Whether you’re craving casual, comforting Southern fare or an adventurous fine-dining experience with Balkan food, Arlington is sure to have a spot that will satisfy. Our critics selected these eight Arlington restaurants with great food, atmosphere, and service to represent the county on our 2023 Best Restaurants List.
By Olga Boikess, Dawn Klavon, Alyssa Langer, Alice Levitt, and Renee Sklarew
Price Key: Entrées = $ 15 and under | $$ 16–25 | $$$ 26–40 | $$$$ 41 and over | * = prix fixe only
Ambar
Arlington | Balkan | $$$$*
Can’t pinpoint the Balkans on a map? No worries. Just come hungry. This convivial Arlington bistro’s abundant, hearty fare spans the many cultures of southeastern Europe for a set price. The common denominator of the extensive, all-you-can-eat menu is tantalizing food.
Dig into a starter of dips and Balkan salad that are an approachable first taste of Serbian and Bosnian cuisine. Don’t miss the airy, crispy, layered cheese pie, another regional specialty.
Loosen belts for the likes of slow-cooked, fall-apart chunks of lamb and roasted potatoes that are infused with the meat’s gamy essence. Housemade cevapi beef sausage is another staple here. It tastes of the grill and is complemented by a roasted pepper and feta cheese emulsion.
Fish and seafood choices nod to the area’s rivers and seacoasts. Crispy-skinned trout is enhanced by saffron-infused lentils that add an earthy counterpoint to the velvety fish. Pasta is another regional staple. Mushroom-sauced and truffle-accented Istrian gnocchi and a goulash with savory noodles in a light meaty essence are worthy examples.
The dessert plate, for an additional price, is highlighted by rich baklava and a dense chocolate cake with a light cocoa mousse. It’s a vivid geography lesson guests won’t soon forget.
See this: A pink-and-white floral canopy floating over the white-walled dining room lends a springtime festivity to any meal.
Eat this: Cheese pie, slow-roasted lamb, rainbow trout
Service: Staff provide spot-on service so that the parade of plates is well-timed and never overwhelming.
When to dine here: You and your companions are hungry for an all-you-can-eat culinary tour of the Balkan region.
Café Colline
Arlington | French | $$$
It’s “la vraie affaire” (the real deal), says my dining companion, spooning up an elegantly presented escargot at this French gem. Born and raised in France, she is equally enthusiastic about the roast chicken and the salmon.
We are seated on bentwood chairs in a long narrow room. There’s a cushy banquette running along one wall opposite a long, convivial bar. Antique mirrors hung above the banquette evoke the bistro’s Gallic bent.
The minced snails in a spinach-and-mushroom purée, topped with bite-size puff pastry rounds, are a delightful take on the French classic. Potato-crusted salmon is an equally successful update of a tradition. It’s lapped with a creamy-yet-light lemon beurre blanc and served on puréed spinach enriched with mushrooms and shallots.
The roast chicken is anything but a sop to unadventurous tastes. Half a succulent bird boasts crispy skin and melt-in-mouth, moist meat bathed in a luscious pan jus. The accompanying potato gratin, with its thinly sliced, tender spuds, is yet another testament to the glories of French cuisine.
A voluptuous chocolate hazelnut pot de crème is the perfect finish. Surprisingly light, yet full-flavored, the dessert dates to the 17th century. It is easy to understand its enduring appeal — just ask a native.
See This: Tasteful contemporary storefront with food and service that transports you to Paris
Eat This: Escargot, roast chicken, pot de crème
Service: Helpful and friendly without being intrusive; servers defy the stereotype of snooty help
When to Dine Here: Your party is ready to satisfy cravings for delicious, authentic French fare served with obliging charm.
Ruthie’s All-Day
Arlington | Southern | $$$
Meat-and-three restaurants, haunts that first arose in the American South, usually imply soul food roots with their stick-to-your-ribs grub. And there’s no question that chef Matt Hill, despite a James Beard Foundation award nomination, is still cooking with his soul, as well as some influences from Seoul.
