restaurant

Celtic House planning to expand with lower level whisky bar

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Celtic House on Columbia Pike wants to expand, but it will have to go through the county’s historic review board first.

The pub confirmed to ARLnow over the weekend that it wants to add a whisky and bourbon bar, in a lower level space previously used by a now-closed dry cleaner. The original pub and the whisky bar will be connected by a staircase.

In addition to providing another bar for the popular and well-reviewed pub, the new downstairs area will also serve as an event space, we’re told by a spokesperson.

The plan is on the agenda for tomorrow’s (June 21) Historic Affairs and Landmark Review Board meeting, since the strip retail center in which Celtic House is located is part of a historic district. Celtic House is proposing to add a small vestibule onto the rear of the building at 2500 Columbia Pike, to serve as an entrance to the new space.

“The Arlington Village Shopping Center is contributing to the Arlington Village National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) Historic District, which was designated by the National Park Service in April 2003,” notes a county staff report. “The applicant proposes to install a one-story, front gable-roofed vestibule addition near the southeast corner of the rear elevation.”

“The vestibule door will also be a new ADA-compliant wood and glass door with sidelights, and adjacent to the door and sidelights are simple pilasters with new exterior lighting,” the report adds.

The proposal is on the historic board’s consent agenda, implying that it is non-controversial and expected to pass.

The Celtic House spokesperson told ARLnow that the new bar should open at some point this fall, as long as the approvals are granted as expected.

Celtic House opened in late 2014 and has since established itself as a community staple and gathering place. It is hosting the Arlington Democrats primary watch party tonight, for instance.

Matt Blitz contributed to this report. Hat tip to @SRtwofourfour.

County Board to consider making Covid-era outdoor seating area program permanent

By Jo DeVoe
Northside Social in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The makeshift outdoor dining areas that sprung up in the early days of Covid, and gradually took on a more permanent feel, could be here to stay.

On Tuesday, the Arlington County Board voted to hold hearings next month mulling zoning changes that would give most restaurants a way to add outdoor seating areas without special Board approval.

Restaurants were able to do this during the pandemic — adapting to social distancing and indoor gathering regulations — via a special county program that is ending on Aug. 15.

Under the proposed ordinances, temporary outdoor seating areas (TOSAs) that are on private property and on public sidewalks within rights-of-way would be approved administratively. Those on privately owned public spaces, like the patio outside the seafood spot Seamore’s in Clarendon, would require a County Board use permit.

How outdoor seating areas could be approved (via Arlington County)

Restaurants could go to the Board to have parking spots converted to outdoor dining space.

The proposed ordinance changes, which will be discussed in a Board meeting on July 15, have been under development for the last year. The county says the code changes support local businesses, about 100 of which have TOSAs, and account for livability concerns some residents raised.

“This is a huge body of work. A huge thanks to staff, who’ve been working on this comprehensively for a while,” Board Chair Christian Dorsey said. “I know it seems like a simple issue to some, but as you peel layers of the onion, you continue to find more complexity.”

The Board initially approved TOSAs early in the pandemic to help restaurants circumvent the typically lengthy process for getting an outdoor dining permit. These spaces were popular for offsetting revenue lost to closures and social distancing and for creating a safer dining experience.

As the pandemic wore on, the Board allowed TOSAs in common areas, such as plazas, and for restaurants to continue operating them at full capacity once the indoor capacity restrictions lifted.

“It was a life saver for our family and employees and continues to be a large part of our business,” Lebanese Taverna Executive Vice President Grace Shea said during a forum hosted by the Arlington Committee of 100 on Wednesday night.

Now, she says, it brings more people to the restaurant.

“Outdoor seating enhances the streetscape of where the restaurant is. It attracts people by creating a welcoming atmosphere,” she said. “It’s also additional revenue that we do not have to pay rent for.”

In 2021, Arlington County signaled plans to study early a dozen separate policies governing outdoor cafés to figure out how to make TOSAs permanent. That started in the fall of 2022, after a local Covid emergency order ended.

County staff say it heard both support and concerns from the community. One strong supporter is the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.

“The Chamber and the county both agree that we want to make this transition smooth for restaurant owners who want this outdoor dining,” said John Musso, the government affairs manager for the Chamber, at Wednesday’s forum. “We’re looking forward to continuing this conversation.”

