Restaurants come and go in our area all the time, and we are here to help you keep track. Recently opened eateries are serving stir fry, shakshuka and all the baked goods your heart desires. Find your new favorites here.
Last updated Nov. 5.
October Openings
Daydrft Books & Cafe
A West Coast-inspired spot that’s part curated bookstore and part cafe opened Oct. 29 in National Landing. On the menu, find sandwiches such as the heirloom tomato and silky egg, smoothies such as the Cold Brew Matcha and Super Green, and bowls like the Beet & Apple, with roasted red beets, Pink Lady apples, avocado and more. Pastries and grab-and-go cups of yoguer and overnight oats are also available. 550 Crystal Drive, Arlington (National Landing)
Pi BBQ and Bar
As of Oct. 18, Crystal City’s Restaurant Row has a new Korean barbecue joint. Watch your meat, such as wagyu or garlic pork belly, cook on an in-table grill while you enjoy an appetizer of corn cheese or fried oysters. Rice and noodle dishes are on the menu, too, in addition to desserts such as sweet red bean taiyaki and green tea mochi ice cream. 420 23rd St. S, Arlington (Crystal City)
Honeygrow
Falls Church now has a location of the fast-growing fast-casual restaurant known for made-to-order stir-fry, salads and desserty honeybars. When it opened Oct. 17 in Barcroft Plaza, it joined six other Virginia locations, including one in Tysons Corner (8399 Leesburg Pike, Vienna)Â 6464 Lincolnia Road, Falls Church
Van Leeuwen
This growing chain of scoop shops is adding to its collection of storefronts in Arlington, opening in the Clarendon spot that Nicecream occupied for 11 years. (It closed in August.) On opening day—Oct. 17—customers can get $1 scoops from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Like its sister spot in National Landing (269 19th Court, S., Arlington), this location will sell flavors such as Strawberry Matcha Latte and Marionberry Cheesecake. Vegan options include Cookies & Cream Caramel Swirl and Peanut Butter Brownie Honeycomb. 2831 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
View this post on Instagram
Falafel Inc.
To open its first free-standing location, this fast-casual falafel joint chose National Landing. The doors opened Oct. 16. The menu is simple: pita sandwiches and bowls, each of which you can customize with sauces such as the signature Habibi, garlic, spicy Invisible and more. Pair your pick with a side of za’atar fries or tabouli salad. Nothing on the menu is more than $6, and the restaurant donates a portion of its proceeds to the World Food Programme to help refugees. 500 23rd St., S., Arlington (National Landing)
Tatte Bakery & Café
As of Oct. 15, Falls Church now has a location of this fast-expanding chain. Founded by a self-taught chef, the restaurant serves breakfast dishes, shakshuka, tartines and salads. Try the lamb kebab pita or short rib grilled cheese sandwich. For something more entrée-like, opt for the Roasted Salmon Winter Vegetable Rice Bowl. Wash down your meal with a Tahini Pumpkin Oat Milk Latte. Find other local locations in Clarendon (2805 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington) and National Landing (269 19th Court S., Arlington). 1001 W. Broad St., Falls Church
September Openings
Sunday Morning BakehouseÂ
This woman-owned bakery opened its second DMV location on Sept. 21. (The first is at North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose.) Serving all-day breakfast and lunch items such as breakfast sandwiches and a BLT on fresh, made-in-house breads the restaurant also has seasonal goods and special-occasion cakes. In addition to pouring coffee and tea, it has cocktails and mocktails on weekends, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 1796 Chain Bridge Road, McLean
Naja Mediterranean
Replacing Kirby Club at Mosaic District, this spot that opened Sept. 20 says it is a “Mediterranean love letter from Beirut to D.C.” The menu features pan-seared halloumi, spreads such as hummus and tzatziki, meat and veggie kabobs, and entrees like branzino with cous cous. The new owner, Tariq Alaeddin, was a longtime Kirby Club team member, so some menu items will look the same, such as its signature havuc dip. 2911 District Ave., Fairfax (Mosaic District)
