Around Town

Sweet Leaf Cafe Coming to Courthouse

Sweet Leaf Cafe in Vienna (photo via Facebook) Hikaru Sushi (photo via Google Maps)

Sweet Leaf Cafe, a local coffee-sandwich-and-salad shop with locations in McLean and Vienna, will soon be coming to Courthouse.

Building permits are up at the former Hikaru Sushi space at 2200 Wilson Blvd, one block from the Courthouse Metro. At that location, Sweet Leaf will be competing with a nearby Starbucks and Java Shack for cafe customers, but will fill something of a salad void following the closure of Rabbit Salad and Grill in Clarendon.

Sweet Leaf’s menu includes breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, ice cream, frozen yogurt, cupcakes and other pastries, tea, coffee and espresso drinks.

Owned by Arita and Andre Matini, Sweat Leaf Cafe first opened in McLean when the siblings were just 22 and 27, according to the restaurant’s website. The Vienna location opened in 2011.

One local business owner, who didn’t want his name used for this article, lauded Sweet Leaf and its owners.

“I think it will be f–king awesome for this neighborhood,” he said. “That’s one of the places we need around here, I think it’s great news and they’re really great people.”

Photos via Facebook, Google Maps