(more…)

Clarendon’s B Live to have more karaoke, shift away from hosting original acts

By Matt Blitz
1/3

B Live “has decided to pivot” to having live band karaoke for most of the weekend, decreasing the number of live original acts the local music venue will be hosting going forward.

Co-owner Christal Bramson tells ARLnow that the restaurant and live music venue, at 2854 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon, is shifting away from hosting a full slate of original musical acts all week long and towards more live karaoke.

The reason, Bramson said, is that Thursday night’s karaoke has proven to be so popular and has garnered so much “positive feedback” that it made sense for B Live to lean into it.

“We will still have live bands, but will have more nights of live karaoke,” she wrote. “Our Thursday evenings, we have received a lot of positive feedback on the live karaoke band.”

Bramson said B Live is “responding to demand” since there is no other dedicated live karaoke venue in Clarendon.

It’s unclear when this shift in programming might happen. The June calendar still has a number of weekend shows listed to appear later this month. Bramson said her team is “currently working on the calendar”

B Live, owned by wife and husband team of Christal and Mike Bramson, opened just over a year ago in the long-time space of Whitlow’s — which has since moved to the District — with a promise of allowing guests to “engage with the local music scene.”

In an interview last June, Mike Bramson told ARLnow that they wanted to open B Live in Clarendon because of the neighborhood’s long history of being home to live music venues. With several closing in recent years, including the beloved Iota Club in 2017, the hope was to fill that live music void for locals.

B Live is also making several other changes in the coming weeks. This coming weekend, the venue is opening an outdoor/lawn space complete with a “launch party.”

And, by the end of the month, a restaurant pop-up will be launching out of B Live. Wicked Buns from local chef Nacho Olivera, who also has worked at Detour Coffee and the Rebel Taco food truck at the Lot, will  be serving double-patty burgers, kobe beef hot dogs, and fried chicken sandwiches at the venue.

The long-planned “tropical glam” bar coming to B Live’s rooftop is also planning a much-anticipated debut next month. Coco B’s, as the rooftop venue will be called, is described by  Christal Bramson as the “female version” of B Live.

“We are awaiting a couple more inspections,” Bramson said. “But anticipate an early July opening date.”

Smokecraft in Clarendon feeling heat from county threat to revoke live entertainment permit

By Jo DeVoe
Smokecraft BBQ awards (courtesy photo)

A barbecue joint in Clarendon may have its occasional parties go up in smoke.

Arlington County says Smokecraft Modern Barbecue at 1051 N. Highland Street could lose its live entertainment permit because it does not comply with a local initiative requiring restaurants and bars to meet certain alcohol safety standards.

At issue: Since November, Clarendon venues with live entertainment permits need to comply with the Arlington Restaurant Initiative (ARI). One requirement is that establishments have certain written policies and procedures, which the award-winning, list-topping Smokecraft — which opened in 2020 — does not have.

The restaurant and its attorneys say they believe such written policies could make the restaurant vulnerable to litigation, meaning an increase in insurance costs of upwards of $10,000 a year.

“We are a safe establishment. We have been a safe establishment. We continue to plan to do so. Adopting these specific written policies isn’t going to change our commitment,” owner and pitmaster Andrew Darneille told the Board last night (Tuesday).

Further, he said, the live entertainment permit is not actively in use, all alcohol-serving staff are trained in how to serve safely, the restaurant has a “perfect alcohol safety record,” and alcohol only comprises 15% of sales.

Without compliance, the Arlington County Board says it will eventually revoke the live entertainment permit. In May, the county allowed Smokecraft to keep the permit and revisit the issue in a month while the parties cook up a solution.

Last night, the Board was poised to revoke the permit but instead voted to punt on the issue for one more month because negotiations are headed in the right direction.

Still, the patience of Board members appears to be wearing thin. Some seemed annoyed the issue had gotten to this point, where other restaurants found ways to make it work.

“I think you can get there without realizing the apocalypse your representatives see,” Board Chair Christian Dorsey said. “For my purposes, each month that we continue in this dance is another month where you continue to enjoy a permit without adhering to ARI standards — a luxury that the other establishments haven’t had.”

Dorsey said Smokecraft has the flexibility to write policies that meet a “minimal bar for compliance” and work for the business.

“One of the beauties of this is that the policies are not proscriptive — they’re illustrative,” Dorsey said. “It’s not like it’s going to require you to upend your operations.”

In response to the argument that Smokecraft should be able to follow the lead of other businesses, Darneille said that is an unfair argument.

