The name refers to the year Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines
The Filipino restaurant is located at 900 N. Glebe Road
The eatery has capacity for 60 to sit outside
It is the successor to Applebee’s, which closed earlier this year
An entrance is located on 9th Street N.
The restaurant will serve Filipino comfort food
It has various Filipino staples like rice and noodle dishes as well as speciality entrees
Inside, there is space for 220 people
The artwork includes various references to the Philippines, its culture and its history
Bistro 1521 is open at 4 p.m. each day for dinner, with lunch and brunch to follow soon
The restaurant is on the first floor of the Virginia Tech Research Center
Just months after national chain Applebee’s closed in Ballston, its replacement, Filipino restaurant Bistro 1521, has opened its doors.
Located at 900 N. Glebe Road on the first floor of the the Virginia Tech Research Center and next door to the recently-opened Stageplate Bistro, the new spot occupies a large restaurant space, with seating capacity for 220 inside and 60 on the outside patio. It opened July 31.
The restaurant has a slew of Filipino staples, including soups, salads, rice and dishes with noodles and various meats. Bistro 1521 also has various grill and house specialty dishes including jumbo squid stuffed with tomatoes and onions; Cebu crab cakes and a “1521 Burger” with ground beef, longaniza (a Spanish sausage), atchara (pickle) and sweet potato fries.
Those behind the restaurant include Manny Tagle, bartender Jo-Jo Valenzuela and wife Christina Valenzuela, and general manager Solita Wakefield. Wakefield was previously a co-owner of Bistro 7107, a Filipino restaurant on 23rd Street S. in Crystal City, which recently closed. Jo-Jo Valenzuela said the dishes will be recognizable to those who love Filipino food.
“We want to be careful about calling our food authentic, because everyone’s mother cooks meals differently,” he said. “But we’re definitely traditional Filipino comfort food.”
The restaurant’s name refers to the year Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines, and the artwork on the wall includes references to the country’s flag and other part of its history.
Dinner service begins at 4 p.m. each day, with lunch and brunch services set to launch in the near future.
Pentagon City Wine Merchant appears set to move into Pentagon City
The store at 1330 S. Fair Street will sell beer and wine according to an application
It may replace the Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt store, next door to Epic Smokehouse
The Millennium at Metropolitan Park apartment building (via Google Maps)
A new wine store and gourmet shop is coming to Pentagon City, according to a Virginia ABC application.
The store, called Pentagon City Wine Merchant in the application, would be located at 1330 S. Fair Street, near The Millennium at Metropolitan Park apartment building and across from Costco.
It may replace the Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt store, which closed in 2015 and had gone unfilled until now. The new store will also be next door to the Epic Smokehouse, an upscale barbecue restaurant that opened in 2012.
As of Tuesday, August 1, no building permit applications had been filed with the county.
Calls to the phone number associated with the ABC application went unreturned.
In addition to facing competition from the Costco across the street, the store will also compete with the Whole Foods store a block away.
Chelsea Market & Deli will move into 2250 Clarendon Blvd in Courthouse Plaza
The market will serve a wide variety of foods from 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
A new deli serving a wide range of food and drink is coming to Courthouse and could open as early as this fall.
The Chelsea Market & Deli will be located at 2250 Clarendon Blvd in the plaza near county government headquarters. It will replace the shuttered City Market convenience store, and be opposite Starbucks, Clarendon Nail Spa and GNC near the Courthouse Plaza apartments.
Owner Shawn Kim said Chelsea Market & Deli could be open sometime in October, depending on how permitting and construction goes. Kim said he is adding a full kitchen with a pizza oven, which could make things more complicated, and that he anticipates being open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The new deli will serve traditional deli food like corned beef pastrami, hot sandwiches, pizzas and salads as well as international cuisine like Jamaican food. After living in New York and being a regular at various street-corner delis and markets, Kim said he wanted to bring that back to Arlington.
“It seems like here, everything is so franchised and the food is good sometimes, but you don’t get that home cooking taste anymore,” Kim said. “I’m trying to bring that food back.”
Chelsea Market & Deli has filed an application with Virginia ABC to serve beer and wine, and Kim said it will also serve various breakfast staples like waffles, pancakes, omelets and French toast. Cheeses and other snacks will also be sold.
He added that the new eatery, which will be focused on being a carry-out market rather than a full sit-down restaurant, will try to keep prices low.
“I’ve been working in the food industry for a long time, and the need for sandwiches and pizza for a good price, it’s hard to find these days,” Kim said.