His food, smoked and grilled over live fire, might include brisket or ribs, but also charred kimchi dirty rice. In other words, Hill is upholding traditions of Southern food but isn’t afraid to predict the future of the genre. That includes a global palate of dishes that would not be found at a classic purveyor of meat-and-threes.
Here, lighter fish dishes like wood-grilled branzino, served crisped and fileted, with its tail fanned to the edge of the plate, are every bit as appealing as the burgers and chicken tenders. This is Southern food for everyone, even those who typically veer away from the heavy hitters of the cuisine. And Hill continues making a name for himself, one soulful dish at a time.
See This: The green-and-white décor looks like it belongs in your stylish best friend’s house, but sit on the patio for a view of the smoker and kitchen herb garden.
Eat This: Yellowfin tuna tartare, wood-grilled branzino, warm campfire cookies
Service: Unerringly friendly and casual
When to Dine Here: The gang is eager to taste the evolution of Southern fare and share a large roster of creative side dishes.
Sabores Tapas Bar
Arlington | Tapas | $$
A cloche fills with smoke. The vapors dance around a 32-ounce grilled rib-eye, then, as a server lifts the clear covering, billow forth around the room. This much is theater, but there’s no question that the real entertainment comes at first bite.
The Chuletón Vasco is one of five entrées on the menu, all Latin American in origin. Though you arrived here craving tapas, there’s no getting around it: This is one of the best steaks in NoVA.
But that doesn’t mean that you and your group can’t also fill up on small plates. Vegetables like crispy fried zucchini with a pair of garlicky sauces, or salad topped with matchsticks of apple and Manchego, are apt companions for juicy meat. Don’t limit yourself to the greens, though.
This restaurant, from a group of Latin-born former employees of José Andrés’ Jaleo, goes beyond Spanish tapas with South American flavors. Want ceviche? It’s robustly tangy, yet well balanced. Arepas? They’re bite-sized and presented with shredded chicken or beef on top.
Whether eating a chimichurri-painted steak or a chocolate cake served in a flowerpot, the imagination here is palpable. And for gustatory explorers, the small plates mean that too much of a good thing truly can be wonderful.
See This: Cheerful colors set the upbeat mood here, but it’s what’s on the plate that really impresses.
Eat This: Arepitas, Chuletón Vasco, la maceta de chocolate
Service: Matter-of-fact and efficient
When to Dine Here: You and your adventurous group want to share as many plates as you can stomach.
SER
Arlington | Spanish | $$$
The show goes on at virtually every table at SER, a Spanish bistro that offers a wide-ranging menu of its country’s fare with a bit of flair. Convivial groups welcome bone-in rib-eye torched tableside. Crispy roast pig is dramatically chopped for service with the edge of a plate. Paella is dished up from sizzling skillets with style.
A meal might begin with a fusillade of tapas hitting the table: crispy, deep-fried mini squid drizzled with a subtly spiced, lemony aioli; crunchy croquettes with a soft, savory, meaty center; briny sardines with a peppy vinaigrette-dressed salad; and a hearty vegetable stew topped with balsamic-coated goat cheese. Caramelized foie gras, with a haunting mineral taste, adds a relatively affordable bit of luxury.
The waiter dramatically lifts the domed lid over a pork entrée releasing its savory aroma. The smoky flavor of the romesco sauce complements the sliced meat, as do the roasted potatoes nestled nearby.
While a custard cup soufflé provides a deep chocolate hit, the dessert we can’t stop spooning up is a classic rice pudding. SER’s version is amazingly creamy yet tastes light. The caramelized, sugary crust offers the perfect crunch. This is a restaurant that backs up drama with memorable fare.
See This: A large semicircular, contemporary dining room and bar with a sweeping outdoor patio allow the food and its theatrical presentation to provide the pizazz.
Eat This: Caramelized foie gras, roasted rabbit, rice pudding
Service: Helpful waitstaff bring well-rehearsed drama to tableside food presentations.
When to Dine Here: You’re on the hunt for a wide-ranging menu of Spanish fare.
