New Frozen Yogurt Shop Coming to Pentagon City
Is there enough room in Pentagon City for two self-serve frozen yogurt stores?
Tutti Frutti franchise owner Geoff Trout is betting on it. He hopes to open shop on South Fern Street, next to the Post Office in the Millennium at Metropolitan Park apartments, in late August or early September.
The self-serve frozen yogurt trend hit Pentagon Row earlier this year when Yogiberry replaced Maggie Moo’s ice cream. The Tutti Frutti concept is similar — a rotating menu of flavors combined with 35 to 40 fruit and candy toppings.
“I feel very confident in the product,” Trout said. “I don’t think Pentagon Row is close enough. This is a company that has really taken off.”
The Los Angeles-based company claims it’s the largest self-serve frozen yogurt chain in the world, with 584 franchises.
Rooftop Restaurants Prepare to Open for Season
While some local outdoor cafes have been open for business already due to a smattering of warm days like today, the popular rooftop decks in the area remain closed.
The good news is they’re preparing to open soon. The bad news is you’ll have to wait a few more weeks.
Here is the current list of seasonal openings for Arlington’s popular rooftop establishments:
- Arlington Rooftop Bar & Grill – April 1.
- Whitlow’s – Although the website says the opening will be March 8, an employee told us it will actually be St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.
- Clarendon Ballroom – There is no firm date. Management will decide after the threat of frost has passed, which could be anytime from March through the beginning of May.
- Eventide – Late April is when regularly scheduled evenings will begin. However, the rooftop will be ready starting March 15 and may open on especially warm evenings.
Cafe Caturra Now Open on Glebe Road
Cafe Caturra, a Richmond-based coffee shop/wine bar/soup-salad-and-sandwich restaurant, is now open in the Arlington Ridge Shopping Center. The 3,400 square foot eatery, which features a decor partially made from reclaimed materials, officially opened its doors to customers on Friday.
Located at 2931 S. Glebe Road, Cafe Caturra offers specialty coffees, 24 boutique wines, two draft beers, and 20 bottled beers. The restaurant is offering mimosa specials on Sunday and is planning to eventually offer a weekday happy hour, according to marketing director Melissa Kirkpatrick.
The food menu includes soups, salads, paninis, pizzas, brioche sliders, small plates, cheese, charcuterie and desserts.
The restaurant will be hosting local musicians between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. It also has a local art program that will display works from local artists. Founder Jeff Grant says he hopes Cafe Caturra becomes a neighborhood hangout.
“We’ve built a strong heritage as a gathering spot for people in the communities we serve,” he said.
Cafe Caturra opens at 11:00 a.m. seven days a week. It closes at 10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 9:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Trader Joe’s Sets Opening Month
The opening of the new Trader Joe’s in Clarendon is about two months away.
The company announced today that its grocery store at 1109 N. Highland Street will open at some point in November. The store is 12,300 square feet in size and will offer underground parking.
Interior construction started early last month. Freezer cases and other food-related accoutrements are now visible inside the under-construction store.
With the opening forthcoming, Clarendon residents will soon start receiving Trader Joe’s sales flyers.
“Many area residents after the store opens can expect to receive a copy of the Trader Joe’s ‘Fearless Flyer’ in their mailboxes,” the company said. “The Fearless Flyer is a somewhat irreverent description of a timely selection of Trader Joe’s products. It’s been called a cross between Consumer Reports and Mad Magazine.”
There are more than 350 Trader Joe’s stores in 30 states.
Zoë’s Kitchen Prepares for Saturday Opening
New Ballston eatery Zoë’s Kitchen (4245 Fairfax Drive) is planning to open its doors on Saturday, restaurant managers told ARLnow.com last night.
Interior construction has happened at an impressively rapid rate since the restaurant first announced an ambitious mid-September opening date earlier this month — but the opening is still at least two days before schedule.
