Around Town

Arlington Restaurant Week participants offer early taste of next month’s menus

By Dan Egitto
Glass of dark red beverage on a white table, foregrounded by a plate with avocado-topped tortilla chip and salsa, decorative bottle in background.
Plate of cubed, pepper-crusted steak bites with a side of potato chips and meatball skewers; Arlington Chamber of Commerce sign in foreground.
Bowl of greens (kale) dip topped with pine nuts and broken flatbread chips.
Plate of small, sugar-dusted cakes with a strawberry garnish on the side, served on a white dish at a cafe/restaurant.
Assorted bite-size desserts (cream puffs, pastries, and strawberries) arranged on wooden plates on a pale green tablecloth.
Chef in black uniform wearing gloves drips sauce from a dropper onto a plated dish.
Sushi nigiri with sliced salmon, bright orange salmon roe, and seaweed garnish on a dark slate surface
Assorted donuts on a curved, gold-toned display stand in a bakery, with chocolate-glazed donuts in the foreground and other flavors on the upper tier.
Bowls of poke with avocado slices, tuna, and sauces in a black bowl on a dark table.
Man in a blazer with a name badge lifts a wrapped sandwich from a metal ice-filled bin at a buffet.
Gloved hand holding a white plate with a slice of pie and green dipping sauce; two cups of green sauce on an orange-drapped counter nearby.
Assorted dessert cups arranged on a white table at a catered event, with a staff member in black gloves behind.
Attendees converse at vendor booths set up along a conference-room hall during a trade show or expo session, with products on display and staff assisting visitors or answering questions.
People mingle and chat with drinks at a large indoor conference reception in a ballroom with patterned carpet and hanging light fixtures.
Woman in a white blazer speaks at a podium for an Arlington Chamber event, gesturing with her right hand.
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Businesses participating in next month’s Arlington Restaurant Week offered a preview of what they have in store at a tasting last night (Thursday).

The Arlington Chamber of Commerce hosted a first-of-its-kind preview of the annual event, which will bring specials to restaurants across a range of price points from Monday, Oct. 12 to Monday, Oct. 19.

Setting up booths at the newly renovated Westin Crystal City, restaurants served up dishes ranging from salmon at Yume Sushi and bacon bites at Morton’s The Steakhouse to madeleines from Maison Cheryl  and tiramisu from Ballston Local.

Kate Bates, president and CEO of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, told ARLnow that chamber staff came up with the idea for the tasting to help drive business to local restaurants.

“Restaurants are really up against it. There are so many economic headwinds, so many challenges that they’re facing,” Bates said. “Anything that we can do to support them right now, that’s really the message.”

At the tasting event, Bates said she particularly enjoyed hummus from Lebanese Taverna as well as a savory bowl from Good Company Doughnuts.

She highlighted the range of restaurants that participate in Arlington Restaurant Week, each of which sets its own menu and prices.

“It really lets the restaurants showcase themselves, which lets it be everything from fast casual to fine dining,” Bates said.

A complete list of participating restaurants is available online, and an interactive map from the Chamber of Commerce is below.

About the Author

  • Dan Egitto is an editor and reporter at ARLnow. Originally from Central Florida, he graduated from Duke University and previously reported at the Palatka Daily News in Florida and the Vallejo Times-Herald in California. Dan joined ARLnow in January 2024.