Author: Katie Taranto

Katie Taranto is a reporter at Local News Now, primarily covering business, public safety and the city of Falls Church. She graduated from the University of Missouri in 2024, where she previously covered K-12 education at The Columbia Missourian. She is originally from Macungie, Pennsylvania.

Around Town

Teen signs one-day Caps contract, meets T.J. Oshie through Make-A-Wish

By Katie Taranto
The Andersons and Kalen's friend, Layla, pose with T.J. Oshie after Kalen signed a one-day contract (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Kalen Anderson, 16, started this morning (Wednesday) as a Caps fan — but she’ll end the day with a spot on the team’s roster.

Make-A-Wish surprised the teenage hockey player from Alberta, Canada, with a day at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Ballston, where she signed a one-day Capitals team contract, met her favorite player and spent some time on the ice with her new teammates.

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Around Town

Hunan Village closes on Langston Blvd after nearly four decades in business

By Katie Taranto
The former site of Hunan Village on Langston Blvd (staff photo by Jared Serre)

A Chinese restaurant that spent 39 years on Langston Blvd has closed following the owner’s involvement in a car crash.

Hunan Village shuttered this past month at 4775 Langston Blvd, property manager Robert Gamzeh confirmed with ARLnow. For privacy reasons, he did not disclose the owner’s identity.

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Around Town

Atlas Brew Works opens new restaurant and bar at DCA

By Katie Taranto
Atlas Brew Works' new bar at Reagan National Airport (courtesy of Atlas Brew Works)

A local brewery has opened a new bar and restaurant at Reagan National Airport.

Atlas Brew Works opened today (Tuesday) along the airport’s B gates, serving food, drafts and to-go beer out of a 2,425-square-foot space.

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Around Town

Asia Bistro closes after 22 years in Pentagon City, but signature dishes live on

By Katie Taranto
Asia Bistro at the Westpost shopping center (staff photo by Jared Serre)

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.

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Around Town

Eden Center’s new morning-to-late-night food hall expects to open next month

By Katie Taranto
The future spot of Pop-Up District at Eden Center (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

After three years in the works, Pop-Up District, a new food hall and lounge at Eden Center, plans to open for business sometime next month.

The hall will offer two distinct experiences depending on the time of day, company president Jay Tran told ARLnow. The space is designed to be a casual coffee, food and treat destination during the day, before transitioning into a Vietnamese-inspired evening lounge for drinks, EDM and dancing at night.

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Around Town

A Japanese restaurant and ‘listening bar’ is coming to former Cava Mezze in Clarendon

By Katie Taranto
2940 Clarendon Blvd (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A Japanese fusion restaurant and “listening bar” is preparing to open next year in Clarendon.

Oasis: The Listening Bar is a concept based on “HiFi bars” popular in Japan — spaces known for their high-quality record players, loudspeakers and amplifiers, where customers focus on the music while enjoying a meal together.

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Around Town

Expanding boutique dentistry chain prepares to open in Pentagon City

By Katie Taranto
Tend in Pentagon City, 1421 S. Hayes Street (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A dentistry chain that claims to have reimagined the dentist’s office experience is preparing to open a second Arlington location.

Tend, which plans to open in February at 1421 S. Hayes Street, offers general dentistry, orthodontics, cosmetic services and more with a self-described “spa-like” ambience. Part of the recent ‘medtail‘ trend, Tend opens in retail spaces and refers to its locations as soothing “studios” that patients look forward to visiting.

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Around Town

New Crystal City taqueria serves up family recipes from Mexico

By Katie Taranto
Taqueria Xochi at Amazon HQ2 (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A new Mexican restaurant with an emphasis on authenticity is the latest business to arrive at the ground floor of Amazon’s HQ2.

Taqueria Xochi (pronounced “so-chee”) plans to host a grand opening on Tuesday (Nov. 19) at 1450 S. Eads Street in Crystal City. With its entire menu coming from family recipes by co-founders Geraldine Mendoza and Teresa Padilla, the restaurant aims for truly Mexican cuisine — not Tex-Mex.

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Around Town

Former &pizza location in Rosslyn remains vacant

By Katie Taranto
1800 N. Lynn Street in Rosslyn (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

The former space of a D.C.-based pizzeria remains vacant in Rosslyn after the restaurant closed over the summer.

A few months after &pizza’s closure at 1800 N. Lynn Street, the restaurant’s kitchenware and checkered tiles can still be seen inside. Recent permits do not indicate a new tenant at the property, which houses several other restaurants, including Nando’s Peri-Peri Chicken, sweetgreen, Happy Eatery food hall and McDonald’s.

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Around Town

Mediterranean restaurant to open in Falls Church this week

By Katie Taranto
Cafe Zevian at The Kensington (courtesy of Adem Kaplan)

A new cafe highlighting Turkish, Greek and Lebanese cuisines is opening this week in Falls Church.

Cafe Zevian, a Mediterranean concept by Adem Kaplan, will be located at the bottom of The Kensington senior living facility at 700 W. Broad Street. Opening at 7 a.m. each day, the restaurant will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner options including an array of meat and vegetable dishes.

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Photos with Santa Claus begin Friday at the Pentagon City mall

By Katie Taranto
Santa Claus (via Tim Mossholder/Unsplash)

Santa Claus is coming to town, starting with photo sessions in Pentagon City this Friday.

Professional photos with Saint Nick will be available at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City through Christmas Eve (Dec. 24). Santa’s schedule varies this time of year, but he will be present for photos most weekdays from 2-7 p.m., with extended hours on weekends.

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