The Alabama-based, Greek-inspired restaurant chain offers soups, salads, sandwiches, pitas and lunch/dinner entrees. The menu includes chicken kabobs, Greek salad, tuna salad, freshly-made hummus, a “club pita,” chicken pita pizza, spinach roll-ups and a turkey Reuben sandwich.
Zoë’s is located in the former Aladdin’s Eatery space, across one block from the Ballston Metro. This is the company’s fifth location in the D.C. area, with more locations planned.
American Tap Room Prepares to Open in Clarendon
American Tap Room (3101 Wilson Blvd) is putting the finishing touches on its new Clarendon location in hopes of opening after the long holiday weekend. Today the restaurant is doing a trial run for friends and family, but ARLnow.com got a sneak peak.
Dozens of taps line the wall of the bar, which opens up into a large dining room. Beyond the dining area is a glass-enclosed martini bar. During warm seasons, patrons can head outside to the sizable patio and get toasty next to the three fire pits.
“We’re excited to be a part of the Clarendon community,” said Vice President of Marketing Wade Breaux. “We can’t wait to see everyone in a few days.”
Breaux says there’s not any one thing that will set apart American Tap Room from the many other restaurants in the area. Instead, he said, it’s more about the overall experience. He notes the welcoming atmosphere, more than 60 beers on tap, martini room, patio and moderate prices as some of the special features.
“We’re not trying to be the cheapest and we’re not trying to be the most expensive,” Beaux said. “We want to have broad appeal.”
There are still some tweaks necessary before the expected opening on Tuesday, such as getting phone lines up and working. American Tap Room plans to hold a formal grand opening sometime in the next few weeks, when everything is running smoothly.
This is the company’s third American Tap Room location, in addition to locations in Reston and Bethesda.
Pinkberry Plans Froyo Giveaway in Clarendon
The new Pinkberry frozen yogurt store in Clarendon (pictured) is planning a post-work froyo giveaway on Thursday, one day before its planned opening.
Pinkberry will give out free samples from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday. The store then plans to open to the public at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. Offerings include 6 different flavors of frozen yogurt and numerous toppings.
The Clarendon Pinkberry will be the California-based chain’s third D.C.-area location.
New Pentagon City Post Office Now Open
Pentagon City’s new post office opened on S. Fern Street today.
The post office, complete with woodgrain accents and plenty of light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, replaces an old, dingy post office at 1720 S. Eads Street. With today’s opening, the Eads Street post office is now closed to customers.
The new post office, at 1301 S. Fern Street, is located in the ground floor of the the Millennium at Metropolitan Park apartment building, across from Costco.
Cava Restaurant To Open on Saturday
Cava, a new upscale Greek eatery in Clarendon, will open to the public on Saturday.
The restaurant obtained its liquor license today. Owner Ted Xenohristos says he expects to open the doors at 5:00 Saturday evening. See Cava’s dinner menu here.
Cava is located at 2940 Clarendon Boulevard.
Sustainable Art Exhibit Opening at Artisphere
It’s Artisphere’s biggest exhibit yet, and it follows a theme near and dear to the hearts of many in Arlington County.
Tonight is the public opening for “Contain, Maintain, Sustain,” a gallery of contemporary art inspired by sustainability. Among the pieces in the exhibit are beautiful gas cans, inspiring rubbish receptacles, a free-floating trash bag, magazines made into mountains and a box-laden bicycle.
The exhibit — a partnership between Artisphere, the Washington Project for the Arts and the Washington Sculptors Group — features the work of 24 international and locally-based artists.
Tonight’s opening reception is open to the public from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through July 17. More photos after the jump.
Ballston’s Buzz Bakery Will Open Monday
Buzz Bakery will open its new Ballston location on Monday.
That’s the word from Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the company that runs Buzz and its next door neighbor on the 4000 block of Wilson Boulevard, Rustico. Buzz is expected to open its doors as early as 7:00 a.m. on Monday, with plenty of free samples of coffee and baked goods.
