The 50 Best Restaurants In Northern Virginia Of 2021
See our 2024 Best Restaurants list here.
…And we’re back. Sort of. Last year’s COVID-era edition of Northern Virginia’s Best Restaurants list was chopped to 30 from its usual 50. This year, there are enough eateries that have opened or reopened to supply a full docket.
But to say that this is a normal year would be a vast overstatement. Two contenders for spots in this year’s top 10 are currently closed due to staffing shortages; we had to strike them from the list despite our high hopes that they’ll return soon. Taking that into account, not every one of these 50 restaurants has top-notch service, and that’s noted in their listings.
What can you expect from the following restaurants? A meal that will make you smile, whether it’s due to the stellar food (this category is most important, after all), a dining room that’s bound to impress, or, yes, that server who makes your evening extra special.
This year, for the first time, the listings are arranged by category to help you better decide where to eat next. Whether you’re looking for Asian food, a tasting menu, or something new tonight, you’ll find it here.
No. 1: 2941
Falls Church / Modern American / $$$$
Get the tasting menu and trust the chef at this Falls Church stunner. [READ MORE]
No. 2: The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm
Lovettsville / Modern American / $$$$*
All of new chef Vincent Badiee’s experience has added up to this moment and this plate, served lovingly in Lovettsville. [READ MORE]
No. 3: Blend 111
Vienna / Modern Latin American / $$$$
The dishes are multipronged attacks on your senses at this sleek Vienna eatery. [READ MORE]
No. 4: Trummer’s
Clifton / Modern American / $$$
Dine in Clifton for a celebratory night that doesn’t require a jacket and tie but merits them nonetheless. [READ MORE]
No. 5: The Ashby Inn
Paris / Modern American / $$$$
At this Paris countryside restaurant, the greatest rewards to be seen are outside, in the gardens surrounding the restaurant and the hills facing your table. [READ MORE]
No. 6: Ada’s on the River
Alexandria / Modern American / $$$
Riverside views are on the menu for a date night or celebration at this Alexandria steakhouse. [READ MORE]
No. 7: Harrimans Virginia Piedmont Grill
Middleburg / American / $$$$
A team tends to your every need, from bestowing bread from the basket of warm delicacies, to the server who leads you through your experience at this Middleburg gem. [READ MORE]
No. 8: Clarity
Vienna / Modern American / $$$
Dinner is great, but lunch attracts buzz at this Vienna restaurant for a reason. [READ MORE]
No. 9: Thompson Italian
Falls Church / Italian / $$$
Celebrate la dolce vita with a menu that goes way beyond pasta in Falls Church. [READ MORE]
No. 10: Celebration by Rupa Vira
Ashburn / Modern Indian / $$
Seeking Indian spice in a way you’ve never tasted it before? Get thee to Ashburn. [READ MORE]
A-Z
Here is the best of the rest, listed alphabetically.
Ambar
Arlington / Balkan / $$$$*
Got a group open to trying a wide variety of foods from an underrepresented cuisine? This Balkan spot is your destination. [READ MORE]
Amoo’s Restaurant
McLean / Persian / $$
A flavor explosion awaits at this family-owned eatery in McLean. [READ MORE]
Assaggi Osteria
McLean / Italian / $$$$
New chef Francesco Pescatore elevates the Italian fare at this McLean spot. [READ MORE]
Bansari
Vienna / Indian / $$
Anything you order at this Vienna restaurant will likely have your taste buds firing on all cylinders. [READ MORE]
Bistro L’Hermitage
Woodbridge / French / $$$$
Francophiles unite for scallops, duck, and crêpes at this Woodbridge restaurant. [READ MORE]
The Black Sheep Restaurant
Manassas / American / $$$
This Manassas barn is a place to get comfortable and enjoy the good life, one juicy bite at a time. [READ MORE]
Café Colline
Arlington / French / $$$
You’re going Gallic but want to hold the pretense? Head to Arlington for loup de mer and pots de crème. [READ MORE]
Carmello’s
Manassas / Italian & Portuguese / $$$$
Missing the fine dining of yore? This Manassas restaurant feels every bit of its 34 years, and that’s a good thing. [READ MORE]
The Conche
Leesburg / Eclectic / $$$
This Leesburg restaurant is just as devoted to a smooth experience—and to chocolate—as the tool that lends the business its name. [READ MORE]
Esaan Northeastern Thai Cuisine
McLean / Northern Thai / $$
Chiles, lime, and mint will revive you during a workday lunch or wake you up after a long day at this McLean restaurant. [READ MORE]
