Around Town

Six sculptures made from thousands of canned goods are about to go up at the Pentagon City mall.

Next Friday, Sept. 11, a half dozen architecture firms with a can-do attitude will set up shop at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in a charity event to combat food insecurity.


Around Town

A new restaurant featuring cuisine from central China has been off to a successful start in Clarendon.

Xi’an Famous Foods has been attracting big crowds since it opened earlier this month. The location at 2800 Clarendon Blvd has been even busier than the chain’s bustling storefronts in New York City, CEO Jason Wang told ARLnow.


News

Visits to distribution sites at the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) have continued to grow, driving pleas for more county support.

During the safety-net organization’s 2026 fiscal year, visits to AFAC food-distribution sites were up 3.3%, to more than 206,000 from nearly 8,400 families.


Around Town

Crystal City residents will have to wait a little longer for the neighborhood’s latest Thai restaurant.

Tiki Thai was originally expected to open sometime this summer or fall at 244 19th Court S., on the ground floor of the Reva apartment building. The owner now says that timeline has been pushed back to summer 2027.


Around Town

An incoming Italian restaurant in Ballston has posted signage and is moving forward with plans to open in about a year.

Grazie Nonna, a full-service restaurant inspired by the home cooking of its founder’s grandmother, hopes to open in mid-2027 at 4075 Wilson Blvd, a spokesperson told ARLnow. Signs direct visitors to the establishment’s Instagram and a newsletter for more updates.


News

A new fleet of robots delivering food in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor is turning heads and sparking some community debate.

Since they began carrying their first Uber Eats orders last week, the self-driving bots from the company Avride have mostly earned curious glances and photos from local residents, who can now select a robot delivery option from establishments like TNR Cafe in Courthouse and Bakeshop in Clarendon.


Around Town

A new wine bar with a menu inspired by Northern Italy and decor hearkening back to the golden age of air travel has opened in Crystal City.

With an on-site sommelier offering suggestions on wines from around the world, a bar modeled after a cross-section of an airplane wing and a listening room with a wide library of vinyl records, Altitude has opened its doors at 2011 Crystal Drive.


Around Town

Some Arlington customers ordering on Uber Eats can now get their food delivered with futuristic flair — and no delivery driver.

Self-driving delivery robots, which began exploring the sidewalks of the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor back in April, will begin providing their services today (Wednesday). From 10 a.m.-10 p.m. at participating restaurants, customers will be able to select whether to have a bot or a human courier deliver their food.


Around Town

After two years of connecting with local businesses, exploring Arlington’s wide-ranging food scene and satisfying residents’ questions and curiosity, reporter Katie Taranto is leaving ARLnow.

Taranto, who is departing to cover federal climate policy at the trade publication Inside EPA, wrote prolifically about the arrival and departure of countless restaurants and retailers in Arlington, while still finding time to appreciate the quirks and unique character of the county’s diverse communities.


Around Town

A supper club with Latin American cuisine and an afterlife-inspired theme debuts in Clarendon later this month.

The new restaurant and nightlife spot Cielo opens Tuesday, June 16, following two years of preparations at 1137 N. Highland Street. Restaurateur Michael Sina told ARLnow he hopes to offer an upscale, “fully immersive experience” with dining and music, centered around a “heaven and hell” aesthetic.


Around Town

A new option for weekend brunch in Clarendon comes with an audiophile twist.

Oasis: The Listening Bar has begun hosting live jazz music from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sundays at 2940 Clarendon Blvd, offering sweet and savory Japanese dishes and patio seating along with the tunes.


Around Town

On weekends in the Arlington Forest neighborhood, locals may notice a pink bake stand loaded with fresh bagels, cookies and loaves of sourdough for pickup.

Isabella Fortunato started the stand, Crumb to Mama, about nine months ago from her home kitchen. A self-described “local sourdough dealer,” Fortunato runs the microbakery with Saturday morning pickups from her driveway.


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