McLean-based The Union restaurant has opened its second location in the Virginia Square neighborhood.
The “casual fine dining” eatery opened last Monday (April 4) at 3811 Fairfax Drive, chef and owner Giridhar Sastry confirms to ARLnow. Business, so far, has been “okay,” but Sastry says it may take some time for locals to know that the restaurant is there and open.
The menu, decor, and experience in Arlington are exactly the same as the original in McLean, he says.
ARLnow previously reported that the new restaurant was moving into the space formerly occupied by Burgerim, which closed in January 2021. It’s next to Thai Treasure, which moved into the vacant space left by Water & Wall when that acclaimed restaurant closed in 2017.
The menu at the Union is, as the chef and owner described it last month, is made up of a range of cuisines.
“The DMV is a melting pot of different cultures,” Sastry said in March. “So, we have a little bit of everything.”
That includes Mumbai paninis, shrimp po-boys, beyond burgers, sorbet adas (Lebanese lentil soup), and chicken milanese.
Sastry, originally from Calcutta, India, has worked as a chef throughout the region, including the Ritz-Carlton, Mayflower Hotel in D.C., and several other Northern Virginia restaurants. He chose the Virginia Square neighborhood as the spot for his second location, which is also within walking distance of Ballston, because of the demographics and increasing population of the neighborhood.
The first Union opened in McLean in February 2020, but shut down shortly thereafter due to the pandemic. However, Sastry said that 2021 was a good year overall for the restaurant and an Arlington location was always part of his plan.
Sastry says the Union on Fairfax Drive is still hiring, particularly servers and cooks, and interested people are asked to contact the restaurant.