Around Town

A new shop offering acai bowls, smoothies and other nutritious treats has opened for business in Courthouse.

With a vibrant, surfer-inspired atmosphere and tagline, “Welcome to Pineappleland,” Playa Bowls is bringing treats packed with fresh fruit to 2055 15th Street N. It is the company’s first Arlington location, joining nearby outposts in Alexandria, Fairfax and D.C.


Around Town

A new restaurant is preparing to replace the now-shuttered Ya Hala Bistro in Bluemont.

The forthcoming tenant, Al Shami Restaurant, hopes to open at 5216 Wilson Blvd in the next couple weeks, serving dishes similar to its predecessor, owner Basima Chouban told ARLnow.


Around Town

A “Jew-ish” deli with something of a cult following is coming to Crystal City early next year.

Call Your Mother, known for its bagels that blend New York and Montreal styles, plans to open a new kiosk at the Water Park along Crystal Drive in “early 2025,” according to property owner JBG SMITH.


Around Town

A fast-casual Italian restaurant serving customizable pasta bowls has a new timeline for its Ballston opening.

Scolapasta has been in development across from the Ballston Metro station since February. While initially hoping to open this past summer, owner Burak Temel said the restaurant now expects to open its doors this spring.


Around Town

A karaoke bar and restaurant in Crystal City plans to open its doors in the next few weeks.

After nearly a year of development, Lantern Restaurant & Bar is preparing to open toward the end of this month or in early January, co-owner Shen Zhao told ARLnow.


Around Town

A longtime family-owned Thai restaurant on Langston Blvd has taken on a new name and look, along with some new menu items.

Thai Thai rebranded to Thai Leaf this fall under the ownership of Pichamon Dobson, a family friend of the previous owner. While Dobson spent months renovating the restaurant at 5123 Langston Blvd, much of Thai Thai’s cuisine lives on under the same chef.


Around Town

A forthcoming rooftop restaurant and bar in Courthouse aims to serve classic American meals in a fun, relaxed setting.

The previously unnamed restaurant at 2424 Wilson Blvd is called Rooftop Recess, and its menu will feature “expertly handcrafted cocktails and outstanding American cuisine,” according to its website. The restaurant expects to open in early 2025.


Around Town

A casual eatery with a “veggie-forward” menu is on track to open at some point next year at The Crossing Clarendon.

The location at 2800 Clarendon Blvd, in the former Jos. A. Bank space, will be the first location outside of New York City for Westville, which serves “casual American food.”


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.”


Around Town

A D.C. pizza restaurant with a colorful monster theme is looking to open a second location, in Falls Church.

Known for its picture book-style art and Detroit-style pizza, Little Beast Cafe & Bistro plans on bringing a little whimsy to the ground floor of Broad & Washington (111 E. Broad Street) sometime next year.


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