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Arlington’s last California Tortilla closed in Courthouse late last month, as another restaurant is reportedly lined up to replace it.

The fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant closed its doors Nov. 30, according to a storefront message at 2057 Wilson Blvd, next to Brooklyn Bagel Bakery. The Bethesda-based restaurant opened in Courthouse 20 years ago.


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A Vietnamese eatery in Clarendon featuring bubble tea has rebranded and added some new menu items.

After opening in July under the name Bobalicious, the cafe became Pho and Banh Mi Eatery Cafe later this summer — and has now updated its offerings to include soft tacos in addition to pho, poke, rolls and banh mi.


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An Italian restaurant in Virginia Square is one of the best new restaurants in the country, according to Yelp.

The website ranked Carbonara (3865 Wilson Blvd) at No. 21 on its list of the Best New Restaurants of 2024 earlier this week. The national list selected 25 restaurants based on the volume and ratings of their Yelp reviews, among other factors.


Around Town

A Vietnamese restaurant from D.C. will soon make its Arlington debut in Ballston, serving banh mi, pho and other family recipes at affordable prices.

Simply Banh Mi plans to open its second location at 801 N. Quincy Street in a few weeks, owner John Tran told ARLnow. It will replace a similar restaurant that closed at that location in February: Lee’s Sandwiches, which bills itself as the “World’s Largest Bánh Mì Chain.”


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A new halal Indian restaurant opened recently on Langston Blvd, adding some South Asian flavors to the corridor’s diverse lineup of local restaurants.

At 5645 Langston Blvd, Curry & Clay Oven offers mainstays like biryani, palak paneer and curry, as well as fusion dishes such as paneer cheesesteaks, butter chicken pizzas and masala fries, manager Khalid Oylid told ARLnow.


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Sandwich shop Port of Subs is expected to land in Arlington next year as the company rolls out plans for a D.C.-area expansion.

The nautical-themed, Nevada-based submarine sandwich chain expects to establish 70 locations in the region over the next decade, with the first scheduled to open in Arlington by May 2025, Port of Subs announced this month.


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A long-time, family-owned Chinese restaurant in Ballston has announced plans to close after four decades of business, leaving its location to a West Coast-based gym chain.

Hunan Gate Restaurant will close next month, the restaurant announced in a storefront message at 4322 Fairfax Drive, near the Ballston Metro station. The owners expressed gratitude and said the restaurant will be selling all its equipment.


News

After years of working to expand access to food aid, Arlington County’s food assistance infrastructure is being stretched to its limits as rising living costs drive up demand.

Food insecurity is nothing new to Arlington, and neither are private and public initiatives to combat it. In recent years, the county has hired a food insecurity coordinator and ramped up efforts to connect residents with existing resources.


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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.


Around Town

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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Restaurants across Arlington and Falls Church received acclaim in Northern Virginia Magazine this month.

The magazine’s list of the “50 Best Restaurants in Northern Virginia” in 2024 featured 14 establishments from the county and The Little City. Featured cuisines ranged from sushi and Italian, to Vietnamese and tapas.


Around Town

A new Latin and Tex-Mex restaurant is currently hosting its soft opening in Falls Church.

Casa Mariachi Bar and Grille expects to hold a grand opening sometime next week at 133 E. Annandale Road, manager Tony Flores told ARLnow. The restaurant serves an expansive menu featuring tacos, quesadillas, burritos, fajitas and platters.


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