A new Afghan restaurant is looking to open in Ballston this summer.
Grill Kabob, a local chain of family-owned Afghan kabob eateries, is working on opening its 15th location at 708 N. Glebe Road in Ballston, co-owner Wais Shoja confirms to ARLnow. It will be only a few doors down from the new Silver Diner that’s also planning to open this summer in the neighborhood.
The aim is for Grill Kabob to start serving in June.
The chain currently has more than a dozen locations across the D.C. area, with the closest right now being at Tysons Corner Center in McLean. That number is likely to increase this summer, says Shoja, as the owners are planning to open several new locations, including the one in Ballston.
With lots of offices, new apartment buildings, and a Metro stop, the neighborhood makes for a great location for a new Grill Kabob, the co-owner says. Plans were originally in the works pre-pandemic to open a restaurant in Ballston, but Covid paused the owners’ expansion efforts.
The first Grill Kabob opened in the Springfield Mall in 1999, with subsequent restaurants also mostly in malls. Over the last seven years or so, explains Shoja, the family-owned operation has put more focus on opening locations near office and residential areas.
The new location will closely reflect Grill Kabob’s updated design and decor. As for the restaurant’s menu, it includes an assortment of meat and veggie kabobs, sandwiches, and salads.
The location’s menu will be very similar to the others, though there are certain items sell better at different locations. Shoja says they will take some time to see what’s popular in Ballston and perhaps “play around” with the menu to best reflect the wants of the neighborhood.
Ballston is likely to see a host of new restaurants opening up in the coming months. Besides Grill Kabob and Silver Diner, there’s also Pirouette Cafe, Hawkers, and Salt Pot Kitchen all aiming for spring or summer openings this year. Just this past month, The Union and Quincy Hall both opened their doors.