Restaurants come and go in our area all the time, and we are here to help you keep track. Recently opened eateries are serving Filipino breakfast sammies, Spanish tapas and paella, and leveled-up cocktails. Find your new favorites here.
Last updated Sept. 8, 2025.
September Openings
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)
August Openings
Chip City Cookies
The cookie craze continues with the Aug. 29 opening of this national brand’s Tysons Corner Center location. Chip City Cookies bakes more than 100 flavors that it rotates through throughout the year. It’s famous for its Cannoli Cookie, but other favorites include Peanut Butter & Jelly, Oatmeal Apple Pie, Blueberry Cheesecake, S’Mores, and Lemon Berry. 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons
Locket
Situated inside the new 36-story Hilton Arlington Rosslyn The Key, this all-day restaurant serves a buffet breakfast, salads and sandwiches at lunch, and raw bar selections at dinner. Also open for brunch, guests can get Nutella French Toast or the Key Bridge Breakfast, which comes with French toast, two eggs, applewood bacon, home fries and fresh fruit. The hotel and restaurant both opened Aug. 27. 1900 Fort Myer Drive, Arlington (Rosslyn)
Level99
The newest entertainment destination opened at Tysons Corner Center on Aug. 25 with high-tech games and dining by Victory Brewing. Work your brain and body in more than 50 interactive challenge rooms and then refuel with wagyu burgers, Detroit-style pizza, a falafel or bar bites like Cantina Nachos, with cheddar, chile de arbol, roasted tomato salsa verde and jalapeño. Also find a long menu of cocktails, such as the Chartreuse or Dare, made with house-made pineapple rum, herbal liqueuer, amaretto, passionfruit, lime and torched rosemary. 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons
Luna Hall
Another food hall opened in Northern Virginia on Aug. 18, this time in Tysons. It joins a few others by the same name in D.C. and Maryland, but is the largest of the group. Its anchors are the popular French Korean bakery Tours les Jours, District Dumpling, Takumi Japanese Bistro & Bar, and Pelicana Korean Fried Chicken. The first two are open now. Takumi is in soft opening operations (the sushi isn’t available yet), and the latter will open by year’s end. Expect bubble tea and dessert spots to join the mix, too. 8201 Greensboro Drive, McLean
Nettie’s Tavern
A laidback bar has returned to the former home of Whitlow’s on Wilson. Restaurateur Reese Gardner, who’s behind Brass Rabbit Pub and Quinn’s on the Corner, opened this gastropub Aug. 8. It pays homage to his friend Nettie, an Italian immigrant who called West Virginia home. To that end, it serves Italian-meets-Appalachia dishes, such as pepperoni rolls and tiramisu French toast. Nettie’s Tea, made with moonshine, crushed lemon and mint syrup, is a signature cocktail. 2854 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
July Openings
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Wonder
The number of food halls in Arlington is growing with the July 24 opening of this New York-based company. The new location will provide food from 20 eateries, including Alanza Pizza, SriPraPhai Thai, kid-centric Bellies and Harlem fried chicken from Streetbird. Guests can order via the Wonder app and dine in, carry out or get fee-free delivery. The promise is that the company’s own delivery drivers will put your meal in your hands in 30 minutes or less. Another Wonder location is slated to take the Brown’s Hardware space that recently shuttered in Falls Church. 1771 N. Pierce St., Arlington (Rosslyn)
Oasis: The Listening Bar
The latest concept from the Sisters Group (think Sisters Thai and Flore Café) comes with inspiration from Japan’s audiophile culture. With décor including surfboards and cacti, the space is a café by day, but a wall of records hints at its nighttime transformation into a listening bar, featuring DJ-spun tunes and occasional live music sets. The menu features Japanese fare such as grilled skewers, sushi, nigiri and sashimi. The carefully curated beverage program as signature cocktails and a Sake Omakase Oasis Flight that lets guests savor selected flavors. The restaurant, which opened July 23, also serves Joy Boy Craft Beer, Sisters Group’s locally made Virginia creation. 2940 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
