A new Ethiopian restaurant and lounge is opening on Columbia Pike, potentially by the end of the month
Meda Restaurant and Lounge is looking to open by the end of April or early May at 5037 Columbia Pike, in the former home of a long-time bakery. Owner Yohannes Getachew tells ARLnow the restaurant is just waiting on the approval of its alcohol permit.
It’s set to fill the space that was formerly Cinthia’s Bakery II, which closed up shop in the summer of 2020 due to a decrease in business amid Pike road construction and the pandemic.
Meda will focus on “speciality foods” as well being a coffee shop and bakery.
Getachew is the former co-owner of another Ethiopian restaurant in Alexandria near the Van Dorn Metro. That restaurant was named Meda before recently being renamed ZeMeda Market and Restaurant.
The new restaurant on the Pike will be located just up the street from Arlington Mill Community Center and less than a half of a mile from the Fairfax County border. Getachew says he choose this spot because he lives in the area, as does a number of his customers.
Cinthia’s Bakery II was the second location of the Bailey’s Crossroads bakery that remains open, also along Columbia Pike, only a five minute drive away.
Recent Stories

The Arlington Sports Hall of Fame is extremely pleased to announce that our 2023 Annual Induction Dinner, again in partnership with the Better Sports Club of Arlington, will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at the Knights of Columbus, located at 5115 Little Falls Road, Arlington, Va.
Our dinner will pay tribute to all the honored members of the Hall of Fame and will induct the following six new Class of 2023 inductees, joining the 62 athletes, coaches and contributors who have been inducted into ASHOF since its founding in 1958:
Noel Deskins (Yorktown Class of ’79): Track & Field record-holder & Athlete of the Year at YHS and JMU
Eric Metcalf (O’Connell Class of ’85): Star NFL running back, football and track & field record-holder and Hall of Famer at both O’Connell and the University of Texas
50 First Dates x The Renegade: Speed Dating
🌟 Calling all adventurous hearts! 🌟
💑 Get ready for an evening of excitement and connection as we present Speed Dating Night at The Renegade in Arlington, VA! 🌆
📅 Mark your calendars for Oct 20th, from 6-9 pm, because
Free Right-Sizing Workshop – How to Get Rid of Your…
Cody Chance and Dick Nathan of Long & Foster are hosting an online workshop on the topic of “down-sizing” Wednesday, October 4 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Every great endeavor begins with a great plan. This workshop will give you the tools