Sfoglina
Arlington | Italian | $$$
Carbs. You know you love them. The only thing keeping you from gorging on them every day is your nagging waistline. But sometimes we all have to tell our ego to shut up and go with the id’s desires.
On those occasions, there is nowhere better to do it than at chef Fabio Trabocchi’s pasta palace. It is possible to eat a delightful meal of salad and grilled branzino here, but that would be an error in judgment. You’re here for al dente pasta of nearly every fathomable shape.
The $75 pasta tasting allows diners to share three heaping bowls of Trabocchi’s creations. Strands are grand, but his very best work is in the realm of stuffed pastas. Tortelloni Emilia Romagna is a thin-skinned dream of salty prosciutto and mouth-watering rosemary crema. Braised beef agnolotti del plin rupture to reveal fibers of flavorful meat bathed in earthy truffle pesto.
There’s no skipping dessert here. Not when there are three cakes sized for sharing. The Piedmontese gianduja cake will have chocolate lovers obsessed, while the many layers of pistachio cake and silky mousse will inspire new desires.
Next time you’re craving carbs, just say yes to Sfoglina.
See This: From the newspaper-style menus to the servers’ Sophia Loren–style attire, every detail is idiosyncratically Italian — and chic.
Eat This: Grilled spiced calamari, tortelloni Emilia Romagna, pistachio cake
Service: Astute and ready with recommendations
When to Dine Here: You’re planning to bust your diet in the best possible way.
The Salt Line
Arlington | Seafood | $$$
Roadside shacks, Styrofoam containers, and picnic tables are usually defining facets of New England–style seafood. The Salt Line elevates this experience, offering updated favorites in a casual-yet-chic coastal setting.
No seafood feast is complete without clam chowder. The cream-based broth here is lighter than most, but it is also quite bacon-forward, providing extra depth of flavor. The tuna crudo is a must as well.
The fried fish sandwich may sound simple, but it’s expertly executed: the fish itself is light and not greasy. The crispy skin rockfish is another great option, boasting a super-crisp skin that shields tender, moist white flesh.
The crispy Brussels sprouts — tossed with a nori Caesar dressing, pecorino Romano, and fried garlic breadcrumbs — deserve an honorable mention. And the berries and cream “over the top” milkshake, made with local Ice Cream Jubilee scoops, is indulgent to say the least, thanks to Biscoff cookies and two heavenly housemade oatmeal cream pies.
No need to head Northeast; next time you’re craving the ultimate New England seafood experience, The Salt Line is waiting for you.
See This: Watch your oysters get shucked by pros at the raw bar.
Eat This: Clam chowder, fried fish sandwich, berries and cream “over the top” milkshake
Service: Mindful and friendly
When to Dine Here: You’re craving a quality New England meal in a refined setting.
Yume Sushi
Arlington | Japanese | $$$
There’s a club-like vibe at Yume Sushi. EDM music pounds through a dining room with industrial-chic architecture and walls with graffiti murals. But chef Saran Kannasute and his team are serious about creating edible art. Options range from basic rolls to creations with luxe ingredients like wagyu, lump crab, and truffle oil.
The Yume roll is a highlight, blending myriad flavors and textures into each bite. Spicy tuna and avocado are on the inside, and it’s topped with seared tuna, jalapeño, spicy mayo, eel sauce, and tempura bits. The Salmon Lover roll is another winner. Yume also offers an omakase, if you’d like the chefs to surprise you.
If you want to venture beyond sushi, the poke bowl boasts a generous portion of fresh, raw fish and is great for sharing. The shrimp tempura and wagyu buns are also worth ordering.
Sushi might be what brought you to Yume, but the vibes are what will draw you back.
See This: Sit at the sushi bar, with a dramatic graffiti-meets-geisha mural backdrop, to watch the sushi chefs up close.
Eat This: Poke bowl, Yume roll, wagyu buns
Service: Friendly, attentive, and quick to bring dishes to the table, the staff doesn’t go out of its way to explain the menu or provide recommendations.
When to Dine Here: Your requirements for a sushi meal include a modern aesthetic.
Feature image of The Salt Line by Rey Lopez
This story originally ran in our December issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.