“I recognize 50 other restaurants signed onto this but I can’t speak to why they made decisions to do what they’ve done,” he continued. “We’ve raised a concern here that’s valid for us. We are working to try and resolve that concern.”

He shifted blame to the county for not promptly engaging with the restaurant when these concerns first were raised. Then, after a meeting last month, he said it took two weeks to receive responses from the county.

County Board members did not address this point. ARLnow has previously reported on restaurateurs and other business owners having trouble reaching staff in a timely manner.

(more…)

Four Courts still on track for August reopening as renovations continue

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Ireland’s Four Courts says it’s still on track to reopen in August.

The longtime Courthouse watering hole has been closed since a rideshare driver plowed into the front of the pub last August, sparking a raging fire and seriously injuring several people.

The driver, who was reportedly suffering a medical emergency, was not charged. A number of first responders who responded to the chaotic scene were recently recognized for their heroism.

The pub released a video Tuesday evening providing a tour of the ongoing construction inside. The one-minute video shows the interior totally gutted and lined with new plywood.

“I know it looks a little different than how we’re used to seeing it, but today we’re here to give you a sneak peak at all the construction and renovations that have been going on over the past few months, in prep for our grand reopening in August,” the video’s host says.

Only a few items salvaged from the original pub are seen in the video, including the large wooden fireplace and some stained glass windows.

While the layout of the pub will be more or less the same as it was before the crash and fire, there will be some new features, notably a new draft beer system, the host says.

New zoning changes make it easier to deliver food, operate shared kitchens

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

In another bid to encourage business growth, the Arlington County Board has made it easier to open shared kitchens and catering and food delivery operations.

On Saturday, the Board voted to amend the zoning ordinance to allow these uses by right in mixed-use, commercial and industrial zones throughout Arlington County. The changes streamline the regulatory approval process for several food-related uses, according to a county report.

“The outcomes of expanding food delivery to a by-right use support small business resilience by relieving businesses of unnecessary work,” the report said. That includes going before the County Board to seek approval for each use.

The changes are part of a flurry of approvals in the last 14 months to allow more uses by-right in these zoning districts. So far, the County Board has greenlit uses such as breweries, micro-fulfillment centers, podcasting studios, indoor pickleball and other emerging businesses to operate where they previously could not set up shop or needed special permission to do so.

All these updates happened in quick succession because County Manager Mark Schwartz debuted a faster zoning approval process that streamlined community engagement. The intent was to help Arlington respond quickly to changing market conditions and, ultimately, tackle the high office vacancy rate.

Food service was the next candidate for an update because, the report says, local regulations treated delivery operations like it was still 1988. (The iPhone debuted in 2007.)

Per the report, the zoning ordinance “does not account for the present-day popularity of modern food delivery services,” requiring food delivery not to exceed 20% of a restaurant’s sales.

Restaurants were relieved of that kind of provision — borne from a concern about delivery vehicle congestion — during the pandemic, the report said.

Food delivery has become a permanent part of how Arlingtonians eat, even after Covid dining restrictions lifted. This new way of doing business was under threat by the expiration of the Covid-era Continuity of Governance ordinance that relaxed delivery regulations.

The changes approved on Saturday, then, came in the knick of time for new and existing businesses, as the ordinance is set to expire in August — meaning the county would have reverted to 1988 delivery standards.

Businesses would have had to obtain County Board approval to continue delivery, had the Board voted down the zoning change. Some already did — Foxtrot in Rosslyn, for instance, went before the Board earlier this year to continue delivering beverages, ready-made food and grocery items.

Saturday’s vote also is helping another player in the app-based food delivery ecosystem: trailer-based ghost kitchens, the kind of which you might see in a parking lot between Clarendon and Courthouse. Ghost kitchen operators will no longer need certain permits to continue cooking.

Joe’s had its place, but A Modo Mio is the way forward

By Nick Barahona
1/9

“Joe’s is the past, A Modo Mio is now!”

These are the words from Rosario, part owner of what used to be Joe’s Pizza Place, but is now A Modo Mio.

Joe’s made a name for itself and became a community favorite with its pizza, pasta, subs and most memorably, their buffet. Fast forward to 2020, with Covid in full effect, the restaurant changed its name, concept and menu to stay alive.

A Modo Mio was born.

Located at 5555 Langston Boulevard, A Modo Mio stands as a location serving its community authentic Italian cuisine.

