Crystal City

Proposed residential development would bring changes to southern Crystal City

By ARLnow.com
1/12

(Updated at 7 p.m.) A new apartment building may be coming to a southern portion of Crystal City, and changing some infrastructure in the process.

Developer JBG Smith announced today a plan for a 370-unit apartment building on “Block W” in Crystal City. The site is bounded by Crystal Drive, a National Airport access road, and railroad tracks, and is currently home to a gravel parking lot, an off-ramp from the access road and a small, JBG-owned workout park.

The plans appear to replace to the park and the off-ramp, with a seven-story building fronting Crystal Drive, in line with the circa-2010 Crystal City Sector Plan. According to JBG, the development plan preserves 35,000 square feet of privately-owned open space, including the adjacent sand volleyball courts, and includes some street-level retail space.

Crystal City sand volleyball courts, next to proposed development site (via Google Maps)

“The Sector Plan envisions, as part of the development of Block W, the current airport access road off-ramp be removed to make way for the new developments,” notes JBG’s recent filing with the county. “Furthermore, the Sector Plan envisions Crystal Drive to be a retail-oriented mixed-use arterial street which includes a bike lane on Crystal Drive in Block W.”

The developer — the predominant property owner in the Crystal City and Pentagon City neighborhoods, also known collectively as National Landing — says the proposed development will transform an underutilized, vehicular-oriented area into new apartments and pedestrian-oriented ground floor retail… further connecting the neighborhood. ”

A press representative for the company confirmed the plans to keep the volleyball courts as one part of the 35,000 square feet of open space.

“JBG SMITH has sited the building to preserve the Crystal City Volleyball Courts and looks forward to engaging with the community on any improvements to this open space,” wrote the spokeswoman. She added that “eliminating the off-ramp will allow JBG SMITH to add over 400 feet of new sidewalk and streetscape, expanding the Crystal Drive pedestrian network to the south.”

JBG has several residential developments in the works in Crystal City.

This month, Arlington County is expected to advance a review of the company’s plans to add more apartment buildings to the River House site.

Plans to build two towers on the site of an 11-story office building and the former Jaleo restaurant, meanwhile, are still under review, according to Arlington County’s website. The Americana Hotel is currently being demolished to make way for one apartment tower while construction continues on two pairs of residential towers: one at 1900 Crystal Drive and another at 2001 and 2000 S. Bell Street, with construction expected to wrap up in 2024 and 2025, respectively. 

The press release about the new apartment redevelopment is below.

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Demolition comes for the Americana Hotel in Crystal City

By Jo DeVoe
1/6

It’s time to bid farewell to The Americana Hotel in Crystal City.

The long-time budget hotel along Richmond Highway is being demolished to make way for residential redevelopment across the street from Amazon’s nearly-open second headquarters and a short distance from the Crystal City Metro station.

A spokeswoman for JBG Smith confirmed the demolition to ARLnow this morning (Tuesday).

“Demolition and site work are currently underway, with the earliest possible construction start slated for 2024,” the spokeswoman said, adding that that is all she is able to say at this time.

The Americana Hotel closed in 2020 and JBG Smith quickly purchased it for a new apartment project, consisting of 639 new units, 3,885 square feet of ground floor retail and a distinct architectural feature akin to a partially covered walkway, which was nicknamed the “tabletop.”

Renderings of the proposed apartments to replace the Americana Hotel, with the ‘tabletop’ feature in view (via Arlington County)

The developer’s plans were approved by the Planning Commission and the Arlington County Board in April.

The Americana’s demolition is part of a trend in Arlington County of redeveloping aging motels and hotels.

The iconic Highlander Motel in Virginia Square, a frequent haunt for a motorcycle club, was turned into a CVS. The Days Inn motel in Lyon Village is set to become apartments, which the county is trying to ensure pays homage to the site’s history with a midcentury modern design.

The Key Bridge Marriott, meanwhile, has stood vacant — and is now condemned — after development plans were delayed, likely due to financial issues for the group that owns the site.

New apartment tower proposed for Route 1 in Crystal City

By Jo DeVoe
1/8

A sliver of an apartment building is being proposed for Crystal City along Route 1.