Fahrenheit 132
Fredericksburg / Steakhouse / $$$
In a region where many of the steakhouses are chains, this Fredericksburg destination is among the best Virginia has to offer. [READ MORE]
Field & Main
Marshall / American / $$$
Celebrate the season with a tasting meal in Marshall. [READ MORE]
Foode
Fredericksburg / Southern / $$
History suffuses this Fredericksburg restaurant, but the comfort food is strikingly modern. [READ MORE]
Goodstone Inn & Restaurant
Middleburg / Modern American / $$$$
The winding drive through Middleburg primes you for a fairy-tale adventure. [READ MORE]
Han Gang Korean Restaurant
Annandale / Korean / $$$
Hwe dup bap splits the difference between Hawaiian poke and Korean bibimbap. It’s at its finest at this Annandale eatery. [READ MORE]
Han Palace
Tysons Corner / Chinese / $$
When dim sum is calling, and you want it in a high-class setting, Tysons Corner is your destination. [READ MORE]
Incheon Restaurant
Annandale / Fusion / $$$$*
Try something utterly unexpected in Annandale—a $60 round of fusion plates, along with cool cocktails and interesting wines and beers. [READ MORE]
L’Auberge Chez François
Great Falls / French / $$$$*
In Great Falls, enter the Alsatian countryside, complete with kitchen gardens on 6 acres of land, for a tasting menu. [READ MORE]
La Côte d’Or Café
Arlington / French / $$$
Thirty-eight bucks for three courses may sound too good to be true, but at this Arlington French classic, it’s a sumptuous reality. [READ MORE]
Magnolias at the Mill
Purcellville / American / $$$$
Keeping things local at this historic Purcellville restaurant just makes sense. [READ MORE]
Makeda Ethiopian Restaurant
Alexandria / Ethiopian / $$
You’ll want to embrace the mess with a plate full of big Ethiopian flavors. [READ MORE]
Maple Ave Restaurant
Vienna / Modern European / $$$$*
To a romantic food-lover, this Vienna restaurant’s return deserves a warm welcome. [READ MORE]
Mazadar Restaurant
Fairfax / Mediterranean / $$
Be sure to save room for Day-Glo yellow scoops of saffron ice cream at this Fairfax restaurant. [READ MORE]
Nam-Viet Restaurant
Arlington / Vietnamese / $$
Nam-Viet’s patriarch lives on in the dishes served by his family. [READ MORE]
Nostos
Tysons Corner / Greek / $$$
One of the best chicken dishes in NoVA is waiting for you at this Greek restaurant. [READ MORE]
Our Mom Eugenia
Fairfax and Great Falls / Greek / $$$
Become a part of the family when you dine at this Greek establishment. [READ MORE]
Oxus7
Ashburn / Turkish / $$
Opening during the pandemic, the fare at this Ashburn restaurant truly sparkles. [READ MORE]
Parc de Ville
Fairfax / French / $$$
As you shop around Mosaic District, stop in this French find for some hearty sustenance. [READ MORE]
Rus Uz
Arlington and Alexandria / Russian and Uzbek / $$
Whether you want an education in Russian or Uzbek cuisine, the two locations of this eatery and market are there. [READ MORE]
Ruthie’s All-Day
Arlington / Modern Southern / $$$
Build the perfect all-American dish during your next trip to Ruthie’s. [READ MORE]
Semifreddo
Manassas / Italian / $$$
Looking for a meal to remember? This Italian restaurant will do the job. [READ MORE]
Sense of Thai St.
Ashburn / Thai / $$
From Southern Thailand dishes to Northern specialties, this Ashburn establishment is serving up bold flavors. [READ MORE]
SER
Arlington / Spanish / $$$
Whether you are looking for a hearty meal or a night out with sweet drinks, this Spanish eatery is for you. [READ MORE]
Sfoglina
Arlington / Italian / $$$
In Arlington, find one of the best slices of cake you’ve ever eaten. [READ MORE]
Tachibana
McLean / Japanese / $$
This warhorse has changed little since it moved from Arlington to McLean in 1996. And purists like it that way. [READ MORE]
Taverna Cretekou
Alexandria / Greek / $$
There are few better arguments than this Alexandria hidden gem that what’s (sometimes very) old is new again. [READ MORE]
Trattoria Villagio
Clifton / Italian / $$
The atmosphere at this Italian restaurant in Clifton matches its scrumptious menu. [READ MORE]
Tuscarora Mill
Leesburg / American / $$$
Fill your wild-game cravings at this Northern Virginia favorite. [READ MORE]
Yume Sushi
Arlington / Japanese / $$$$
This restaurant will fulfill all of your sushi dreams. [READ MORE]
Zamarod
Great Falls / Afghan / $$
At this Afghan restaurant, the owner makes his diners feel like family. [READ MORE]
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