“A Modo Mio, it came to be because of Covid. The previous concept wasn’t Covid friendly. With the buffet and salad bar, you just can’t do it,” co-owner Rosario Farruggio said. “[At first] we didn’t know what to do actually. We knew Joe’s wouldn’t be able to survive.”

The answer: a sit-down dining experience that borrows some of the Italian playbook from its restaurant cousin, the well-liked Georgetown eatery il Canale.

“Joe from Joe’s Place has another restaurant in D.C. called il Canele, and because of that restaurant and because of Antonio, one of the head chefs there when il Canele first opened, they were able to partner up and bring that concept here to Arlington. He knew the cuisine and we had the location, we made it happen,” says Rosario.

Born in the Agrigento region of Sicily, Italy, Joe Farruggio is an award winning restaurateur, pizzaiolo, chef and author that has over 53 years of food service experience. He opened the first Joe’s Place in Bailey’s Crossroads in 1978.

Joe, Rosario, and master pizza chef Antonio Biglietto — who’s from Naples, Italy — all came together to bring a piece of home to life here in Arlington, saving the location’s business.

“In August of 2020, we shut Joe’s down, remodeled and reopened in October as A Modo Mio,” says Rosario. The name translates to “my way” in Italian.

“Not inspired by the Sinatra song,” says Rosario. “It was something Joe came up with.”

What was new about this restaurant, other than the name?

“This is real authentic Italian, not like an Olive Garden. One of the main things that showcases that and what the people appreciate and recognize is that we are VPN certified,” says Rosario.

VPN stands for Vera Pizza Napoletana and can be seen within the menu. To that end, a Modo Mio has a custom made, hand built brick oven from Italy.

“To get certified, you have to be authentic,” says Rosario. “You need to have real Italian ingredients imported from Italy, like our flour and tomatoes, and you need real mozzarella cheese, fresh mozzarella.”

The restaurant’s employees are even trained by a certified Neapolitan pizza maker.

“We have the roots so now we can actually teach that art,” says Rosario. The authenticity extends to other parts of the menu, too.

“The pasta that we have, it’s authentic in how we make it. It’s all house made,” Rosario says.

(more…)

NEW: Local watering hole Thirsty Bernie is closing this weekend

By Matt Blitz
Thirsty Bernie on N. Glebe Road is closing (photo courtesy of Thirsty Bernie)

Sports bar Thirsty Bernie is closing this weekend.

The 15-year-old local watering hole, at the corner of N. Glebe Road and Langston Blvd, will serve its last pints on Sunday (May 21), co-owner Gobind Ghai confirmed to ARLnow. Sales have slowed since the pandemic, which led ownership to decide not to renew its lease at the Glebe Lee Shopping Center.

“I wish we could continue, but we had a great run. It’s just our time,” Ghai said. “Sales were not high enough to continue but weren’t low enough… where we had to close right away. We could wait out the lease.”

He says there are no plans to open elsewhere and does not know what will come next to 2163 N. Glebe Road.

Last summer, rumors began circulating that the sports bar might be closing come mid-2023. Those in charge denied it at the time, but it ended up being true.

Thirsty Bernie opened in 2008, with its signature Saint Bernard mascot, as a sports-centric hangout. The current ownership took over in early 2017 after whispers of a format change.

Ghai said what made Thirsty Bernie special is the diverse mix of customers.

“We had customers and patrons from all walks of life… different cultures, different communities, different races. Everyone just sitting together,” he said. “It was such a special place. A melting pot.”

Ghai called Thirsty Bernie a “family-friendly” sports bar, a rarity in Arlington, with plenty of parking. He said his staff and regular customers were “family.”

“We are sad to go but happy for the time we had at Thirsty Bernie,” Ghai said.

Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe is more than just a bakery

By Nick Barahona
1/10

Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe offers a German and European gourmet experience like no other.

Aiming to bring a piece of home to Arlington, owner Wolfgang Büchler continues to present his customers with the best baked goods after 48 years in business. Together with his Arlington-native wife, they fulfill that goal.

Located along Langston Boulevard, Heidelberg once occupied a location just down the street.

“The bakery itself opened in February of 1975, and we were down the street in the Lee Heights Shopping Center,” said Carla.

“My husband, Wolfgang, was the one who opened it originally, and then I came in September of 1975 and applied for a part-time job. So this is my first job and only job,” she said with a smile.

About 12 years after opening, they moved to their current storefront.

“In 1988, we moved to this location, and this is where we’ve been since then,” said Carla.