Developer Dweck Properties proposes to construct a new, 412,975-square-foot building with 403 residential units and additional mixed-use space near the existing Crystal Plaza Apartments (2111 Richmond Hwy), according to an application filed with Arlington County on May 3.

Doing so will require demolishing 70,899 square feet of the northern portion of the existing North Crystal Plaza Apartments building. Dweck says in its application that it will develop, with county staff, a plan to relocate tenants affected by the demolition.

Parking for the project at 2111 and 2101 Richmond Hwy would be provided in an underground garage that will connect to an existing garage under the Crystal Plaza Apartments complex.

The new apartment building would be wedged between Richmond Hwy and S. Clark-Bell Street, a new contiguous street created by realigning the current S. Clark and S. Bell streets. This is called for in the Crystal City Sector Plan, the planning document guiding development in the neighborhood.

“The realignment of Clark-Bell Street will remove elevated portions of the existing street, provide greater distance from Richmond Highway/US-1 at critical locations, establish a more regular street grid, create new development sites, and facilitate two-way traffic flow,” per a document included in the application.

The realigned S. Clark-Bell Street (via Arlington County)

S. Clark Street will shift east and tie into the existing S. Clark Street while the northern end of the road would line up with S. Bell Street north of 20th Street S.

Another major Crystal City property owner, JBG Smith, is realizing part of this reconfigured street — west of the Crystal Plaza Apartments — as part of a separate redevelopment project building two multifamily buildings. Construction on the two buildings, immediately north of Dweck’s proposal, started in January 2022.

If approved, 2111 and 2101 Richmond Hwy would tackle another part of the realignment. Filings with Arlington County highlight the work as a primary community benefit of this project.

“The proposed development will include significant site improvements, including (but not limited to) partial implementation of realigned Clark-Bell Street, improved onsite circulation, and new infrastructure,” writes Kedrick Whitmore, a land-use attorney representing Dweck.

“The proposed development will help to create the 18-hour active environment, provide substantial transportation upgrades, particularly along Clark-Bell Street, and enhance the retail environment,” he continued.

Bringing retail and residents to the heart of Crystal City realizes a “significant” goal of the Crystal City Sector Plan, Whitmore said.

“The influx of new residents and mixed uses will not only activate the existing fabric of Crystal City, but they will also provide a built-in market for the recently proposed retail projects on this same block,” he said.

Plans to build a bridge between Crystal City and DCA poised to take two steps forward

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

A plan for a pedestrian bridge between Crystal City and Reagan National Airport is headed to the Arlington County Board for endorsement this weekend.

Specifically, the Board is set to bless a girder-style bridge that will connect a future southern entrance to the Virginia Railway Express station at 2011 Crystal Drive to the airport’s Terminal 2. It is also slated to approve more funding for an engineering firm to further develop designs for the bridge, dubbed the CC2DCA multimodal connection.

“The goal of the project is to create an intermodal connection designed to meet the needs of a broad range of pedestrians, bicyclists, and micro-mobility users of all ages and abilities between the core of Crystal City, the Mount Vernon Trail, and DCA,” per a county report.

Currently, getting from Crystal City to DCA on foot or bike involves navigating a series of trails and crossings the county has previously described as “circuitous.”

“Once completed, the journey from the foot of the bridge to the newly constructed security checkpoint at DCA would be about 1,300 feet,” the National Landing Business Improvement District said in a pamphlet published last winter. “Once completed, the new CC2DCA Multimodal Connector would make National Landing the only downtown in the country with its main street within a comfortable 5-minute walk from a major airport.”

After endorsing the project on Saturday, the Board is set to approve a new $4.2 million contract with Boston-based civil engineering firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) so it can begin drafting preliminary designs. This includes nearly $386,000 in contingency.

CC2DCA preferred alternative and limits of land disturbance (via Arlington County)

Although it may seem incremental, the county says these signs of progress are important milestones in the years-long project, which the county projects could be completed in 2028.

First, this step forward means that a conceptual design phase and environmental review process led by the civil engineering firm VHB are wrapping up.

The County Board approved its first contract with the engineering firm in the spring of 2021 for design work.

Since then, the county, VHB and state and federal agencies winnowed down 16 initial bridge and tunnel connections to a “preferred alternative” and a runner-up bridge proposal, both unveiled last October.

