By Mia Finley
Growing up in Reston, Ryan Tracy and this brother Matt Tracy talked about opening a restaurant in South Lakes Village Center, specifically the site of Lakeside Inn.
After college, Ryan moved to Florida—their father’s home state and family vacation spot—to join his brothers and father in opening eight Five Guys restaurants.
But after seven years in fast food, the brothers started talking with their cousin John Jarecki, owner of The Light Horse in Old Town Alexandria, about opening a full-service restaurant.
Jarecki’s guidance brought the family back up to Virginia, and they decided to open Red’s Table exactly where they once dreamed of owning a place. “It was unbelievable timing because we lived 20 years of our lives right down the street,” says Ryan Tracy.
The name pays homage to their grandfather, William “Red” Tracy, and the importance of sharing conversation over a meal. “It sounds so simple, but for my grandfather, the nightly routine of gathering around the dinner table meant the world to him,” says Ryan. Although they never got to meet their grandfather in person, the brothers keep his stories alive through the vision of this restaurant.
Jarecki tapped Adam Stein, the chef at The Light Horse, to run the kitchen at Red’s Table. The food will be new American with a local focus. Although not specifically farm-to-table, the kitchen will source ingredients from as many regional purveyors as possible. “No freezers, no microwaves,” Ryan says.
Red’s Table will focus on steaks—”the old fashioned way, getting that nice high heat char on the outside,” Stein says—and seafood. East Coast oysters ($1 during happy hour), steamed shrimp, Maine lobster and snow crab will be highlights.
The team is still looking for someone to lead their in-house bread program, which will include brioche-styles, whole grains, Pullman loaves and rye breads.
The restaurant will have an open kitchen, exposed wood trusses, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Lake Thoreau and sliding barn wood doors for private dining. “We want the feel of everything to be transparent.” Ryan says, “As customers walk by the kitchen, we want them to be close enough to see their food and even say hi to their chefs.”
Despite construction delays—the restaurant was slated to open in March—Red’s Table hopes to open in August. / Red’s Table, 11120 South Lakes Drive, Reston
