After two decades of business, Asia Bistro in Pentagon City has shut its doors for good.
The restaurant announced the closure over Facebook last week, reminiscing over 22 years in operation at 1301 S. Joyce Street, in the Westpost — formerly Pentagon Row — shopping center.
“From our signature sushi rolls to comforting bowls of ramen, crispy spring rolls, and refreshing boba tea, we’ve had the privilege of being part of so many memorable moments,” the post said. “Our bar was a gathering spot for friends, families, and sports fans alike, and many of you have become like family to us, returning year after year even after moving away.”
It’s not a total goodbye for the restaurant, however, as Asia Bistro’s full-time staff will continue working — and serving some of the bistro’s signature dishes — at nearby sister establishments, owner Jessica Arbaugh told ARLnow.
“I hope that our loyal customers will continue to support us,” she said. “They can’t find us at Asia Bistro, but they can find us just a few steps away.”
At nearby 1101 S. Joyce Street, Saigon Saigon will offer Asia Bistro’s happy hour items and bestsellers, like chicken wings and steamed bao buns. The restaurant is also preparing to debut a sushi bar this weekend, where Asia Bistro’s sushi chef of 20 years will continue working.
Arbaugh said she received “a package deal” to incentivize the move. Spanish restaurant El Mercat Bar de Tapas is aiming to open in place of Asia Bistro in early 2025.
Meanwhile, Bees & Tea, Asia Bistro’s bubble tea spinoff, is now up and running in a standalone structure at the same shopping center. The cafe, which started inside Asia Bistro but announced plans to go solo this summer, serves bubble tea, appetizers, soft serve ice cream and taiyaki, or Japanese fish-shaped waffles.
Arbaugh opened Asia Bistro with her parents in 2002 — though it wasn’t their first business in the area. Her family’s Arlington story began in the 1980s, when her parents fled communist rule in Vietnam.
“We were boat people. We were refugees, and then [my parents] were working in a restaurant, and decided, okay, they had a little savings,” Arbaugh said. “They opened our first restaurant. It was Pho Cali, 36 years ago.”
Arbaugh originally hoped to go into dentistry. But when Pho Cali eventually closed amid redevelopment in Clarendon, she changed course.
“I had no intention back in 2000 to carry the torch,” Arbaugh said. “I was like, okay, Mom and Dad, you do your thing, I do my thing … And then I realized [Pho Cali] got shut down — meaning, you know, the developer took over and built a building on top of it — and I decided, let’s continue. Let’s find them jobs. This is all they know how to do.”
She opened Saigon Saigon in Westpost that same year, with Asia Bistro following shortly after.
Arbaugh expressed gratitude for the loyalty of her full-time staff — her “non-DNA family” — who have worked alongside her for decades.
“We’ve been in Arlington for 36 years, and we hope that Arlingtonians will continue to support us,” she said.
