Local restaurateur Mike Cordero is planning a culinary one-two punch next week, with official openings scheduled for two Arlington restaurants in successive days.
First up is A-Town Bar & Grill, the renovated successor to Caribbean Breeze in Ballston (4100 Fairfax Drive). Cordero says the restaurant will likely start serving customers this coming Wednesday as part of a quiet “soft opening,” but will hold its official opening on Friday, Aug. 10.
In March 2011, Z-Burger co-owner Mohammad Esfahani told ARLnow.com that he hoped to have the location open last summer. But co-owner Peter Tabibian said today the company is now focused on opening its new Columbia Heights location first, in the next few weeks.
Esfahani said construction is ongoing for the 4,000-square-foot space at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and N. Kenmore Street. This will be Z-Burger’s sixth location and first in Virginia.
Owner Selamawit Belete emigrated from Ethiopia to the U.S. a decade ago. Establishing a restaurant, such as the one her family owned in Ethiopia, was always in the back of her mind.
She’ll have plenty of competition.
Tutti Frutti franchise owner Geoff Trout is betting on it. He hopes to open shop on South Fern Street, next to the Post Office in the Millennium at Metropolitan Park apartments, in late August or early September.
The self-serve frozen yogurt trend hit Pentagon Row earlier this year when Yogiberry replaced Maggie Moo’s ice cream. The Tutti Frutti concept is similar — a rotating menu of flavors combined with 35 to 40 fruit and candy toppings.
The existing restaurant closed earlier this month and will be demolished. An entirely new McDonald’s will be built on the site (5009 Wilson Blvd).
The interior will include the traditional booths and chairs, but a new lounge type of area will be added, as will new community tables. The different styles of seating are designed to give customers a variety of dining options to fit their lifestyles — from meeting new people at the communal seating to enjoying a quiet cup of coffee in the lounge. Plasma screen TVs and free Wi-Fi will also be available.
Passers-by may notice a lot of activity at the site right now, because new employees are going through training this week. But the sports themed restaurant won’t open to the public until Monday, July 16, after a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m.
Regional manager Don Rizzie said based in part on the success of the Buffalo Wild Wings in Crystal City, the decision was made to expand in Arlington.
A new burger restaurant is coming to Arlington.
“Burger 7” is coming to the 2500 block of Lee Highway, next to a 7-Eleven store in the old Chickpeas Restaurant space. Burger 7 has an existing location at 7505 Leesburg Pike, in Falls Church and, in addition to the Arlington location, will be opening an Alexandria location later this year.
Owner Evan Matz said the original goal was to open by the end of July. That’s been pushed back to August 6, however, due to a few delays including the late arrival of some supplies due to last week’s storm.
Earlier this year, the County Board approved a request for outdoor seating and live music at the establishment. Free live entertainment will take place on Wednesday through Saturday evenings.
As we reported on Monday, D.C.-based RedRocks is planning to open its third location in the Penrose Square development on Columbia Pike. According to a press release, the RedRocks hopes to hopes to open the new Pike location in “early December.”
The restaurant’s 3,800 square foot space at Penrose Square will abut the north end of a new public square that’s currently under construction, at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Barton Street. The restaurant will house a wood-burning oven, 140 indoor seats and a full-service bar and lounge area. Outdoor seating will also be offered.
The restaurant is the inland version of the small chain of eponymous coffee shops owner Oby Lee once ran along the Delaware Shore. In addition to coffee and espresso drinks, the eatery also offers (via its flat screen TV menu displays) pastries, salads, fruit smoothies, wine, and tapas dishes. Seating is available both inside and outside the establishment.
Oby Lee is still in the “soft opening” stage, and is hoping to hire and train staff soon. While it was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner yesterday — its first day in business — Lee says he hasn’t set any definitive store hours yet. A more formal grand opening is expected later this summer.
New Mexican Restaurant Coming to Clarendon — Less than a month after the closure of Market Tavern in Clarendon, we now know what will take its place. Fuego Cocina and Tequileria is expected to open in the space, at 2950 Clarendon Blvd, later this fall. The casual Mexican restaurant, which will apparently not serve burritos, will be run by the Passion Food Restaurant Group, which also runs Acadiana, Ceiba and District Commons in D.C. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Gay Pride Event at Pentagon — About 350 people packed a Pentagon auditorium yesterday for the Defense Department’s first celebration of Gay Pride Month. In a videotaped message, President Obama said the hour-long ceremony was held to honor openly gay service members. [Bloomberg]
RedRocks Pizzeria will be opening its first Arlington location in the Penrose Square development (2501 S. 9th Road) along Columbia Pike, according to public permit records.
RedRocks, which has locations in the District and in Old Town Alexandria, specializes in Neapolitan-style pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven. In addition to various varieties of specialty pizza, its menu features Italian appetizers, salads, paninis, calzones, desserts and a wide variety of beer and wine.
