Around Town

A Middle Eastern bakery, restaurant and market is expected to replace a deli and cafe in Cherrydale within the next few months.

Habibi’s Kitchen and Market plans to open this spring at 3907 Langston Blvd, offering Middle Eastern cuisine, fresh bread and local produce, owner Hassan Almaala told ARLnow. It’ll be a sister establishment to Almaala Farms, a longtime Union Market stall offering Middle Eastern bites and produce from the Almaala family farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.


Around Town

An ice cream sundae shop with late-night hours, a delivery service and a popular online presence is expanding to Clarendon.

The Scoop N Scootery is coming to 1138 N. Irving Street, in the former Jimmy John’s space at the Beacon building. The franchise has amassed 2.3 million TikTok likes on videos of its elaborate sundaes — available for delivery until 2 a.m. — that come with toppings like buttercream frosting, brownie bites, graham crackers and blueberry muffin crumbles.


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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.


Around Town

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.


Around Town

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.


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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.


Around Town

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.


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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.


Around Town

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.


Around Town

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.


Around Town

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.


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