambiance. Expect elevated European fare, curated sips, and a personable setting designed to charm.
“The most important thing is I want to make a connection with the community. I want to make friends with the neighbors. I’m planning to work there every day,” says the mom of two teens. “I basically want to be a part of the community.”
Feature image courtesy Anastasiya Algarme
