Around Town

An Italian restaurant in Virginia Square is one of the best new restaurants in the country, according to Yelp.

The website ranked Carbonara (3865 Wilson Blvd) at No. 21 on its list of the Best New Restaurants of 2024 earlier this week. The national list selected 25 restaurants based on the volume and ratings of their Yelp reviews, among other factors.


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

It’s been a busy year for Ocean Shack, the seafood restaurant and sports bar that opened in Waverly Hills last November.

With an emphasis on sports, seafood and social media, the restaurant — which celebrated its one-year anniversary a couple weeks ago — overcame some initial growing pains to regularly draw in weekend crowds.


Around Town

Ambar in Clarendon has a frosty new look — and libations — for the holiday season.

The Balkan restaurant at 2901 Wilson Blvd recently unveiled a winter drink menu and a cozy, chalet-inspired interior on its lower level.


Around Town

O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub in Clarendon is planning to open a new room in a vacant, adjacent storefront.

The business applied for a permit last week for a commercial addition at 3211 Washington Blvd, formerly home to The Spirits of ’76, an Americana-themed bar that closed in fall 2020.


Around Town

The Washington Post has published its latest assessment of Arlington’s dining landscape, including eight restaurants it considers to be among the best in the county.

The Post describes a dynamic restaurant scene that “ebbs and flows like the rest of the Washington region, depending on who’s dishing up something new and who’s willing to stretch their gustatory comfort zone.”


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A long-time, family-owned Chinese restaurant in Ballston has announced plans to close after four decades of business, leaving its location to a West Coast-based gym chain.

Hunan Gate Restaurant will close next month, the restaurant announced in a storefront message at 4322 Fairfax Drive, near the Ballston Metro station. The owners expressed gratitude and said the restaurant will be selling all its equipment.


Around Town

A Chinese restaurant that spent 39 years on Langston Blvd has closed following the owner’s involvement in a car crash.

Hunan Village shuttered this past month at 4775 Langston Blvd, property manager Robert Gamzeh confirmed with ARLnow. For privacy reasons, he did not disclose the owner’s identity.


Around Town

After two decades of business, Asia Bistro in Pentagon City has shut its doors for good.

The restaurant announced the closure over Facebook last week, reminiscing over 22 years in operation at 1301 S. Joyce Street, in the Westpost — formerly Pentagon Row — shopping center.


Around Town

Restaurants across Arlington and Falls Church received acclaim in Northern Virginia Magazine this month.

The magazine’s list of the “50 Best Restaurants in Northern Virginia” in 2024 featured 14 establishments from the county and The Little City. Featured cuisines ranged from sushi and Italian, to Vietnamese and tapas.


Around Town

The newly opened 2910 Kitchen & Bar on Columbia Pike is temporarily closed for renovations, its owner says.

However, the owner of the elevated American eatery, Raheel “Ray” Khan, told ARLnow he expects the restaurant to reopen soon.


Events

Pubs, political parties and clubs across Arlington will be hosting watch events as election results trickle in tomorrow night.

Political groups of various stripes will be hunkering down at local establishments — some of which are offering drink specials in addition to live election coverage as the first polls close at 7 p.m.


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