Renovations are underway at a fire-damaged pupuseria in the Ashton Heights neighborhood, with the goal of reopening this summer.
Pupuseria Doña Azucena has been shuttered at 71 N. Glebe Road since August 2024, when a fire at the strip mall ravaged the space, requiring structural repairs. An exact reopening date has not been set, but “we’re aiming for the second week of June,” owner Heriberto Hernandez said.
A local Thai restaurant chain with lunch specials and astrology-themed cocktails is celebrating its Falls Church debut this weekend.
After nearly a year of preparations, My Home Thai Bistro plans to host a grand opening this Saturday for its new restaurant at 1009 W. Broad Street. The new eatery aims to bring “a modern take on Thai cuisine with a refined yet welcoming atmosphere,” co-owner Anuchit “Andrew” Suthus-na-Ayuttaya told ARLnow.
A new takeout spot for sushi, ramen and poke is coming to Crystal City.
The eatery, Okinami, is expected to open at 244 19th Court S. in four to five months, owner and longtime chef Yong Kang told ARLnow.
Restaurateurs with projects in Arlington and Falls Church are stepping into another RAMMY Awards season with plenty of recognition to go around.
Restaurants and hospitality groups with a foothold in the local area have received nearly two dozen RAMMY semifinalist nominations at the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s annual program spotlighting excellence in the region’s culinary scene.
A pizza franchise with a flair for the psychedelic has its eye on Arlington and Alexandria as it plans a major new expansion into the D.C. area.
Mellow Mushroom has named the two localities among its “highest-priority growth markets on the East Coast,” a spokesperson told ARLnow. The business — known for its “stone-baked pies,” appetizers and kaleidoscopic colors — is planning to open eight to 10 new locations in the region, according to Jamie Cecil, vice president of franchise development.
A longtime Thai restaurant and sushi bar has closed for business in Clarendon, but it appears the business won’t be gone for long.
Rien Tong Thai Asian Restaurant & Sushi Bar plans to spend the next 10 months rebranding at 3131 Wilson Blvd, located just across the street from the Clarendon Metro station. A message posted in the restaurant’s windows teases improvements under new management.
A family-owned chain of fast-casual Chinese restaurants, known for having dishes once celebrated by Anthony Bourdain, is eyeing Clarendon for its next location.
Xi’an Famous Foods is planning a new restaurant at 2800 Clarendon Blvd, in The Crossing Clarendon shopping center. The New York City-based eatery offers cuisine inspired by CEO Jason Wang’s childhood in Xi’an, China — including a variety of hand-ripped noodles, dumplings, and a spicy cumin lamb burger favored by Bourdain on the show “No Reservations” in 2007.
A popular West Coast-inspired burrito shop and cafe from D.C. is opening for business next week at Crystal City’s Water Park.
Monstera Burrito opens Monday at 1721 Crystal Drive, bringing its signature San Diego-style, French fry-packed burritos and an extended menu of burgers, bowls, sandwiches and other bites. It’s the restaurant’s second location, joining a residency inside Georgetown’s Grace Street Coffee Roasters that opened in 2024.
Cafe franchise Paris Baguette is planning a new location in Crystal City, and a previously announced Clarendon spot is set to open in a couple weeks.
Signs for the French-inspired eatery have appeared at 2000 S. Bell Street in Crystal City, on the ground floor of Valen apartments. The location is expected to open this summer, targeting a debut “in the third quarter of 2026,” according to property owner JBG Smith.
The former Bob & Edith’s Diner location on Langston Blvd may not be vacant for long.
Chelsea Market & Deli, which currently operates a location in Courthouse Plaza, filed a liquor license application at 5050 Langston Blvd on Feb. 4. That’s roughly a week after Bob & Edith’s announced its closure on Jan. 26.
A fast-casual spot in Crystal City has permanently shut its doors after a decade in business.
Signage appeared last week on the door of the Sweetgreen at 2022 Crystal Drive, announcing the closure. The salad purveyor had occupied the location since February 2016.
Arlington’s annual Feel the Heritage Festival is returning this weekend, bringing dozens of vendors, performers and history displays in celebration of Black History Month.
The 31st annual festival, taking place from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Charles Drew Community Center (3500 23rd Street S.), celebrates the national theme of this Black History Month, “A Century of Black History Commemoration.”