The county says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Parks Service signed off on the “preferred alternative” this February.

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Police: Man bashes car with brick in robbery attempt

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A 41-year-old man is in jail after police say he used a brick in an early morning robbery attempt.

The incident happened around 2 a.m. in Crystal City. Police say the man stood in front of a car, demanded cash from those inside, then bashed the car with the brick “multiple times” before the victims were able to flee.

Police responded and took a suspect into custody.

From today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY, 2023-05070025, 1600 block of Crystal Drive. At approximately 2:02 a.m. on May 7, police were dispatched to the report of a destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined the victims were inside their vehicle attempting to leave the area when the male suspect allegedly approached, stood in front of the vehicle while holding a brick, and demanded money. The suspect struck the vehicle multiple times with the brick before the victims were able to leave the area. No injuries were reported. Responding officers canvassed the area, located the suspect, and took him into custody without incident. [The suspect], 41, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Destruction of Property, Attempted Robbery, and Abduction. He was held without bond.

Also in today’s crime report: another incident of teens running after an alleged vehicle-related crime.

This incident happened around 9:30 p.m. in Pentagon City, and involved five juvenile male suspects fleeing on foot before all being apprehended, according to ACPD.

ATTEMPTED GRAND LARCENY AUTO (Significant), 2023-05060271, 1400 block of S. Joyce Street. At approximately 9:24 p.m. on May 6, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering. Upon arrival, an officer observed approximately five juvenile suspects allegedly tampering with two vehicles, one of which had a smashed rear window. The officer attempted to make contact with the suspects, during which they fled the scene on foot. Officers initiated foot pursuits, located the five juvenile male suspects and took them into custody. Two suspects sustained minor injuries and were treated by medics. Petitions are pending for the juvenile suspects.

Additionally, there were two separate incidents of alleged gun brandishings, both along Columbia Pike over the weekend. One involved an implied gun and the other a BB gun, according to police.

BRANDISHING, 2023-05060148, 900 block of S. Dinwiddie Street. At approximately 12:29 p.m. on May 6, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect approached the two victims, allegedly physically assaulted Victim One and made threatening statements implying he had a firearm before leaving the scene. The victim reported minor injuries and did not require medical attention on scene. During the course of the investigation, the suspect returned to the area and was taken into custody without incident. [The suspect], 25, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Brandishing and Assault and Battery. He was held without bond.

BRANDISHING, 2023-05070094, 4800 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 12:13 p.m. on May 7, police were dispatched to the report of a person with a gun. Upon arrival, officers located the suspect on scene and took him into custody without incident. The investigation determined the suspect approached the known victim, told him to leave the area and when the victim refused, the suspect allegedly brandished a firearm. Officers recovered a BB gun on scene. No injuries were reported. [The suspect], 44, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Brandishing and Disorderly Conduct. He was held without bond.

The Armed Forces Cycling Classic returns to Clarendon and Crystal City early next month

By Matt Blitz
Armed Forces Cycling Classic (image via Armed Forces Cycling Classic)

The Armed Forces Cycling Classic is returning to speed around Clarendon and Crystal City for its 25th year early next month.

First beginning in 1998, the annual series of cycling races are set for Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4 this year. It features men’s and women’s pro-ams, a kids’ race, and the “Clarendon Cup”, a race that follows a one-kilometer course centered around the Clarendon Metro station.

There will also be the popular “challenge ride” on Saturday morning, where “cycling enthusiasts of all abilities” are invited to bike in what’s thought to be the area’s largest non-competitive ride. The 10-kilometer, closed-to-vehicle-traffic course will take cyclists around the Pentagon, Crystal City, and Rosslyn.

There’s a three-hour time limit and everyone who finishes at least one lap gets at least a bronze medal. Those who finish 6 to 8 laps or more in the three hours will get a silver medal, while those who finish 9 or more will get a gold.

Registration remains open for the challenge race, but organizers told ARLnow they are expecting to sell out this year, with attendance capped at 3,000 riders.

If the race does sell out, that would be about a 25% increase in participation from last year, organizers said.

