Stuck in a cooking rut? Get out of the kitchen and head out to that restaurant you’ve always wanted to try. Summer Restaurant Week, a twice-yearly Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington event, returns Aug. 18-24 with cuisine at affordable prices. Browse the fixed-price brunch, lunch and dinner menus ($25-$65) at some of the 60 participating NoVA eateries. Here’s a small sample of what’s cooking.
Ellie Bird
If you’ve been wanting to try the second concept from Michelin-starred duo Yuan and Carey Tang, restaurant week is a good time. This year the restaurant is dropping its restaurant week price, offering a $55 three-course menu for dinner. Pick from three starters including Pan Con Tomate (heirloom tomatoes, garlic toum, Manchego), Korean Melon Elote (corn kewpie, queso fresco, tajin and puffed sorghum), and Greek-ish Salad. For your entrée choose between ricotta cavatelli, branzino or pan roasted pork loin with patty pan squash, peach chutney and Szechuan mustard jus. For dessert, try the Vietnamese Coffee Tiramisu with mascarpone and coconut jam. Also, kids can eat free off the kids menu before 6 p.m. throughout restaurant week. 125 Founder’s Ave, Falls Church
SER
Get deals on authentic Spanish comfort foods here for a little longer. The family-owned restaurant is extending its Restaurant Week menu through Aug. 31. The menu is the same for brunch and lunch ($35) and dinner ($55). Add on a wine pairing for $35. Indulge in chilled strawberry and tomato soup, New York strip steak, halibut or a vegetarian lasagna with spinach and pine nuts. 1110 N. Glebe Road, Arlington (Ballston)
Ruthie’s All Day
This Best of Arlington 2025 winner with a custom-built wood-burning hearth and its own meat smoker out back has a $25 lunch and $40 or $55 dinner deal. Enjoy the waning days of summer out on the patio, or dine inside by one of the extra large windows in the historic building formerly occupied by Mr. W’s Ice cream shop in the 1950s. Choose your meat and then pick two to three sides. Options include smoked pulled pork shoulder, smoked brisket and grilled salmon. Round out your mains with a helping of buttermilk biscuits, creamy dill potato salad or Anson Mills grits. 3411 5th St. S., Arlington (Alcova Heights)
Lyon Hall
Try anything you like at this Best of Arlington 2025 winner. The whole regular menu is open for tasting during restaurant week, with a $35 lunch or $55 dinner deal. Think Alsatian-inspired fare such as house-made charcuterie and sausages, plus oysters and mussels. Produce here comes from local farms, as do the pastries and fresh bread. Enjoy frankfurters and beer or a wine flight with friends along with options from the cheese menu. 3100 N. Washington Blvd., Arlington (Ballston)
Big Buns
Get a $35 lunch for two at Big Buns restaurants throughout restaurant week. Choose two sandwiches: the Blackened Red Snapper or the Wagyu Burger. The deal comes with two regular fries. 4251 Campbell Ave., Arlington (Shirlington), 4401 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Ballston), 1330 Chain Bridge Road, Mclean
Chima Steakhouse
Offering lunch ($35) and dinner ($40 or $65), there are plenty of options to try at this Brazilian steakhouse. For lunch or the $40 dinner, enjoy a cheese bread appetizer with turkey spread and the gourmet salad bar featuring more than 30 items. For your second course, choose between Top Sirloin with your choice of topping, the salmon and shrimp entrée or beer marinated chicken drumsticks with boneless aji chicken. Dessert is your choice of Cheesecake or chocolate cake. The $65 dinner features rodizio, a Brazilian steakhouse dining experience where the restaurant brings various meats to the table on skewers and slices them onto your plate. 8010 Towers Crescent Drive, Tysons Corner
Immigrant Food
The restaurant that celebrates the story of immigrants offers fun plates from around the world for restaurant week. Think elevated global street food accompanied by a long cocktail menu and an international wine list. During the three course, $25 lunch, tuck into a Heritage Bowl, with coconut-curry chicken on turmeric rice, baby spinach, plantains, chickpeas and pineapple. At dinner (a $40 option or $55 option), choose between chicken parmesan, short rib glazed in pomegranate molasses, or Mediterranean lamb skewers. 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington (Ballston)
Wagamama
Enjoy a modern take on Asian classics, especially ramen, for your restaurant week experience. For lunch ($25) select an appetizer of edamame, chicken or pork gyoza or bang bang cauliflower. Find classics such as chicken or shrimp yaki soba on the main course menu, along with chicken ramen and Yasai Katsu Curry. At dinner ($40), find spicy pork Szechuan ramen, steak bulgogi and Nama Spicy Tuna. Add on a drink, such as the Passion Fruit Paloma, for $10. 2950 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
Salt
With offerings for surf and turf lovers alike, Salt, a cozy underground speakeasy, offers 4 app choices, 4 entree and 3 dessert options for $55. Walk through the unassuming wooden door to enter this intimate escape from bustling Rosslyn. Start your meal off with the soy glazed pork belly atop a cucumber wakame salad. Or go vegetarian with the housemade gnocchi, which comes with zucchini, summer squash, corn, spinach and roasted peppers in a basil pesto with roasted red pepper butter. Next, pick from the Togarshi Crusted Tuna (nori aioli, pickled ginger salsa, charred udon noodles and veggie stir fry), the braised short rib, a Wagyu Burger or soy glazed Chilean seabass. 1201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Rosslyn)
La Cote d’Or Café
This quaint French bistro has multiple menus available for Nouvelle French Cuisine tasting. Choose from two different brunch deals with French classics, such as Eggs Benedict and Crème Caramel. At lunch savor a protein-packed Quiche Lorraine and top off your meal with bread pudding or an apple almond tart with vanilla sauce and vanilla ice cream. The bistro offers three dinner prices ($40, $55 or $65) with starters such as French onion soup or Home Country Pate. Main courses include Bouillabaise and Chicken Cordon Bleu. If you have any space left, top off your meal with a Pineapple Tatin (coconut curry custard sauce with passion fruit sorbet), a slice of Olive Oil Cake, or the White Chocolate Lemon Mousse. 6876 Langston Blvd., Arlington (East Falls Church)
Ometeo
Head to this two-level Tex-Mex restaurant for brunch, lunch or dinner and special Restaurant Week margaritas. Try the Doble Chile, made with Tequila, Genepy, Fuji Apple, chile poblano, chile morita and lime. Start off your meal with a refreshing Peach-Melon Gazpacho, the Watermelon Salad or Flautas Ahogadas (crispy heirloom corn masa, chicken tinga, salsa tomate and salsa verde). For the main, choose enchiladas, Pollito con Mole de la Casa or sea bass. Dessert is your choice of Tres Leches Cake, Flan de Vanilla or House Helados (ice cream). 1640 Capital One Drive North, Tysons
Matchbox
Fuel up for a shopping trip at the nearby Pentagon City Mall or enjoy the eatery’s American Bistro fair at the restaurant’s McLean location. Wood fired pizzas are on the special three-course menu, along with chicken fettuccini alfredo and roasted salmon with heirloom tomatoes, roasted corn salsa and poblano peppers. End on a sweet note with a plate of warm sugar donuts with chocolate and raspberry sauce. 1100 S. Hayes St., Arlington (National Landing) or 1340 Chain Bridge Road, McLean