But Bronson Bier Hall has taken pains to cultivate a fun but more subdued aesthetic than the rip-roaring A-Town, which was noted for its once-frequent appearances in crime report items.
The interior is composed of brick columns and copper countertops, with long tables and walls decorated with antique agricultural equipment.
“We didn’t want people to walk in and go ‘it’s A-Town’,” said chef and co-owner Mike Cordero. “This is more for sitting with a beer or playing some games. It’s more mellow and chill.”
Games at the Bier Hall include shuffleboard, darts and ping pong.
Cordero said the main focus of Bronson Bier Hall is having an “old world” feel. The beer selection is a mix of local beers and a collection of German imports.
The restaurant will also feature schnitzel and bratwurst, with a station where visitors can literally see how the sausage gets made.
The Bier Hall is a partnership between Mike Cordero, his son Nick Cordero, prolific nightlife and haircut purveyor Scott Parker, and Gary Koh. Cordero said the restaurant will open sometime next week, though a specific date hasn’t been chosen yet.
Another new Cordero venture, Taco Rock restaurant in Rosslyn, is also currently in the works.
A new BBQ restaurant is planning to open next spring in Clarendon.
Smokecraft Modern Barbecue is coming to the former Citizen Burger Bar space at 1051 N. Highland Street, according to a press release.
The team behind the restaurant has been racking up honors at competitions around the Mid-Atlantic and plans to offer traditional barbecue favorites as well as “unique flavors and ingredients,” including smoked duck, salmon and spaghetti squash.
“Smokecraft is installing a pair of Southern Pride commercial smokers which will allow the team to simultaneously smoke over 2,000 pounds of meat while using an assortment of woods to create various smoked flavors,” the restaurant said in the press release.
Citizen Burger Bar closed in June after five years in business.
The full press release is below.
The award-winning team behind Smokecraft Championship BBQ is pleased to announce its first brick and mortar restaurant, Smokecraft Modern Barbecue, slated for a Spring 2020 opening in Arlington’s Clarendon neighborhood at 1051 N Highland Street. Smokecraft will offer a menu to satisfy every taste as well as outdoor dining, varied beverage options, and late-night specials. The space is located on the ground floor of a 10-story, LEED certified office building owned by KBS, one of the largest owners of premier commercial real estate in the country.
“It’s long been a dream to open our own restaurant, and we are excited to bring our award-winning barbecue to the Arlington community,” said Smokecraft Owner & Operating Partner Andrew Darneille. “Our goal is to continue to push the boundaries of what barbecue is and can be. This has driven our success, including our Turkey Smoke Grand Championship at this year’s Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle here in DC, and we’re excited to see what the future holds.”
Smokecraft is installing a pair of Southern Pride commercial smokers which will allow the team to simultaneously smoke over 2,000 pounds of meat while using an assortment of woods to create various smoked flavors. Award-winning Pitmaster Marc “Red” Leone’s menu boasts modern takes on a variety of barbecue favorites, offering something for everyone. Pulling unique flavors and ingredients from around the country, potential options include a reverse-seared tri-tip sirloin, smoked duck, chipotle maple cedar plank salmon, and smoked spaghetti squash. Distinctive weekend brunch offerings include Smokecraft’s award-winning smoked Monte Cristo, slow-smoked pastrami hash, and pulled chicken & waffles. The expansive 30-foot bar will be the perfect backdrop to showcase Smokecraft’s diverse beverage program, featuring a seasonally rotating variety of handcrafted cocktails and 10 craft beers on tap to enjoy.
Award-winning DC-based firm Grizform Design Architects, led by Owner and Principal Griz Dwight, will transform the 3,460 square-foot restaurant into a modern barbecue destination. A dynamic seating layout will accommodate 95 diners with an additional 20 seats for outdoor dining. The design team will employ natural, organic elements like stained wood and veneers, brick, stone, metal, and warm lighting throughout the eatery. “We are thrilled for the opportunity to work with Smokecraft Modern Barbecue to bring a modern design to the residents of Arlington, emphasizing the fundamental barbecue ingredients: wood, brick, fire, steel, and secret sauce,” said Griz Dwight.
According to KBS Senior VP and Asset Manager Stephen Close, 3003 Washington Boulevard is a prime location for Smokecraft’s very first restaurant. “This property is located in an urban walkable village approximately two miles from Washington D.C.,” says Close. “Based on this irreplaceable location, Smokecraft Modern Barbecue will benefit from built-in patronage from our building’s office tenants and employees, as well as the ability to quickly connect with the surrounding community. Just as Smokecraft continuously pushes the boundaries of an exceptional culinary experience, KBS is constantly innovating and delivering the very highest level of amenities to our properties throughout the US. These like-minded goals make Smokecraft an excellent match for this building.”
