Tupelo Honey Cafe, a North Carolina-based restaurant chain, is looking to move into the new apartment building at 2001 Clarendon Blvd in the Courthouse area.
Representatives from the restaurant and the building’s retail office have confirmed the two sides are finalizing negotiations, but aren’t prepared to announce a deal. The restaurant has locations in North Carolina and Tennessee, but an Arlington location would be its first in Virginia.
Amsterdam Falafelshop, the local falafel and “Dutch fries” chain, is planning to open its Clarendon location by the end of September.
Amsterdam Falafelshop announced in April it would be moving into the former BGR: The Burger Joint space next to Hard Times Café at 3024 Wilson Blvd. Franchise owner David Rosenstein — who also owns a dozen D.C. area Popeye’s franchises — planned a mid-summer opening, but as is the case with many restaurant build-outs, it has taken longer than expected.
Vihstadt Outraising Howze — County Board member John Vihstadt is outraising Democratic challenger Alan Howze ahead of the upcoming November election. Vihstadt, who is running as an independent, has raised $33,773 to Howze’s $6,801. [InsideNova]
‘Revenge of the Understudies’ at Signature — They prepare for roles that they rarely get to actually play, at least in front of a paying audience. On Saturday, however, the understudies at Signature Theatre will take center stage for the annual “Revenge of the Understudies” cabaret. Tickets to either of the show’s two performances — at 9:00 and 11:00 p.m. — are $25. [Washington Post]
The new Dunkin’ Donuts in Ballston, at the corner of N. Stuart and 9th Streets, is now open for business.
The small donut shop replaced the former Quizno’s in the corner of the National Science Foundation building at 4201 Wilson Blvd. Dunkin’ Donuts signed its lease for the 1,000-square-foot space in April.
Bonefish Grill is on target to open its first Arlington location around the middle of next month, possibly as early as Aug. 18, according to employees.
The 5,350-square-foot seafood restaurant is located at Pentagon Row (1101 S. Joyce Street), in the space formerly occupied by Desi Innovations. The upscale eatery boasts fresh, wood-grilled fish and other specialties. It focuses on “simplicity, quality and consistency in food, service, ambiance and value,” and “leaves the stuffiness and unpronounceable menu out,” according to promotional materials.
“Karu & Toast,” a cafe serving vegan and vegetarian fare at 3260 Wilson Blvd is now open.
Co-owner Janet McFadden said the food, ranging from daily salad options and hearty soups to gluten-free cookies, is prepared with healthy, fresh ingredients that don’t sacrifice flavor.
(Updated at 7:30 p.m.) A new Asian restaurant is moving into the ground floor of the new 1919 Clarendon Blvd apartment building.
The eatery is called Lucky Pot, and it will serve a variety of Asian dishes, including sushi, Chinese and Thai cuisine, according to Jeff Handler of Asadoorian Retail Solutions, which helped to lease the space. The restaurant is hoping to open by August.
A new wine bar and tapas restaurant is coming to Rosslyn.
Sip Wine Tasting & Tapas Restaurant plans to open in a currently vacant retail location at 1501 Wilson Blvd just after Labor Day. This will be the small Atlanta-based chain’s first D.C. area location, though it recently opened a location in Baltimore.
The second location of the Westover Beer Garden, expected to open near Clarendon in March 2015, is beginning to take shape.
The establishment will be called the Sehkraft Beer Garden and Haus, a play on words of “sehkraft,” which is German for vision or eyesight, but pronounced “say craft,” owner Devin Hicks said. The brewpub, at 925 N. Garfield Street, expects have a 10-barrel system to brew beer in-house, five taps straight from the tanks to the bar, five taps for house-made kegged beers and collaborations with other breweries, and 30 “guest” beer taps.
Sandwich chain Capriotti’s plans to open its storefront at 1500 Wilson Blvd on Tuesday, July 29.
The shop is currently finishing renovations, but Director of Operations for Capriotti’s D.C. franchises Joe Combs was passing out flyers to passersby last week in an effort to recruit employees.
The restaurant, co-owned by Washington Redskins receiver Pierre Garçon and Paisano’s Pizza owner Fouad Qreitem, is on the ground floor of the building that also houses Heavy Seas Alehouse and Roti.
The restaurant will use a rotating oven to cook personal pizzas for customers in less than two minutes, it says in a press release. The 2,300-square-foot eatery will also serve salad, gelato and “a robust beer and wine selection.”
Local deli and catering chain Taylor Gourmet is officially open in Ballston at 4000 Wilson Blvd today.
After a soft opening last Friday and Saturday, in which the sandwich and salad shop offered a free meal to those who stopped in, Taylor Gourmet’s owner Casey Patten announced this morning that his ninth location would be opening to the public at 11:00 this morning.