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Munch & Match
On July 20, McLean became home to this new eatery that features of a menu of Asian-inspired breakfast sandwiches, milk teas and small bites. All-day breakfast includes an egg and cheese croissant and oatmeal with buttered toast. For a heartier lunch or dinner, there are rice bowls with chicken, shrimp or tuna. Signature drinks include handcrafted Watermelon Lemon Tea and Hong Kong YuenYeung Milk Tea with nondairy creamer. 6888 Elm St., McLean
The Deck at Clarendon Ballroom
The iconic Clarendon Ballroom has transformed its rooftop into a Mediterranean oasis. The space opened July 17 with colorful couch areas and barstool seating. Find signature cocktails, such as CB Lemonade (Captain Morgan, lemonade and blueberry) and the Rooftop Mule (Fireball Blazin’ Apple, ginger beer, lemon juice, simple syrup and club soda). Snack on bar food favs, such as bacon cheese fries and chicken tenders, both $5 during happy hour on Monday-Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Drink deals then include $5 shooters and $6 well drinks, drafts and seltzers. 3185 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
Banh Mi Oi
Joining the Eden Center eateries is this spot specializing its namesake Vietnamese sandwich. It opened July 16 to offer sandwiches stuffed with steamed pork belly roll, lemongrass steak, five-spice tofu and more. Wash it down with specialty coffees and teas. 6795 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church
Westville
As of July 14, The Crossing Clarendon is home to a new veggie-forward restaurant—the first outside New York for the New York City-based chain. The eatery emphasizes locally sourced ingredients and build-your-own dishes made with up to 21 veggie options and sides such as green beans with soy glaze, pesto mashed potatoes and asparagus with parmesan. Mains range from fresh salads and chargrilled burgers to smoky mac n’ cheese or veggie chili. The drink menu features coffee and rotating seasonal cocktails, along with a selection of local beer and wine. Here, the taps will be pouring regional brews from Union Craft Brewing in Maryland and Virginia’s Hardywood Park Craft Brewery and Three Notch’d Brewing. Virginia-made wines include Barboursville Vineyards’ Chardonnay. 2800 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
Bar Colline
Hospitality veterans Ian and Eric Hilton and H2 Collective opened a new French brasserie on July 9. It joins the burgeoning restaurant scene in National Landing to offer shareable small plates and bar snacks, creative cocktails and wine. A daily happy hour from 3-6 p.m. (including weekends) will feature wines by the glass for as little as $6. Larger than its North Arlington sibling of the same name, the restaurant has a 50-foot wrap-around bar and Parisian-inspired sidewalk seating for 40. 269 19th Court S., Arlington (National Landing)
Side Chick
From the bird-name-loving husband-and-wife team behind Ellie Bird and the Michelin-starred Rooster & Owl in D.C. comes a new takeout and delivery concept that will focus on applying Asian American flavors to fried chicken. Carey and Yuan Tang will operate the eatery as a ghost kitchen at Ellie Bird. The menu emphasizes whole or half fried chickens and chicken sandwiches with three levels of spiciness. Orders come with bibingka, Filipino-style cornbread, and sauces such as smashed cucumbers with garlic-chili crunch and three-cheese miso mac ‘n’ cheese with garlic oil. There’s also a dessert menu from executive pastry chef Corey Jamison that features Vietnamese coffee tiramisu with dark chocolate cookie crunch and a pint of toasted marshmallow ice cream. Opening day was July 8. 125 Founders Ave., Falls Church
Closings
Kirby Club
Situated under the big screen in the center of the Mosaic District, this Mediterranean restaurant will close Sept. 8. NAJA, another eatery specializing in Mediterranean fare, will take its place. 2911 District Ave., Fairfax
Nicecream
After 11 years of wowing ice cream lovers with their “smoking” flavors, this Clarendon scoop shop is closing its doors Aug. 30. 2831 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)