Northside Social

Northside Social Gets An Unlikely Endorsement

By Scott Brodbeck

If you’ve spent any time on the comments section of this site, you undoubtedly know of Mike, who, bless his heart, is never in want of something to blame on the Arlington County Democratic Committee.

Since it’s Friday, we decided to share a recent email (and accompanying photo) from Mike.

It seems that he recently visited Northside Social and was pleasantly surprised by the experience.

They may be frou frou and attracting annoying hipster doofi (plural), but they sure can pour one amazing looking latte.

Give the beatnicks some credit and post this.

It begs the question: is Mike losing his edge? First he sticks up for Arlington’s water main repair efforts, then he says we should give the election officials verifying petition signatures “the benefit of the doubt.” What’s next, praising the county board for being courageously pro-business when it comes to development at East Falls Church?

Seriously, though, we like it when civility rules the day in the comments section. Carry on.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Fisette Delivers State of the County Address — After delivering the annual State of the County address before a group of business leaders in Crystal City, County Board Chairman Jay Fisette was peppered with pointed questions about some of the county’s costly projects and initiatives. Fisette defended Arlington’s lawsuit against proposed high-occupancy toll lanes, said the $160 million Columbia Pike streetcar plan will not be put to a referendum vote unless necessary to obtain financing, and called BRAC, the federal law that will result in thousands of defense jobs moving out of Arlington, “one of the worst decisions ever.” More from the Sun Gazette.

D.C. Bummed About Poor Ranking in List Topped By Arlington — Yesterday we told you that Parenting Magazine had bestowed the somewhat unscientific title of “Best City for Families” on Arlington. Now one commentator is wondering why the District was so low on the list. NBC Washington’s P.J. Orvetti rightly points out the absurdity of D.C. being ranked third from last in terms of recreation. Orvetti goes on to make the case for D.C. being ranked closer to Arlington, but fails to mention the elephant in the room: that the District’s low-performing schools and high crime rate preclude it from serious consideration on a list of family-friendly cities.

Moran To Hold Federal Jobs Fair Next Week — Rep. Jim Moran will be hosting a federal jobs fair at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria on Monday, June 28. More than a dozen federal agencies are expected to be on-hand for the free event, which is being held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Northside Social Ice Cream Flavors Changing — After a short-lived, Father’s Day-inspired run of key lime and chocolate bacon (yes, bacon), Northside Social is rolling out hazelnut and chocolate espresso ice cream flavors today. A bit heavy for a 90 degree day, but likely delicious nonetheless.

Organic Soft Serve Ice Cream Debuts at Northside Social

By ARLnow.com

Northside Social (3211 Wilson Blvd) is rolling out a Memorial Day-to-Labor Day summer special tonight: organic soft serve ice cream. A creation of pastry chef Rob Valencia, the ice cream is made with Northside’s organic Trickling Springs Creamery milk and other organic ingredients.

The flavors will rotate. This weekend they’re serving French vanilla and local organic strawberry. Other flavors in the works include mocha caramel, wildberry creme fraiche, and red velvet.

How does it taste? Very good. The creaminess is definitely a notch or two above your standard dining hall soft serve machine. We recommend getting the swirl.

Watch Your iPhone!

By ARLnow.com

We’re told someone pulled a snatch-and-dash larceny earlier today at Northside Social in Clarendon. Someone apparently had their iPhone sitting out on a table when an unknown male grabbed it and ran.

Police were called. No word on whether they’ve been able to locate a suspect.

This is just another reminder to keep a watchful eye on your expensive gadgets at all times.

To Do Tonight: Meet the Artist at Northside Social

By ARLnow.com

Northside Social (3211 Wilson Blvd) will be holding a “Meet the Artist Opening Reception” tonight. It’s a chance to meet some of the photographers whose work is temporarily on display at the Clarendon hangout.

The reception is open to the public. It’s taking place between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m.

Find more things to do around Arlington in our events calendar.

Look Inside the Finished Northside Social

By ARLnow.com

Northside Social, Clarendon’s hotly-anticipated coffee and wine bar, officially opened its doors to the public at 7:00 Monday morning.

On Saturday night, with the smell of fresh paint mixing with the aroma of espresso beans, Northside Social opened for a private pre-opening celebration.