The pro-am races are “by invite only” with the Clarendon Cup pulling from those races. That’s a 100-kilometer race following a one-kilometer course that loops around the Clarendon Metro station.

“The Clarendon Cup is known as one of the most difficult races of its kind in the U.S. due to the technical demands of the course and the quality of the participants,” the event’s website notes.

Some 140 riders are expected to participate in that race.

“I am very proud to have the Classic stand the test of time, with our 25th Edition”, Armed Forces Cycling Classic founder Rob Laybourn said in a statement. “Cycling as a sport or for leisure continues to grow and evolve in so many ways. We are committed to evolving this event by exposing more folks to cycling as a whole, while contributing positive value to the community as well as the sport.”

The full schedule of the weekend’s events is below.

Armed Forces Cycling Classic weekend schedule of events (image via Armed Forces Cycling Classic)

A number of road closures are planned for the races

While specifics have yet to be released, organizers said the closures are set to be similar to what’s been done over the past 24 years. Course maps show that a large swath of Route 110 will be closed to vehicle traffic from Rosslyn to Pentagon City, in addition to the closure of portions of 12th Street S. and Crystal Drive in Crystal City.

2023 Challenge Ride course at the Armed Forces Cycling Classic (image via Armed Forces Cycling Classic)

As has been the case in recent years, the Armed Forces Cycling Classic will provide support to Tragedy Assistance for Survivors. The Arlington-based organization provides care and resources for those grieving the death of a military or veteran loved one.

Pike fried chicken spot Queen Mother’s moving to revamped Crystal City Water Park

By Matt Blitz
1/9

The revamped Water Park in Crystal City is reopening this summer along with nearly a dozen new restaurants, including acclaimed local fried chicken spot Queen Mother’s.

The 1.6-acre park on Crystal Drive is reopening to the public this summer after a year-long construction effort, park owner JBG Smith announced this morning.

In addition to a number of food and drink spots, the revamped park will feature a live performance stage, public art installations, a building with public restrooms and bike facilities, and a “modernized fountain water wall” that empties into an “immersion fountain,” per a press release and renderings provided to ARLnow.

On top of the water wall will be an open-air raw and cocktail bar simply being called “Water Bar.” A New York-style pizza place will also be located in the park.

There will be a total of nine 300-square-foot restaurant kiosks lining Crystal Drive. Each will hold a small-scale eatery “meant to serve as incubator opportunities for up-and-coming culinary talent,” said the press release.

Among those are several notable local restaurants, including Queen Mother’s Restaurant — currently on Columbia Pike — and Reston-based Tiki Thai.

The full list of restaurants moving into the kiosks is below.

  • Brij, a DC-based café and wine bar by Skyler Kelley, whose vision is to bridge people and communities together with proceeds benefiting single mothers, the LGBTQ+ community, and the un-housed.
  • Bubbie’s Plant Burger, a plant-based and kosher certified Americana burgers, fries and soda pop shop from chef Margaux Riccio and general manager Shaun Sharkey, the creators of DC’s award-winning Asian fast casual restaurant Pow Pow.
  • Cracked Eggery, launched by Potomac native Mike Tabb and his partners as a popular food truck serving inventive egg sandwiches, bowls and tasty sides throughout DC. It now has permanent locations in Cleveland Park and Shaw, where it occupies space in a JBG SMITH-owned building.
  • DC Dosa, Bombay-born Priya Ammu’s South Indian street food concept, and her first location outside of Union Market.
  • Dolci Gelati, a DC-born gelato shop by Gianluigi and Anastasia Dellaccio serving up 450+ seasonal and artisanal flavors made fresh on a daily-basis as well as a robust coffee/espresso program.
  • Falafel Inc., launched by Ahmad Ashkar in Georgetown with a simple, inexpensive menu of falafel bowls, sandwiches and sides and the goal of feeding refugees alongside the World Food Programme.
  • PhoWheels, a family-based business from Tuan and Jennifer Vo featuring Vietnamese inspired dishes. Their kiosk will be the first brick and mortar location for the popular DC food truck.
  • Tiki Thai, a new outpost of chef Porntipa “Pat” Pattanamekar’s Reston eatery that has been dubbed “Virginia’s first premier tiki bar and Thai restaurant,” offering a wide-range of eats inspired by Thai and Polynesian cuisine.
  • Queen Mother’s, Virginia native and James Beard Award Semi-Finalist Chef Rahman “Rock” Harper’s tribute to his mother through his renowned fried chicken joint.