Equinox Gym Coming to Clarendon — “Clarendon is getting an Equinox health club — just the third standalone location of the gym in the D.C. area. The high-end fitness facility will be part of the Market Common development in the Arlington neighborhood, according to two real estate broker sources familiar with the deal.” [Washington Business Journal]
Local Seniors Have Millennial Transit Traits — “Arlington seniors are fairly tech savvy. They are generally comfortable with transportation tasks such as searching options online to using apps on their smartphones. They generally have a young frame of mind and are open to considering new ways of doing things (including trying various modes of transportation) and the latest technology.” [Mobility Lab]
History of Local Newspapers — Arlington, Alexandria and D.C. have a rich history of local newspapers, with one currently-published paper tracing its roots back to 1800. [Falls Church News-Press]
Soon, some parts of Arlington will be just a walk away from the latest Wawa location.
The convenience store with a cult-like following announced today (Monday) it will open a new store at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue NW and Prospect Street NW in Georgetown. That is within blocks of the Key Bridge and about a mile from the center of Rosslyn.
Wawa said it expects to open the store by the end of next year.
In a press release, Wawa promised the store will “feature the latest Wawa offerings with an upscale, urban feel, including customized architectural elements that meet the historical needs and requirements of the Old Georgetown Historic District.”
The store will include Wawa’s food and drink offerings as well as custom salads and nitro, cold brew coffee. It will be another one of the company’s “urban” stores, as it moves away from its suburban model where a gas station is attached.
Wawa earlier this month announced its first location in the region at 1111 19th Street NW, near the Farragut North Metro station. The push is part of the company’s efforts to add between 30 and 50 stores in the Washington region.
“This second location is one more step in Wawa’s overall D.C. expansion as we continue to look for sites and with the goal of opening numerous locations throughout the city over the next few years,” said Brian Schaller, Wawa’s chief real estate officer, in a statement.
Wawa officials say they are actively pursuing sites in and around D.C., potentially to include Arlington.
“Wawa will also continue its ongoing expansion in the surrounding counties in Maryland and Virginia to further our brand expansion,” the company said.
D.C.’s first Wawa will be at 1111 19th Street NW, and could come to Arlington soon
Wawa will debut its “Wild Goose Cafe” for its urban stores
The D.C. location will include outdoor seating
The new D.C. store will be an urban model for Wawa
John Poplawski, Wawa’s senior director of site acquisition and development, speaks at Newseum
The Fan Zone outside Newseum offering merchandise and photos with Shorti
Wawa-branded food at the Newseum event
The event brought together various D.C.-area organizations and developers
Convenience store giant Wawa is considering expanding into Arlington County as part of its push into the D.C. and Virginia market, but has no firm plans yet.
Wawa, which operates more than 750 stores in six states including 81 in Virginia, announced Tuesday night its first location will be in the District at 1111 19th Street NW.
And with an aggressive plan to add 30-50 stores in the region, including 5-10 in the next two years alone, Wawa representatives said there will be a concerted push to also look beyond D.C.’s neighborhoods and into the outlying counties in Maryland and Virginia.
“We think of Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun [counties] a little differently, not so much as part of our District expansion but really more as part of our Virginia expansion,” said John Poplawski, Wawa’s senior director of site acquisition and development, in an interview. “We continue to work towards those, but frankly, the approval process and the zoning are a little more challenging in those markets.”
With its new store in D.C., Wawa is looking to expand its more urban stores, as opposed to its previous model of operating in suburban locations with gas stations attached.
The new District store will be the largest Wawa store in the country, and as well as the latest food offerings will be the first to have counter, indoor and outdoor seating. The store will also be the first to have Wawa’s so-called “Wild Goose” café brand.
Wawa announced its first foray into D.C. at an event Tuesday night at the Newseum. Company executives were joined by representatives of various local organizations and developers in a conference room overlooking the city skyline to unveil designs of the new store.
Outside, the company set up a Fan Zone where customers could pose for photographs with mascots Wally and Shorti and pick up branded merchandise.
Wawa is famous across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Florida as well as elsewhere in Virginia for offering fresh food including made-to-order hoagies, fresh coffee and a slew of other food items including breakfast sandwiches.
And given the similarities between neighborhoods in D.C. and areas of Arlington like Ballston, Clarendon, Pentagon City and Crystal City, county residents could get a taste in their neighborhood soon.
“We’re looking for those intersections that have throughout the day pedestrian counts, folks that are there on the weekends, folks that are there late-night, surrounding businesses that will support us, and we have great partners here in the District,” Poplawski said.
Poplawski said more store locations will be announced in the next “60-90 days.” Rumors have swirled online about new stores opening in Chinatown and Georgetown in D.C., while a store in Sterling in Loudoun County will open on June 23.
