Harvey’s, a new all-American restaurant in Falls Church, has opened. Owner Thomas Harvey is bringing his first establishment to the Little City after working for some of DC’s James Beard Award winners, and as an executive chef for Tuskie’s Restaurant Group of Virginia, where he managed front and back of the house operations for the company’s collection of restaurants.
After spending lots of his time driving from his Alexandria home to places like Leesburg, Harvey knew that he wanted to open a restaurant somewhere closer to where he lived. While he searched for spaces in Old Town, Falls Church ended up being the perfect fit. And though delays in construction and equipment orders halted the restaurant from opening in September as Harvey originally intended, it gave him the chance to explore the community.
“When I saw Falls Church, it was what I was looking for. It was like more of an urban environment that had that small town feel,” he says. “I try to find the benefits of everything that’s happened, and with this long build out I’ve gotten to be able to walk up and down the street and meet different business owners and talk to people, and meet the residents of the building. They come in and they talk to me, everybody is just gracious … I can’t say enough good about Falls Church.”
For Harvey, the biggest inspiration behind the menu and the restaurant’s vibe is home. He says when you think of your favorite meals, a few restaurant dishes may come to mind, but home is where the heart, and stomach, is.
The bartop gives guests enough space to do work on their laptops, the mismatched dining plates emulate the dining-from-home experience, and even the flooring — checkered black-and-white tile — is reminiscent of Harvey’s grandmother’s own kitchen.
Harvey’s has four breakfast sandwiches to choose from, with a build-your-own option up for grabs. Each sandwich includes choice of a croissant, biscuit, or English muffin with a scrambled egg as the starting point.
The “Sage & Smoke” adds sage sausage, cheddar cheese, and smoked tomato chutney; the “Little City” features thick cut bacon, American cheese, and caramelized onion mayonnaise; the “Forager” adds charred mushroom, Swiss, IPA-ioli; and the “Sweet Fire” features fried chicken, pimiento cheese, and hot honey. For those not interested in sandwiches, a variety of sides are offered to create a more traditional breakfast.
For lunch and dinner, variety is the main dish. Harvey’s has everything from burgers to bolognese to steak frites — and they aren’t leaving vegetarians and vegans. The “Turf & Turf” combines portobello mushroom “steak” and royal trumpet “scallops” with potato and onion hash, green beans, and a balsamic glaze. Harvey promises that people with plant-based diets won’t just have to eat steamed vegetables if they come dine in his restaurant.
Dessert is a family matter, too. Aside from Acme pies and a banana split, Harvey is selling honey cake with the help of his mother-in-law.
“This is my wife’s mom’s recipe, so she’s actually making it for us. It’s graham crackers and buttercream. It’s like 10 layers of just heaven. When the buttercream soaks in, the cake gets a little softer … it’s an interesting texture; it’s a lot of fun,” he says.
Beer and wine are also on the menu. A monthly wine club subscription allows for guests to receive two bottles of wine on the first Wednesday of every month while meeting a representative from the winery they hail from — which Harvey says is all thanks to his general manager Cara Craig and her wine palate. Harvey notes that down the road the wine club may offer exclusive access to special events, like wine tastings.
Though restaurant dishes are the focus, Harvey’s isn’t just sticking to a sit-down approach. Inside the Broad St. location is a retail market for patrons to shop at, with local products from places like Seven Hills Foods in Lynchburg, Epic Curing in DC, and Sylvanaqua Farms in Montross. Specially curated meats and beverages you can’t find in the grocery store are available at the market, which is currently in-store only.
The market is adorned with its complete list of local vendors on a chalkboard designed by Chalkoholic — who also created the welcome sign.
The restaurant’s hours are Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Harvey said the early morning and closing hours are intentional.
“Not only do I want people to feel like they’re at home, but I want the staff to also feel like they have a home,” he says, noting that the restaurant industry is a 24/7 beast. He intends for his staff to still have time to see friends and family, as well as rest, outside of the kitchen.
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