The Union, a McLean-based “casual fine dining” restaurant, is opening a second location in Arlington.
The hope is to start serving at 3811 Fairfax Drive, in the Virginia Square area, by the end of the month, chef and owner Giridhar Sastry tells ARLnow.
The Union is coming to the former location of Burgerim, which closed early last year. The menu, decor, and experience at the Arlington location will be “exactly the same” as it is in McLean.
Sastry describes The Union’s menu as a showcase for a diverse range of cuisine.
“The DMV is a melting pot of different cultures,” Sastry says. “So, we have a little bit of everything.”
That includes shrimp po-boys, Asian salad, Thai coconut shrimp soup, Mumbai paninis, and churros. The beer menu will keep things closer to home — everything on tap will be local.
Sastry is originally from Calcutta, India and came to America for culinary school about two decades ago. He’s worked as a chef at the Ritz-Carlton, Mayflower Hotel in D.C., and other Northern Virginia restaurants.
He opened The Union in McLean in February 2020, having “one good month” before needing to shut down due to the pandemic. But 2021 was a solid overall, he says, and opening a second location was always part of the plan.
Sastry says he chose the neighborhood, within easy walking distance of Ballston, because of the demographics.
“The menu is geared towards the fast paced, younger crowd who’s hungry,” he says.
Construction is nearly done, Sastry said, and the restaurant is now waiting on licenses and final inspections.