View this post on Instagram
BOE
Short for “bodacious experience,” this new bar brings a taste of Nashville to Clarendon, complete with a mechanical bull. On the menu are country-style dishes such as the BOE Biscuit with hot honey butter fried chicken and signature cocktails like the aptly named Bucking Bronco, a twist on a whiskey sour; a hard lemonade. For a change of scenery, skip up to BOE’s Tiki Bar, a rooftop space with a tropical-meets-country vibe. There, guests can share the Pink Flamingo Bucket, a combo of Malibu Coconut Rum, pineapple, mango, cranberry juice, passionfruit, fresh lime, and lemon-lime soda, served over crushed ice in a fresh pineapple. The bar had its soft opening Sept. 19 and will celebrate its grand opening Sept. 25. 2854 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
Knockout T@KOs
Celeb chef Spike Mendelsohn launched this new online-only plant-based taqueria Sept. 16. Available only through UberEats, DoorDash, Grubhub and the T@KO app, the food includes tacos, taquitos, burritos and bowls. There’s the Chimi Supreme Taco with Beyond Steak tips, Tropicauli Pastor (crispy cauliflower in sweet-smoky al pastor, topped with mango salsa and pickled red onion) and Jalapeño Taquito, which is stuffed with cheddar, mozzarella and jalapeños. Prefer to pick up your order? Get it locally from Tysons Corner Whole Foods (1635 Boro Place, McLean).
GrillMarX Steakhouse and Raw Bar
A family-owned restaurant with three locations in Maryland opened Sept. 8 in Falls Church. The raw bar menu features Oysters Annapolis (four baked oysters with crab and panko crust), chilled snow crab clusters and shrimp cocktail. Meat lovers will be glad to know they can get ribeyes, prime rib and filet mignon. For something more casual, there are burgers, crab cake sandwiches and eight salads with nine house-made dressings. If you need a drink to accompany your meal, the cocktail menu has plenty of options, such as the Haven & Hell (coconut rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, habeñero simple syrup and a jalapeño garnish) and the Sea Cucumber Martini (gin, muddled cucumber and lime, sour mix, and a fresh cucumber slice). 510 S. Washington St., Falls Church
Toastique
Whole foods are the focus of this nationwide chain, which opened a spot in National Landing on Sept. 6. The fast-casual spot serves gourmet toast topped with avocado, spicy crab or honey-roasted peanut butter, fruit, and granola. Or try a smoothie bowl. The Dragonberry Bowl is packed with a blend of pitaya, mango, agave, strawberry and coconut water topped with fresh strawberries, kiwi, coconut, goji berries, granola and honey. The drink menu includes coffees and Iced Collagen Lattes made with collagen, beets, matcha, turmeric and blueberry lavender. 244 19th Court S., Arlington (National Landing)
El Mercat Bar de Tapas
Step into a Spanish culinary journey at this new Westpost eatery that opened Sept. 5. It’s the second location for executive chef George Rodrigues, who opened the first in 2023 in Rockville, Maryland. It’s easy to try lots of dishes because tapas are designed to be snack-sized. Get veggie-based ones such as mushroom croquettes or fried shishito peppers, meaty ones such as St. Louis pork ribs in a cider glaze, and seafood-centric choices such as mussels and chorizo in white white. The restaurant also serves five kinds of paella, a Spanish staple. To wash it all down, there is, of course, sangria, plus a Hibiscus Margarita and the Pineapple Smoke (smoked mezcal, tequila, agave, jalapeños and pineapple juice). Stop in on the weekend for brunch. 1301 S. Joyce St., Arlington (Westpost)
Lapu Lapu
Initially aiming for a spring opening, this Filipino eatery from chef Javier Fernandez finally opened its doors Sept. 1. It specializes in breakfast sandwiches made with pan de sal buns from Gwenie’s Pastries, a bakery owned by Fernandez’s sister and mother, which is also opening a storefront in the neighborhood. The buns come stuffed with corned beef, sweet pork chorizo, turkey bacon and more. 550 14th St., Arlington (National Landing)
Closing
Grand Cru Wine Bar and Bistro
After almost 20 years, this wine bar and bistro will close Nov. 9. 4301 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Ballston)