Queen Mother’s owner and chef Rahman “Rock” Harper, who was semifinalist for a James Beard award earlier this year, told ARLnow that the new Crystal City location will serve the fried chicken sandwiches and duck-fat fries the restaurant is known for. The plan is to also debut new flavors — and alcohol.

“We’re going to introduce some cocktails, maybe a cocktail on tap or a beer or two. So you’ll be able to get your chicken sandwich and your duck-fat fries with a nice little tasty beverage,” Harper said.

The new location at the Water Park will also mark the end of Queen Mother’s run on Columbia Pike, at least for restaurant-style service. Harper said he’s going to keep the space to help with catering orders, though.

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Trader Joe’s appears to be coming to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com
2450 Crystal Drive in 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 11 a.m.) Crystal City, for years a grocery desert, appears set to land a coveted Trader Joe’s store.

A construction permit application has been filed for 2450 Crystal Drive, one of the newly-upgraded Century Center towers just south of 23rd Street S. It calls for “landlord prep work to prepare for new Trader Joe’s Grocery Store.”

“Garage Levels, B1 and B2, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor are affected,” notes the permit application, which was filed on Friday.

As reported in February, a website for the renovated office complex says that a “food market,” as well as “casual and upscale restaurants, [a] boutique fitness club, and more,” are “in the works.” A new open-air retail plaza at the complex is set to open this spring, we reported.

Responding this morning to an inquiry from ARLnow, a Trader Joe’s spokesperson did not directly address whether the company would be opening at 2450 Crystal Drive, instead noting only that it’s not on a published list of imminent store openings.

“We consider many locations,” wrote Nakia Rohde. “All of the locations that are opening soon are listed on our website. Unfortunately, Arlington is not on the list at this time.”

Arlington has an existing Trader Joe’s store that opened in Clarendon in 2011. Other nearby locations include 1101 25th St NW in D.C.’s West End, 612 N. St. Asaph Street in Old Town Alexandria, 7514 Leesburg Pike in Tysons and 5847 Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads.

Crystal City’s long grocery drought ended last year with the opening of an Amazon Fresh store at 1550 Crystal Drive. There are other grocery stores just outside of the neighborhood, with a Whole Foods at 520 12th Street S. in Pentagon City, and Harris Teeter locations at 3600 S. Glebe Road in the Potomac Yard area and 900 Army Navy Drive in Pentagon City.

Hat tip to Chris Slatt

UPDATED: Two arrested trying to swim to freedom after car chase, crash and foot chase

By ARLnow.com
Virginia State Police cruiser in Arlington (staff photo)

Two suspects led authorities on a three-hour-long pursuit by land and by water overnight.

The chase started around 1 a.m. in Crystal City, when a Virginia State Police trooper spotted a car with improper tags, which then fled from an attempted traffic stop. The chase made its way onto I-395 near the Pentagon, where the suspect’s car struck a police cruiser, according to Virginia State Police, after which the suspects fled on foot, chased by troopers.

The suspects ran toward Long Bridge Drive and eventually reached Roaches Run, where “the two subjects jumped into the water and began swimming” toward the GW Parkway, said VSP. A perimeter was established around the area and both the Fairfax County police and U.S. Park Police helicopters were called in to assist with the search for the suspects, who were by then trying to hide.

Arlington police and Park Police assisted on the ground during the incident.

Eventually, the suspects were spotted and, at 2:30 a.m., the Arlington County Fire Department’s water rescue team was dispatched to Roaches Run. The suspects were suffering from exposure to the cold water and were taken to a local hospital after being taken into custody by state troopers on an ACFD boat just before 4 a.m.

Update on 4/21/23 — Virginia State Police have released the following update on the investigation into Wednesday’s early morning chase, naming a male suspect who is now facing charges. A second, female vehicle occupant is so far not reported to be facing charges.

