The restaurant business is hurting nationwide.
The pandemic has kept diners at home and contributed to the closure of thousands of restaurants. It has also prompted temporary restrictions on how restaurants operate, which in Virginia means no bar seating, reduced capacities, and increased cleaning expenses, among other things.
The Spirits of ’76, a bar in Clarendon that opened just before the 2016 election, is closing just before the 2020 election.
The bar at 3211 Washington Blvd is just off the main drag of Clarendon, on a block in which restaurants have struggled. It opened in October 2016 with Americana decor, a robust whiskey list, and a menu of American comfort food.
Zinga! Frozen Yogurt has closed in Arlington’s Williamsburg Shopping Center, though it’s not immediately clear if the closure is permanent.
The froyo shop closed last week, and a “for lease” sign was placed in the window. As of Friday, the leasing sign was down, but the store remained closed and many of the furnishings appear to have been cleared out.
What was once beloved family dining spot Joe’s Place Pizza and Pasta will soon be A Modo Mio.
The restaurant at 5555 Lee Highway says it’s planning to reopen in “a few weeks” with “a new look, chef and menu.”
A proposal for a large outdoor café in Clarendon is set to be considered by the Arlington County Board this weekend.
The owner of the Clarendon Square office building at 3033 Wilson Blvd is requesting permits to operate an outdoor café and kiosk in an open area of the property, catty-corner from the Clarendon Metro station.
Shooting Near Arlington Border — An early Sunday morning shooting that could be heard in parts of south Arlington “happened along the 3800 block of South George Mason Drive at approximately 1:19 a.m., according to Fairfax County police. Police said when they arrived at the scene, they discovered bullet casings but no victims. Shortly after, Arlington County police stopped a vehicle along I-395 and found a victim who had been shot in the abdomen and was trying to drive to a hospital.” [WTOP]
Purple Lounge Loses Liquor License Again — “The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority has temporarily suspended the alcohol licenses of the Purple Ethiopian Restaurant and Lounge, LLC after finding the establishment in violation of the terms imposed… on September 16, 2020. As a result of this action, the alcohol licenses of the Purple Lounge will remain suspended for a minimum of 10 days with reinstatement dependent upon approval by Virginia ABC.” [Arlington County]
Campbell Avenue is turning into a mini Bourbon Street — in one respect, at least.
The main Shirlington drag is one of the places you can now take an alcoholic beverage to go from a local restaurant and consume it while walking around or lounging on a park bench.
A pandemic is perhaps not the best business environment for an eatery that sends food on a conveyor belt throughout the restaurant.
Riverside Hot Pot, a Chinese restaurant in Clarendon that did just that, closed recently after just a year or so in business.
It only exists online, but a new fried chicken restaurant has launched in Arlington.
Smokecraft Modern Barbecue, which opened in July at 1051 N. Highland Street in Clarendon, announced this week that it has also opened “Etta Faye’s Chicken Shack.”
A local watering hole and entertainment spot is reopening, despite the pandemic.
Punch Bowl Social had been open for just over a year at Ballston Quarter when the pandemic struck and the business — which is premised on large groups of people drinking, dining and playing games — was shuttered.
The pandemic has claimed yet another local restaurant — and this time, it’s one of the oldest bars in Arlington.
Summers, the soccer bar at 1520 N. Courthouse Road, will not reopen, owner Joe Javidara confirmed to ARLnow today. The restaurant’s furnishings — from kitchen equipment to framed soccer memorabilia to the Tiffany-style stained glass lamps — are now being offered for auction through Oct. 13.
(Updated on 9/30/20) It’s not quite the full Bourbon Street experience, since you can’t drink them on the sidewalk, but you can now get frozen Hurricane cocktails to go in Courthouse.
Bayou Bakery (1515 N. Courthouse Road) is now serving carry-out Hurricanes in 16-oz pouches, the restaurant said in a press release. Also newly available frozen: The Dude, “a White Russian meets a Mudslide.”