The 2,000 square foot shop will have many of the same features and menu items of the original Buzz location on Slaters Lane in Alexandria, but will add treats like breakfast pop tarts, made-to-order waffles, individual serving quiches, homemade ice cream, sorbets, popsicles and “take-and-bake” products.
See more information on Buzz’s Ballston location from the company’s press release, after the jump.
Photo courtesy Neighborhood Restaurant Group
Buzz Bakery in Ballston Opening Next Month
There’s finally an opening date in sight for Buzz Bakery in Ballston.
“Coming soon” signs have been up at the storefront on the 4000 block of Wilson Boulevard for almost a year now. Next-door sister eatery Rustico opened in October while Buzz remained closed. Now, at long last, comes word that Buzz will start serving cupcakes and cappuccinos early next month.
Neighborhood Restaurant Group spokeswoman Jennifer Eberline says the company expects to announce an official May opening date “very, very soon.”
The will be NRG’s second Buzz Bakery. The first, on Slaters Lane in Alexandria, serves breakfast, baked goods, paninis, coffee, tea, wine and beer.
Ruffino’s Opening Today, BGR Hopes to Open Next Week
A quick update on a couple of eagerly-anticipated restaurant openings:
Ruffino’s Spaghetti House (4763 Lee Highway) will tonight for the first time following months of renovations. An answering machine message says the restaurant will open at 4:00 p.m.
The new Clarendon location of BGR: The Burger Joint (3024 Wilson Blvd) is undergoing a final inspection today and hopes to open next week — perhaps as soon as Monday, if the inspection goes well. The restaurant’s interior is complete and employees are wrapping up preparations for the opening.
Ruffino’s Spaghetti House Hopes to Open Soon
Ruffino’s Spaghetti House (4763 Lee Highway) may re-open in a week or two.
The restaurant closed for renovations in September, and loyal customers have been asking when it’s going to re-open ever since. Owner Robin Gamzeh says he hopes to open as soon as next week — if county inspections go well.
Outside and in, nearly everything about Ruffino’s appearance has changed. The exterior is brand new and the interior is completely revamped. One thing that hasn’t changed much is the restaurant’s menu. Gamzeh says everything from the original menu will still be available, with a few new additions.
Gamzeh says the re-opening was delayed several months after a contractor discovered a 5-6 foot basement crawl space while doing plumbing work. The basement, which Gamzeh did not know existed, had to be reinforced in order for renovations to continue.
Pete’s New Haven Apizza Plans Sunday Opening
(Updated at 12:25 p.m.) The new Pete’s New Haven Apizza restaurant in Clarendon is planning to open its doors on Sunday.
Pete’s co-owner Tom Marr tells us the restaurant has gotten all the necessary county occupancy and state alcohol permits, and is on track to open Sunday at 11:00 a.m. It could open today, he said, but management is focusing on training staff.
Pete’s serves New Haven-style pizza, which is explained at length on the company’s web site. Their “specialty apizzas” include: “Boola Boola” with house-made meatballs, roasted peppers, caramelized onions and cherry peppers; “Merritt Parkway” with Prosciutto di Parma, Kalamata olives, caramelized onions, basil and extra virgin olive oil; “New Haven” with white clams, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, Pecorino Romano and oregano; and “Nighthawk” with basil pesto, grilled chicken, wild mushrooms, caramelized onions and fresh mozzarella.
The price of an 18″ pie ranges from $18.95 to $25.95. In addition to offering pizza by the pie, Pete’s will offer a few varieties of pizza by the slice for $2.50 to $3.25.
Other menu items include appetizers, paninis, pasta dishes and homemade seasonal desserts. Twelve beers will be available on draft. Patrons will be able to choose between outdoor and indoor seating.
The restaurant, at 3017 Clarendon Boulevard, will be the first business to open on the ground floor of the recently-completed Clarendon Center north building. BGR: The Burger Joint is expected to open within the next two weeks.
More photos, after the jump.