Starting by selling just breads, donuts, and cakes, the move down the street allowed them to expand their offerings. With more space and ambition, the pastry shop added a deli section, offering cold cuts, cheeses, and German wursts. The goal, as always, is to give customers a taste of Wolfgang’s hometown.

“He was raised in a suburb of Heidelberg, Germany,” Carla said of her husband. “Wolfgang completed two apprenticeships, one as a baker and one as a pastry chef, because they are two very distinct arts.”

Wolfgang came to America in 1969 and “worked for a German guy who had a pastry shop in Tysons,” Carla said.

Having grown up in Arlington nearly her entire life, Carla shares how she has seen Heidelberg Pastry impact the lives of those in the community.

“They come through the doors and are very overwhelmed and surprised because it is more than just a bakery, it’s bigger,” she said.

“Here we have donuts, breakfast pastries, breads, rolls, other pastries and deli items like sandwiches, and we even have different German grocery items in our store,” Carla added.

For those growing up on the northern side of Arlington, you may have fond memories of this place providing your family with specialized cakes for celebrations or baked goods for the holidays.

“I think it’s satisfying to have the customers feel as though they are family, and so many of our customers have been customers for more than 40 years,” said Carla. “You’re a part of people’s lives and see people get married, have babies, and when they graduate because we make cakes for them.”

Heidelberg has also been a destination for some homesick Germans in the D.C. area.

“Germans tend to always miss their bread first, so this is a perfect spot for them to come to… and during Christmas time, there are so many traditional German treats we have that your mom or grandma would make in Germany,” said Carla.

Despite its enduring popularity, the shop faced challenges during the pandemic.

“We sold items we don’t normally sell, such as eggs, milk, and butter. A lot of people bought yeast and flour because they couldn’t get it in the grocery store,” said Carla. “People were very supportive and would buy from us in particular because we were a small business.”

(more…)

Bagel bummer: Bruegger’s bids Ballston bye-bye

By ARLnow.com
1/2

(Updated at 11:50 a.m.) Bruegger’s Bagels has closed up shop in Ballston.

The long-time breakfast and lunch spot at 818 N. Quincy Street just closed, posting a sign on the door directing bagel fans to a location of corporate sibling Einstein Bagels, in Bailey’s Crossroads.

“Thank you for allowing us to make your mornings brighter & more delicious since 1986,” the sign says. “We look forward to continuing to provide you with freshly baked, kettle-boiled bagels at one of our nearby locations, 15 minutes away: 3556D S Jefferson St, Falls Church, VA 22041.”

The closure was not announced in advance, but there were signs that this Bruegger’s was not long for the sizable ground floor space that it occupied along Wilson Blvd.

The restaurant appears to have struggled in the wake of the pandemic, as fewer people populated local offices, thus requiring fewer catered bagel platters. The dining room, once filled with local residents and office workers sipping coffee and noshing on schmear-filled bagels, never reopened.

Bagel aficionados who don’t want to go all the way to Bailey’s Crossroads will now have Brooklyn Bagel in Courthouse as arguably the closest equivalent eatery.

World of Beer has closed in Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/2

In Ballston’s battle of the beer bars, Crafthouse has emerged as the survivor.

World of Beer, in the Ballston Point building at 4300 Wilson Blvd, closed up shop earlier this week.

“We’re ceasing our business operations in Arlington, Virginia starting April 17,” a sign on the door says. “Thank you, Arlington, for allowing us to be a part of this community for the last 3 years.”

The watering hole opened in October 2020 in the former Ted’s Montana Grill space. It was a return to the neighborhood for the suds-centric national chain, after a World of Beer franchise up the road rebranded as Crafthouse.

From our article on the opening:

The restaurant is not far from Crafthouse (901 N. Glebe Road), which was Virginia’s first World of Beer location from 2012 until 2017, when the owner parted ways and rebranded locations in Ballston, Reston and Fairfax. […]

The split between then-owner Evan Matz and World of Beer took a bitter turn later in 2017, when the chain sued Matz for violating the terms of the franchise agreement. In October 2018, Matz sued back.

All three Crafthouse locations, including in Ballston, remain open. World of Beer has D.C. area locations in Bethesda and Rockville.

While you’ll no longer be able to get an obscure beer from halfway around the world at World of Beer, a new beverage option recently opened in the same building: D.C.-based coffee shop Slipstream opened within the past month or so.

View More Stories