Restaurants come and go in our area all the time, and we are here to help you keep track. Recently opened eateries are serving West Coast-inspired burritos, authentic Thai food, and crushes and smashes in flavors such as orange, limeade and mojito. Find your new favorites here.
Last updated June 2.
June Openings
The Scoop N Scootery
Just in time for summer comes this ice cream franchise offering 70-plus creative sundae variations. The picture-perfect concoctions include Mint City (mint Oreo ice cream with a chocolate-frosted cake core, topped with fudge, chocolate chips and homemade Oreo frosting) and Banana Hammock (salty caramel ice cream with Reese’s peanut butter cups, banana slices, chocolate syrup and homemade whipped cream). Don’t feel like going out? Get your sugar fix delivered until 2 a.m. on Tuesdays-Saturdays. The shop is closed Mondays and open 3-10 p.m. on Sundays. It’s open now as a soft opening. The grand opening will be June 6. 1138 N. Irving St., Arlington (Clarendon)
May Openings
Pura Vida Miami
This restaurant brings South Florida vibes with its May 21 opening at the Mosaic District. Get salads, smoothies and bowls topped with salmon, tuna and falafel. 8296 Glass Alley, Fairfax (Mosaic District)
BHC Chicken
A South Korean chicken franchise opened in Arlington on May 15. Serving what it calls “original K-food,” the menu includes Bburinkle (fried chicken topped with Korean cheese seasoning) and Matcho-King (chicken in aged soy sauce). Other entrees are rose tteokbokki (chewy rice cakes stir fried in a creamy sauce) and Kimchi Cheese Fried Rice. 875 N. Randolph St., Arlington (Ballston)
Constellation
Tucked in a Crystal City office building, this café opened May 14. A main feature is a “slow bar,” a coffee station where guests can get large-format pour-overs—a manual brewing method that yields large batches without losing the taste of a traditional single-cup pour-over. The made-to-order menu stars all-day breakfast items such as a smoked salmon plate and hearty lunches, including Rigatoni Bolognese. Grab-and-go items will also be available for folks with more of a time crunch. 2011 Crystal Drive, Arlington (Crystal City)
Maman
The NYC native continues its takeover of the DMV with the opening May 7 of a new location of the French-inspired cafe in Crystal City. It’s the 12th cafe in the area, withers at the Mosaic District and in Courthouse and Ballston. Expect the usual coffee and food options, including pastries, salads and sandwiches. 1450 S. Eads St., Arlington
Café Monet
The McLean Project for the Arts and Knead Hospitality + Design teamed up on this European-inspired café and bistro that opened May 6 at the new MPA Berlage Arts & Education Center. Intended to invoke the concept of a gathering place of artists and community members, the new spot serves a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes. They include lemon ricotta pancakes, croissant sandwiches, jamón ibérico croquettes, tuna crudo, steak frites and roasted branzino. The beverage program stays on theme with a spritz menu featuring Aperol, Hugo and Kir Royale alongside and signature cocktails such as the Roman Holiday, a mix of Sardinian Citrus Gin, Italicus Bergamot Liqueur, basil and lemon. 6910 Fleetwood Road, McLean
Paris Baguette
The French-inspired bakery cafe opened yet another Northern Virginia location on May 2, this time in Clarendon. Find the artistic-looking cakes, Nutella-stuffed croissants, baguettes and sticky milk buns the chain is known for. 3101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
April Openings
Boulevard
Just in time for warm temps comes a new rooftop restaurant and bar. Opening April 29 in the former Wilson Hardware space, Boulevard blends American and Asian flavors, and brings back former Wilson Hardware chef Homero González, plus Bayron Navarro, formerly of Raku to lead the kitchen in consult with Ceibo’s Chef Juan “Nacho” Olivera. Expect dishes like lamb slider bao buns, king salmon tiradito with yuzu leche de tigre, cavatelli with king mushrooms, sushi and spicy salmon ceviche. The rooftop, called Solset, offers lighter bites and drinks, such as caviar-paired Gibsons. 2915 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
Little Beast
A Detroit-style pizzeria with two locations in D.C. crossed the Potomac to open in The Little City on April 29. The kid-friendly venue is decorated in colorful, friendly monsters by German street artist Kim Köster, but the menu will appeal to all ages. It will feature watermelon salad with corn, avocado, tomato, cotija cheese and cilantro; buffalo wings; and pizzas named for famous parts of Detroit. For instance, there’s the 6 Mile, which has a brick cheese blend, salami, pepperoni, pickled jalapeños, tomato sauce and spicy honey. 119 E. Broad St., Falls Church
Helena’s Mexican Restaurant
Two years after opening in Alexandria, the owners opened another location April 21. The menu includes fan favorites such as tacos, fajitas, guac and chips, carne asada, and pollo con mole. Pair the meal with a glass of sangria or a margarita pitcher, available in flavors such as passionfruit, mango and pineapple. Can’t pick just one? Ask for the mini marg flight and choose four. 502 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Zesto Pizza
Citi Pizza and Wings has a new name, new owner and new menu, as of April 17. Each pie is made with organic flour that is naturally fermented for 48-72 hours before being turned into a New York-style crust. The tomato sauce is made in-house with Italian San Marzano tomatoes. But when it comes to toppings, all bets are off. The idea is to push flavor boundaries with combos like those in the Bee Sting, which has pepperoni, mozzerella and honey, and Korean Beef Bulgogi, covered in marinated beef, kimchi, gochujang sauce and mozzarella. Salads, wings, calzones and house-made pasta are also available. 5127 Langston Blvd., Arlington (Yorktown)
Westover Taco
The taqueria that opened in 2023 is getting a repechage round as the area’s first women’s sports bar. Sarah White, an original owner who bought out her partners, reopened the doors April 16 alongside players from women’s sports teams including the D.C. Divas, DMV Queens and DC Shadow Ultimate. The menu has nearly daily specials, including $3 regular tacos on Tuesdays (when else?). Specialty cocktails include the Rise and Grind Mocha (coffee, Belle Isle Cold Brew Moonshine, Kahlúa Chocolate, cream and sugar) and Spicy Pina-Rita (local agave spirits, pineapple juice and fresh sour mix). Soak up the alcohol with tacos such as birria and Surf & Turf, which has carne asada and shrimp. 5849 Washington Blvd., Arlington (Westover)
Maman
The New York City transplant, which opened at the Mosaic District last June, opened another spot April 4 in Ballston. It’s got the southern French vibes and menu stacked with house-made pastries, savory sandwiches and bowls, and all the teas and coffees that Maman fans have come to know and love. 4121 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Ballston)
Closing
Il Radicchio
Perched at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and North Rhodes Street since 1994, this Italian restaurant closed June 1. An Instagram post suggests it will reopen elsewhere, although the date and place is TBA. 1801 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington (Courthouse)
Original Pancake House
The Falls Church outpost closed abruptly on May 25. The Bethesda and Rockville locations remain open. 7395 Lee Highway, Falls Church
Pike Cornerstone
After just two years on Columbia Pike, this restaurant and bar closed May 11. 2900 Columbia Pike, Arlington
Barley Mac
Barley Mac shuttered March 9 after a decade in business in Rosslyn. 1600 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Rosslyn)
Whino
The Ballston Quarter restaurant and bar shuttered at the beginning of May, a month shy of its fifth anniversary. 4238 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Ballston)
Board Room
The game bar and brewery closed April 30. 925 N. Garfield St., Arlington