It was a chance for the new neighborhood hangout to show off some of its well-curated wine and beer selections, as well as a few items from the food menu. It was also a chance for employees of Northside Social and Liberty Tavern — both co-owned by brothers Mark and Stephen Fedorchak — to step back, take a breather, and marvel at the fruits of their labor.

Despite the momentary respite from the grind of planning, building, and permitting, Stephen Fedorchak said that much work remains. For one, the other jewel in the Liberty Tavern crown, Lyon Hall, will be opening soon. And, he said, the real work starts after a place opens.

Fedorchak said he expects his employees — including Northside Social general manager Alison Christ, formerly of Willow Restaurant in Ballston, and director of coffee Marianne Tolosa, formerly of Murky Coffee (Northside’s predecessor) — will have no problem stepping up to the plate and creating an enjoyable experience for customers and employees alike.

“We’re really excited about the team we have,” Fedorchak said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Store hours and more photos after the jump.

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Northside Social Opening Soon

By ARLnow.com

It’s almost here. The long-awaited Northside Social coffee and wine bar, located in the former Murky Coffee building in Clarendon, will open its doors for the first time, hopefully, either Thursday or Friday, although the opening may be pushed back until next week.

Management had initially hoped to open up earlier in the week but they’re facing one last regulatory hurdle, according to co-owner Stephen Fedorchak.

In case you’re having a hard time waiting for the grand openening, you can get a glimpse of Northside’s menu or check out their Facebook page.

Photo from Northside Social/Facebook.com.

First Look Inside Northside Social

By ARLnow.com

It’s still a work-in-progress, but yesterday we got a look inside Northside Social, Clarendon’s new coffee and wine bar.

Construction is taking place at a furious pace at the old Murky Coffee building. When we arrived after the short walk from Northside’s big brother, Liberty Tavern, general manager Alison Christ was surprised to see a chandelier already installed on the second floor, which the wine bar will call home.

On the first floor the makings of the coffee bar were coming together. Christ, formerly the sommelier at Willow Restaurant in Ballston, said the centerpiece of the store — a top-of-the-line espresso machine — was in the process of being flown in from Italy.

An adjacent “sun room,” which we’re told will be furnished with couches and other comfy furniture, was still barren concrete.

After it gets its necessary county permits, Northside will have seating for about 100 people, including 65 outdoor patio seats. With new stores popping up monthly, and with an added emphasis on outdoor seating and street life, Christ says she sees Clarendon developing into a “New York-style neighborhood.”

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Lyon Hall Erects Sign, Launches Social Media Presence

By ARLnow.com

Note: See our latest news on Lyon Hall here.

Lyon Hall is announcing its presence to the world. The French-style brasserie, located a block from the Clarendon Metro, just erected some retro-themed outside signage. It has also launched a presence on Facebook and Twitter.

The owners, who first made their mark in Clarendon with Liberty Tavern, hope to open Lyon Hall by the end of the month. Their other Clarendon development, Northside Social, is expected to open around the same time.

Perhaps trying to distance itself from similar but pricey DC establishments like Brasserie Beck, Lyon Hall is promoting itself as a “casual and affordable” neighborhood restaurant.

Lyon Hall will feature seating for 231, including an outdoor patio and a private dining room. Food will be of the “French brasserie fare” variety, with a heavy German influence. The menu will include burgers, steaks, schnitzel, a variety of sausages and a raw bar.

The drink menu will feature 20 wines by the glass, 40 wines by the bottle, 20 beers on tap and a “wide variety” of bottled beers from France, Belgium, Germany and the Czech Republic.

The restaurant is named after Frank Lyon, who developed the 1940s Streamline Moderne building in which Lyon Hall is housed.

Liberty Tavern Expanding with Lyon Hall, Northside Social

By ARLnow.com

See updated articles on Lyon Hall here and here. See more on Northside Social here.

Liberty Tavern’s owner is expanding his presence in Clarendon with two new storefronts, expected to open in a few weeks. Northside Social, a high-end coffee shop and wine bar, will be located at Wilson Blvd and Fairfax Dr, across from Silver Diner. Lyon Hall, a “European-style brasserie,” will be located at Washington Blvd and N Highland St.

Washingtonian has the details on two of Liberty’s new culinary hires, both of whom hail from well-regarded Manhattan restaurants.