‘Mabel’s Restaurant’ Coming to Arlington Heights — The restaurant coming to the grounds of the Dominion Apartments, at the former Sherwin Williams paint store (3411 5th Street S.), is called “Mabel’s Restaurant.” An outdoor seating area is planned for the restaurant, according to permit filings. [Arlington Economic Development]
Northam Visits Amazon — “In June, we were excited to open our first temporary office space for our Arlington headquarters in Crystal City. Today, we welcomed @GovernorVA to tour our new work space and meet with Amazonians from the Commonwealth.” [Twitter]
Crystal City Conducting Survey — “The area encompassing Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard – Arlington is a dynamic mixed-use urban center and Virginia’s largest walkable downtown… we are embarking on a place branding effort to uncover our neighborhood story and create a striking visual identity.” [Crystal City BID]
History of Heidelberg Bakery — “Heidelberg Bakery is a local landmark in Arlington… In this oral history clip, Carla and Wolfgang Buchler, owners of the Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe, discuss the lack of diversity in breads that Wolfgang found in America when he first came to the U.S. in the 1970’s–and how tastes have changed, partly due to Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe’s delicious treats.” [Arlington Public Library]
Glebe Road Bridge Project — “The Virginia Department of Transportation on Tuesday, Aug. 13 will hold a community forum on its plans to rehabilitate the Route 120 (North Glebe Road) bridge over Pimmit Run to improve safety and extend the bridge’s overall lifespan. The event will be held on from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Williamsburg Middle School, 3600 North Harrison St. in Arlington.” [InsideNova]
‘Drunkard’ Ruling Won’t Be Appealed — “Virginia’s attorney general on Friday said he will not appeal a ruling that struck down a state law allowing police to arrest and jail people designated as ‘habitual drunkards.'” [Associated Press]
Oil in Sink Causes ‘Fatbergs’ — “If you pour used cooking grease down the kitchen sink, you’re not alone — according to a new survey, 44 percent of respondents in the D.C. region pour cooking oil, fat, or grease down the sink at least occasionally. In doing so — rather than dumping it in the trash–you may be contributing to the creation of something truly horrifying — a fatberg.” [DCist]
Maizal is planning to open tomorrow (Thursday) with a free food giveaway.
The new restaurant serves South American street food, like arepas, yuca fries, plantains and street corn.
For its Aug. 1 grand opening in the Quarter Market food hall in Ballston Quarter mall, Maizal will be offering a free arepa and a side — with the purchase of a drink — from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and again from 5:30-8:30 p.m., according to a PR rep for the mall.
Employees could be seen preparing fresh ingredients in the restaurant’s open kitchen this morning, but a manager said it would not be serving customers today.
South Block is hoping to open its new Rosslyn location by late August.
Owner Amir Mostafavi told ARLnow yesterday (Monday) that he’s “excited” about the summer opening, and is planning a block party to celebrate.
“We anticipate opening in late August followed by a community block party in September,” said Mostafavi. “The block party will consist of a live DJ, Bash will be there, we will be handing out swag bags to the 100 blockstars in line, free samples and more.”
The new eatery (1550 Wilson Blvd) will take up part of the space that previously housed Cafe Asia, next to Bash Boxing.
This will be the fourth South Block to open in Arlington and the tenth total since its founding in 2011. The latest South Block to open was the Ballston Quarter location in March.
The burgeoning local chain serves juice, smoothies, acai bowls and toasts. The new Rosslyn location will serve up a similar menu.
Mostafavi previously told ARLnow that he picked the location for its proximity to Bash.
“We’ve always had a really strong relationship with Arlington’s fitness community, so this is just a really good fit,” he said.
The former Atrium Cafe (901 N. Nelson Street), adjacent to the Virginia Square Metro station entrance, is being converted into a new Asian eatery called Pike Kitchen.
The Pike Kitchen in Rockville, Md. is a food hall-type venue with a variety of cuisine options, like bibimbap and bubble tea. From the signs outside the Virginia Square location, the new Arlington eatery seems to share a similar concept.
Signs on the wall say the new location will carry Monster Tea, which offers bubble tea; Bowl Play, which offers Korean bibimbap and poké bowls; and Pike Chicken and Beer, which presumably offers chicken and beer.
The manager of the restaurant said a soft opening for Pike Kitchen is tentatively planned for Saturday, though some final details are still being decided, with a full opening set for some time within the next week.
The restaurant is currently hiring staff, with applicants asked to text 571-229-7467 or email [email protected].
The confectionary establishment is planning the donut party for tomorrow (Thursday) around 2 p.m. on the second level of the mall, across from Scout and Molly’s. The event is scheduled to last as long as there are still donuts to give out.
The eatery offers a range of donuts, from chocolate to various fruit flavors, though the website says the company does not offer gluten-free or vegan options.
District Doughnut is planning to open the Ballston Quarter location sometime within the next week, according to staff at another District Doughnut location.