At approximately 12:59 a.m. Wednesday (April 19), a Virginia State Police Trooper alerted to a two-door Chrysler displaying improper registration (wrong license plates). When the trooper activated his emergency lights and sirens to attempt a traffic stop at 18th St. and S. Crystal Dr., the Chrysler refused to stop and sped away. A pursuit was initiated. The pursuit continued north on I-395 at which time state police attempted to contain the Chrysler as it was traveling on the right shoulder. The Chrysler struck one of the trooper’s vehicles, which caused both vehicles to spin around and collide a second time. The driver and passenger of the Chrysler then fled the scene on foot. With the assistance of Arlington County Police and Fairfax County Police resources, a search perimeter was established.

At approximately 1:55 a.m., troopers spotted the two subjects hiding near Roaches Run. As the troopers approached, the two subjects jumped into the water and began swimming across Roaches Run towards the GW Parkway. The U.S. Park Police responded to assist state police as the two subjects hid in the water to avoid detection and arrest.

Arlington County Fire and Rescue deployed its water rescue team and an adult male and a 23-year-old female were located and taken into custody without further incident. They were both transported to a nearby hospital for treatment due to their exposure to the cold water temperatures.

Bryant R. Mayo, 26, of Washington, DC, was charged with one felony count of eluding law enforcement and one felony charge of leaving the scene of a crash.

The incident remains under investigation.

Peruvian Brothers eyes summer opening at Amazon’s HQ2

By Matt Blitz
1/3

Empanada eatery Peruvian Brothers is set to return to Arlington this summer.

The fast-casual Peruvian restaurant owned by two brothers is planning to open in the first phase of Amazon’s HQ2 sometime in the summer, co-owner Giuseppe Lanzone told ARLnow. That timeline appears to follow Amazon’s schedule for opening its gleaming new office complex at 1400 S. Eads Street.

The new 2,000-square-foot restaurant on the first floor of the new building will have a full menu and a cocktail bar, serving pisco sours, among other drinks. This marks a return to the neighborhood for Peruvian Brothers, which previously occupied a stand at the Crystal City Water Park before the park underwent renovations.

Last July, it was announced that the restaurant was one of several moving into HQ2. The recently-announced delay for the second phase of the headquarters didn’t impact Peruvian Brothers since it’s moving into the almost-completed first phase.

“We are very much looking forward to going back into the National Landing area because the last they know we only had a small stand selling empanadas and some drinks,” Lanzone said. “Now, we are bringing our whole menu and a whole new bar concept. We hope all the neighbors… come enjoy a drink, a bite of food, and hang out.”

Giuseppe and fellow co-owner Mario Lanzone are originally from Peru and moved with their family to McLean in 1997. Prior to becoming a restaurateur, Giuseppe was a two-time Olympic rower for Team USA.

It was a decade ago when the Lanzone brothers first began their Alexandria-based food truck and catering business. Lanzone said they are celebrating its ten-year anniversary this week.

In February 2020, the brothers opened their first brick-and-mortar spot in La Cosecha, a Latin American market in D.C. Then, the pandemic hit and shut down the newly-opened location.

Thankfully, Lanzone lived in Crystal City and often jogged by the then-unoccupied stand in the privately-owned water park. The brothers struck a deal with park owner JBG Smith to serve a limited menu of empanadas and a few drinks out of the small space.

They were there for about two years before closing, but it led to an even bigger opportunity with the brothers moving into the largest restaurant space they’ve ever occupied.

The new restaurant will feature a similar menu as its La Cosecha location, which includes sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, and ceviche along with empanadas, but with at least one new addition.

“One of the things that were very popular with my brother and I growing up in La Punta on the coast of Peru were croquetas y pulpos, Peruvian croquettes,” Lanzone said. “It’s like an octopus burger, so to speak, which is absolutely delicious.”

The space will be designed with art and murals influenced and done by fellow Peruvians, he said.

Lanzone admits it’s been a bit of a challenge to build out the expansive space, from the back of the kitchen all the way to the front doors, but the reward is that they get to show off their shared heritage and culture to all who come by.

“We are very much looking forward [to bringing]…a little bit of a taste of where my brother Mario and I grew up… and where we come from,” Lanzone said. “From day one, teaching and sharing our Peruvian culture to everybody else that hasn’t been there yet. And, hopefully, one day will get to go there.”

