A new Indian restaurant, Urban Tandoor, is one step closer to opening its doors as it hangs it sign at the Ballston space.
There still isn’t a posted opening date, though construction has been ongoing since at least September 2017. The restaurant, at 801 N. Quincy Street, will replace a series of eateries, like Republic Kitchen & Bar and Leek American Bistro, which have closed in recent years.
The owner, Rajeev Mainali, told ARLnow.com in September 2017 that the food will primarily be Indian, with some subtle differences to “cater to the young crowd.” He called the expanding neighborhood an opportunity to expand the ethnic food options along the corridor. The restaurant, sitting at the intersection of N. Quincy Street and Wilson Boulevard, is directly across from a Bruegger’s Bagels, a Taylor Gourmet, and the recently opened &pizza.
“The area is growing so fast, we feel like it has been underserved as far as restaurants go,” Mainali told ARLnow.com. “We feel like there are not enough good restaurants there. There are some, but not enough to serve the growing clientele there.”
The restaurant will have 95 seats inside, and an outdoor patio will have the capacity to host another 40 guests. The windows are mainly covered in sheets of paper, but a peek through a side window that had not been taped up revealed several chandeliers and dangling, glass lighting fixtures.