Labor Action Planned at DCA — Presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is among those expected to participate in a rally and picket at Reagan National Airport this evening, in support of airline catering workers who are seeking better wages and healthcare options. [Unite Here]
Restaurant Coming to Apartment Building — Update at 9:35 a.m. — Permit applications have been filed for a new restaurant that’s planned for the grounds of the recently-renovated Dominion Apartments at 333 S. Glebe Road. [Twitter]
Green Presidential Hopeful Visits Arlington — “The Arlington Greens recently welcomed one of their party’s presidential aspirants to the community. Dario Hunter, a member of the Youngstown (Ohio) School Board, participated in a roundtable discussion with Green Party members on July 16 at Central Library.” [InsideNova]
Author to Talk Hockey at Local Bookstore — “We’re bringing Sportsnet contributor and YouTube sensation Steve Dangle down to Washington, D.C. on Saturday, August 24, to sign copies of his hit book This Team is Ruining My Life (But I Love Them): How I Became a Professional Hockey Fan… One More Page Books, an independent bookstore in Arlington, Va. (which is run by Caps fans), will be hosting the signing from 2-4 p.m.” [Russian Machine Never Breaks]
Army Flying Secret Missions Over Region — “The Pentagon has revealed a few details about a secret Army mission that has Black Hawk helicopters flying missions over the Washington, D.C., area backed by active-duty and reserve soldiers. The mysterious classified operation was disclosed when the Army asked Congress for approval to shift funds to provide an extra $1.55 million for aircraft maintenance, air crews and travel in support of an ’emerging classified flight mission.'” [Bloomberg, PoPville]
Rendering of coffee shop Kaldi’s Social Club’s new location (Image via Facebook/Kaldi’s Social Club)
Kaldi’s Social House is gearing up to open in Clarendon (Image courtesy of Alex Koma)
Clarendon could be getting a new coffee shop by the end of the year.
A staff member at Kaldi’s Social Club told ARLnow in a social media message that the business is hoping to open an Arlington location by December.
Wrapping outside a ground floor retail space at Ten at Clarendon building at 3110 10th Street announces Kaldi’s is “coming this winter” and features an image of people sharing dishes with cups of coffee interspersed between the plates.
Kaldi’s flagship location in Silver Spring first opened in 2013.
In addition to coffee, the Maryland cafe offers American fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and serves cocktails and beer. Staff did not immediately respond when asked if the Clarendon menu will be the same.
“The name Kaldi comes from an Ethiopian legend about a goat herder named Kaldi who first discovered the power of the coffee bean,” owner Tsega Haile wrote on the business’s website, noting that the D.C. area is home to the largest group of Ethiopian people outside the continent of Africa.
Namaste Everest (Image courtesy of Federal Realty Investment Trust)
Planned menu offerings at Pentagon Row’s new Namaste Everest restaurant (2018 Photo courtesy of Federal Realty Investment Trust)
Planned menu offerings at Pentagon Row’s new Namaste Everest restaurant (2018 Photo courtesy of Federal Realty Investment Trust)
Planned menu offerings at Pentagon Row’s new Namaste Everest restaurant ((2018 Photo courtesy of Federal Realty Investment Trust)
Inside the new Pentagon City restaurant Everest Namaste (Image courtesy of Federal Realty Investment Trust)
Artwork of the Himalayan Mountains in the new Pentagon City restaurant Everest Namaste (Image courtesy of Federal Realty Investment Trust
A new restaurant offering cuisine from Nepal and India is now open in Pentagon City.
Namaste Everest opened last Thursday at 1201 S. Joyce Street in the Pentagon Row shopping center, after initially shooting for a spring 2019 opening.
The restaurant’s seven-page menu includes a variety of traditional dinner plates, curries, kabobs, soups, salads, vegetarian dishes, appetizers and desserts. There are nearly a dozen different types of Indian breads alone on the menu.
The restaurant also houses a full bar with wines, seasonal draft beers and non-alcoholic options like lassies and fruit smoothies.
Pentagon Row owner Federal Realty Investment Trust had this to say about Everest’s head chef and co-owner Nabin Kurmar Paudel:
Interested in cooking since he was a child and inspired by his parent’s restaurant in Nepal, Chef Paudel creates authentic flavors through a mixture of various foods. The menu features Tandoori specials such as lamb, chicken, goat and seafood; Indo-Chinese and Nepalese specials; vegetarian dishes; rice and biriyanis; Indian breads; as well as salads soups and desserts.
Paudel previously opened another restaurant, “Namaste,” in Alexandria. His new Arlington venture will be open Sundays through Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Kari Glinski, director of asset management for Federal Realty, previously said that it was a “priority” to continue expanding restaurant offerings in the shopping center and that Namaste Everest would be part of the “diverse choices” for diners.
“Open 7 days a week — check them out next to Smallcakes NOVA!” wrote Pentagon Row on its Facebook page.
A D.C.-based taqueria is opening a second location in Ballston.
El Rey is expanding from its original location at 919 U Street NW and opening at Ballston Exchange, near Dirt, across the street from Ballston Quarter mall.
In D.C., El Rey offers tacos, tequila-based cocktails, wine, sangria, beer and weekend brunch.
