Summer is undeniably the best season for fresh produce, and few ingredients embody the season like tomatoes. Virginia is celebrated for summertime heirloom varieties – fresh, colorful, and sun-ripened. Whether eaten fresh, battered and fried, simmered into a pasta sauce or turned into a condiment, there are limitless ways to eat tomatoes – all of which are delicious. Here are some dishes honoring this signature summer ingredient.
El Mercat Bar de Tapas
If you love tomatos, El Mercat’s Ensalada de Tomate is for you. The presentation is stunning, with a ring of baked goat cheese surrounded by thick, juicy slices of red, orange and yellow heirloom tomatoes. Drizzled with olive oil and sherry vinegar, it’s the dish of the season! 1301 South Joyce St., Arlington
Elyse
The dish is simply called “heirloom tomato” but with cider pop tomato, green tomato, fennel and west coast tiny vegetables it is anything but simple. The dish uses five techniques on different tomatoes; our favorite was torched best, with its warm and smoky flavor. 10822 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax
Hank’s Pasta Bar
The burrata and tomato salad at Hank’s features a globe of glistening burrata served on a bed of house-made sea-salt-fermented tomato pieces. The cheese is rich and creamy, and the fermented tomatoes are the perfect contrast – bright, savory and complex. 600 Montgomery St., Alexandria
Life Alive Organic Cafe
Life Alive prides itself on using seasonal ingredients, as seen by their new summer minestrone made with zucchini, green pepper, carrot and white beans that arrive floating happily in a rich tomato broth. 818 N Quincy St., Arlington; 400 King St., Alexandra
Magnolia’s at the Mill
Fried green tomatoes are one of summer’s best dishes; at Magnolia’s they come with a cornflake crust, smothered in a rich pistachio butter, and topped with hunks of local farmer’s cheese, a sweet tomato jam, and sriracha aioli for a bit of heat. 198 North 21st St., Purcellville
Sfoglina
The beauty of the bruschetta at Sfoglina lies in the simplicity of the dish. A thick, crunchy piece of crostini is delicately layered with gorgeous slices of red heirloom tomato doused in olive oil and sea salt and adorned with verdant basil leaves, allowing the tomatoes to be the star. 1100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Vermilion
The best part of tomato season is not only how sweet and juicy the tomatoes are, but also the variety that is available. The summer tomato salad at Vermillion features colorful cherry tomatoes, hunks of sweet watermelon, sliced cucumber, and torpedo onion that are topped with dollops of whipped avocado and drizzled with a cool and creamy yogurt-green goddess. 1120 King St., Alexandria
Feature image courtesy El Mercat Bar de Tapas