Ten restaurants with local connections are up for RAMMY awards this year

By Matt Blitz
1/10

(Updated at 2:40 p.m.) Ten restaurants and restaurateurs with Arlington ties were named finalists for one of the region’s most prestigious dining awards.

Ruthie’s All Day, Bar Ivy, Circa, and SALT were among the finalists named for a RAMMY award this year, which was announced earlier this week. Plus, the restaurant group that owns Ballston’s Salt Line, Shirlington’s Stellina Pizzeria, a manager at Ambar Clarendon, and the pastry chef at Liberty Restaurant Group, as well as fast casual spots Rasa and Moby Dick House of Kabob, were included in the list.

The RAMMY Awards are handed out by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, the region’s restaurant industry trade association. The intention is to honor restaurants for their work in the previous year, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022. A gala is set for July where the winners will be announced. This year marks the 41st edition of the RAMMYs.

For the first time, this year the dining public could choose the finalists for five categories including best bar, best brunch, favorite gathering spot, best sandwich, and favorite fast bites. Diners can now vote for the winners online, with voting continuing through May 31.

In total, ten finalists this year have some Arlington ties, including several up for some of the biggest awards. That exceeds last year’s seven finalists, which were essentially on par with previous years.

Clarendon’s Bar Ivy is a finalist for best new restaurant of the year. The “West Coast-inspired” outdoor garden-centric spot opened on Wilson Blvd this past June.

“The RAMMY nomination has been amazing — there have been so many noteworthy restaurants opening in the last year and to be recognized as one of the top 5 is humbling. We’re over the moon to be recognized for all the hard work from our team and it’s really a tribute to them,” owner Greg Algie wrote in a statement to ARLnow. “We’re always looking at ourselves, thinking of what we can do to be better every day, and an honor like this just pushes us to continue to bring a memorable experience day in and day out.”

The acclaimed Ruthie’s All Day in Arlington Heights was nominated for “Favorite Gathering Place,” given to the restaurant “rooted in its neighborhood where guests come to eat, drink, and get together with friends over and over again.” Last year, diner-esque eatery won for “Casual Restaurant of the Year.” It was also named one of Washingtonian’s Very Best 100 Restaurants earlier this year.

“We feel so fortunate to have such tremendous support from our Arlington community and to be nominated with other outstanding local neighborhood businesses,” said chef and owner Matt Hill.

Salt in Rosslyn made the list for having the best cocktail program. The bar on S. Lynn Street opened in 2019.

“We are over the moon and so honored by your support,” the restaurant wrote on social media about the nomination.

Salt in Rosslyn’s Instagram post celebrating its RAMMY nomination (image via screenshot/Instagram)

Five additional restaurants with Arlington outposts were nominated for RAMMYs.

Moby Dick House of Kabob was chosen by the public as a “Favorite Gathering Place.” The local kabob chain has a number of locations across the region, including in Clarendon and Shirlington.

Long Shot Hospitality, which owns both Salt Line locations, including the one that opened in Ballston in late 2021, is up for Restaurateur of the Year. Circa, with a Clarendon location, was also nominated by the public for best brunch.

RASA, which has a location in Crystal City, and Stellina Pizzeria, with a spot in Shirlington, will compete against one another in the favorite fast bites category.

Individuals with Arlington connections are finalists too. Ambar Clarendon’s Snjezana Jaksic was nominated for the manager of the year and Bridie McCulla of Liberty Restaurant Group is on the list as pastry chef or baker of the year.

McCulla — who has been nominated before — bakes for Liberty Tavern, Lyon Hall, and Northside Social, all in Arlington.

Other restaurateurs with local ties are up for RAMMYs, though not for their Arlington locations. Hot Lola’s owner Kevin Tien is on the list for chef of the year for his work at D.C.’s Moon Rabbit while Rose Previte is nominated for restaurateur of the year. She’s planning to open up a new restaurant in Clarendon later this year that was previously dubbed Tawle but is now being called Kirby Club.

In addition, restaurant software startup MarginEdge, based in Ballston, is up for an award that “best exemplifies commitment to and support of RAMW.”

The full list of all the Arlington RAMMY finalists is below.

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