Construction crews will convert a 2,212 square foot space back to its original retail use
There is no word yet on an opening date for the coffee bar
The RCA Building in 2016 (file photo)
A coffee bar is moving into the RCA building in Rosslyn, in place of an English language school.
Permitting applications indicate that Central Coffee Bar — also known as Cities Coffee and Bar in county filings — will replace part of the Inlingua English Center in the first floor of the building at 1901 N. Moore Street.
Workers will convert the 2,212 square feet of office space back to its original retail use. As of Friday morning, work is underway to tear up the floors and ceilings.
Inlingua will remain in the building, but with a reduced footprint.
The building is set for demolition in the next few years, to be replaced by a residential tower. The Washington Business Journal reported last month that a 407-apartment building with 12,709 square feet of ground-floor retail space has been proposed in its place.
No word yet on an opening date for the new coffee bar.
Tattoo artist Gilda Acosta owns the studio, which begins accepting bookings this weekend
Lady Octopus Tattoos will open at 3240 Wilson Blvd this month
Portico Church and a real estate agent are among the building’s other tenants
A tattoo studio plans to open in Clarendon this month.
Lady Octopus Tattoos, set to move into 3240 Wilson Blvd, is owned by tattoo artist Gilda Acosta. According to the business’ Instagram account, potential clients can begin booking appointments this weekend. Those interested can also sign up for updates on its website.
The studio will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays. It will be closed on Mondays.
The studio will be in the same building as the Portico Church and Arlington Premier Realty, among other businesses.
Acosta attributes her creativity to her childhood, which she spent filling blank pages with illustrations. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the Corcoran College of Art and Design. Following her schooling, Acosta began a three-year apprenticeship with the tattoo artist Fatty of Fatty’s Tattoos & Piercings.
“Her interest in the natural world is evident in her depictions of oceanic and botanical life as well as her figurative work, which has been a main interest since her earliest encounters with pencil and paper. Her work is as influenced by humor, music, and everyday situations as by themes of gender and sexuality, dreams and the subconscious, spirituality and the occult,” says Acosta’s website.
Takohachi Japanese Restaurant is replacing Sports House at the Westmont Shopping Center
Permits have been filed with the county to demolish the building’s interior
The restaurant at 3249 Columbia Pike is between a State Farm and Mattress Firm
A Japanese restaurant is coming to the Westmont Shopping Center at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Glebe Road, replacing the Sports House Grill.
According to permit applications filed with the county, Takohachi Japanese Restaurant will move into the space at 3249 Columbia Pike.
As of Thursday, building permits for interior demolition were in the window of the spot between a State Farm agent and a Mattress Firm store.
The Sports House Grill was at the center of some controversy in recent years. In 2013, the County Board denied its application to renew its live entertainment permit to continue karaoke nights.
Neighboring civic associations, the police department and Virginia ABC all opposed the renewal due to concerns about crime. Neighbors had raised concerns about vandalism, violence in the parking lot and alleged drug sales.
Sugar Factory is now open at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City (photo via Joy Asico)
Sugar Factory at Pentagon City
The restaurant includes an attached retail section selling candy (photo via Joy Asico)
Burgers make up a dinner menu filled with staples and new food items (photo by Joy Asico)
The grab-and-go candy store (photo via Joy Asico)
Weekend brunch is available, while the retail opens at 10 a.m. (photo by Joy Asico)
Items on the outdoor host stand at Sugar Factory
Included on the drinks menu are numerous cocktails, influenced by candy (photo by Joy Asico)
The outdoor seating at Sugar Factory
Sugar Factory opens each day at 11 a.m. at 1101 S. Hayes Street
A new restaurant and candy shop is open at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City.
Sugar Factory American Brasserie offers an extensive lunch, dinner and weekend brunch menu, and also has a grab-and-go bulk candy store, an ice cream and coffee shop and outdoor seating by the sidewalk at 1100 S. Hayes Street.
The restaurant will be open daily for lunch and dinner, Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with retail opening at 10 a.m. On Friday and Saturday, dining is open 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., with retail opening at 10 a.m. Weekend brunch will also be available.
A seven-page dessert menu includes traditional favorites as well as the King Kong Sundae, which can serve up to 12 guests with 24 scoops of ice cream adorned with various decorations, sauces, fruits and candy, all topped with giant rainbow lollipops and sparklers.
From a press release:
Arlington, VA (May 26, 2017) — Famed eatery and candy shop, Sugar Factory American Brasserie, opens its first location in Northern Virginia in Pentagon City (1100 Hayes Street, Arlington, VA), bringing the internationally-renowned celebrity sweets and signature treats it’s known for to the Washington, D.C. metro area.
The 5,500-square foot Sugar Factory restaurant and retail store is adjacent to the bustling Fashion Centre at Pentagon City Mall, housing a brasserie-style dining room with vibrant, whimsical decor that seats up to 200 guests. The family-friendly location also features a grab-and-go bulk candy store, an ice cream and coffee shop and outdoor sidewalk seating.
The diverse food menu, curated by a team of world-class chefs, includes a tasty selection of lunch, dinner and weekend brunch originals and classics such as red velvet pancakes, sweet and savory crepes, specialty Monster Burgers and sliders, entree salads, pasta dishes and innovative pizzas. Foodie favorites like the Fried Macaroni & Cheese Pops, Chinese Chicken Salad and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich — made with buttermilk-battered Buffalo chicken breast, shredded lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes and celery aioli, served on a brioche bun — offer something for every occasion, from birthday parties to bachelorette bashes.
Sugar Factory’s legendary dessert menu includes the famously colossal King Kong Sundae, designed to serve up to 12 guests with 24 scoops of ice cream adorned with sprinkles, caramel, strawberry & fudge sauce, toasted marshmallows, Reese’s Pieces, chocolate chip cookies, crushed waffle cones, gummy bears, white chocolate strawberry shavings, sliced bananas, toasted walnuts and whipped cream, all topped with giant rainbow lollipops and sparklers.
But the sweets don’t stop there! Guests will find seven pages worth of dessert options on the extensive Sugar Factory Pentagon City menu, like traditional and frozen hot chocolate, old-fashioned ice cream sundaes, gourmet ice cream sandwiches, chocolate fondue, cheesecakes, pies and cakes. Plus, there are 18 original decadent shakes to try, including eight signature Insane Milkshakes like the best-selling Bacon Cheeseburger Milkshake, made with strawberry ice cream and topped with candied bacon, pretzels, M&Ms and a cheeseburger slider.
The brand’s selection of celebrated premium cocktails mix sweet treats with spiked adult beverages, including the signature 36-ounce alcohol-infused, smoking candy goblets like the White Gummi, a mix of Cruzan peach and raspberry rums garnished with gummy worms. Sugar Factory’s martini selections include candy inspired treats like the Sour Apple Lolly Martini, finished off with a Pop Rocks rim.
Sugar Factory’s menu and playful, over-the-top ambiance add a touch of sweetness to Pentagon City, where fans can get their hands on the brand’s world-famous Couture Pops in every flavor and color, including blinged-out designs by Kendall and Kylie Jenner. The Pentagon City space also showcases glam photos of Sugar Factory’s other A-list celeb fans, such as Rihanna, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian West, Drake and many more.
Sugar Factory Pentagon City will be open daily for lunch and dinner, Sunday through Thursday, 11am to 11pm (retail opens at 10am) and Friday & Saturday, 11am to 1am (retail opens at 10am). Weekend brunch will also be available on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations and group bookings are available by calling 703.258.3374 or by visiting OpenTable, https://www.opentable.com/r/sugar-factory-pentagon-mall-arlington.
“Sugar Factory is all about celebrating the sweetest moments in life, so we combine a fun, unforgettable dining experience for any age with an elevated twist on classic American and French dishes,” says Charissa Davidovici, Founder of Sugar Factory American Brasserie. “From our Insane Milkshakes to our Monster Burgers to our endless candy options, we are all about treasuring family fun, having a ball and savoring every memory. We are looking forward to our grand opening event and welcoming the community to our space.”
Rock ‘n’ Joe Coffee Bar has rebranded as Republika
Various reminders of the bar’s old name remain, including the cup sleeves
Inside, the space at 4401 Wilson Blvd appears unchanged
Rock ‘n’ Joe opened in November, part of an ambitious expansion plan
The rebranding happened recently, according to an employee
Less than a year after it opened in Ballston, the Rock ‘n’ Joe Coffee Bar has rebranded.
Now known as the Republik Coffee Bar, the spot at 4401 Wilson Blvd made the switch “a few days ago,” according to an employee Wednesday morning. There are still various references to its former name — right down to the “Rock ‘n’ Joe” cup sleeves still in use and the murals still on the wall.
Republik still serves coffee, tea and food, including sandwiches and salads. The interior appears unchanged from its previous iteration.
The original plan had been for Rock ‘n’ Joe to open five stores in the D.C. metro area under franchise owner Talha Sarac, with the potential to expand beyond the region.
According to paperwork filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, the new coffee bar is registered under Sarac’s name. Rock ‘n’ Joe no longer lists the Ballston location on its website; only its locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Sarac did not respond to requests for comment, but a spokeswoman for the county’s department of community, planning, housing and development confirmed an application was submitted last month for a change of tenant for the business.
