It’s not too early to begin planning for the fall. Flavors of Fall, a free annual festival that includes live entertainment, dancing and family activities, returns to Reston Town Center on October 6.
Admission and parking are free for the event. Restaurants will serve up samplings of their favorite falls menus. Tickets are $1 each or $20 for 24 tickets. Most food tastings require between one and five tickets.
Beer prices are five tickets for a 16-ounce, mainstream beer, six tickets for a 12-ounce craft beer and three tickets for a five-ounce craft beer. Wine is six tickets for a five-ounce poor and one ticket per wine tasting.
More information on the event will be released soon. The event is produced by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce.
Photo via Facebook
JBG Smith’s mixed-use development, RTC West, welcomed a new restaurant this week. Mezeh Mediterranean Grill is now open at 12130 Sunset Hills Road.
The 44-seat restaurant offers a mix of build-it-yourself bowls, pita pockets and wraps. Other establishments are also on the way in the development, including Punjabi by Nature, The Black Squirrel, and The Burger Joint. In recent months, Honeygrow, Starbucks and Nando’s were added to the mix of retail on the largely office-dominated site.
Although a soft launch was held on Tuesday, the restaurant’s grand opening day has not yet been finalized, according to Patrick Mika, Mezeh’s director of marketing and catering. On Wednesday (July 25), Mezeh will offer free chicken shawarma bowls – it’s inaugural opening promotion.
Beginning next week, Mezeh will also free promotions for different client bases in order to reduce overcrowding in the area, especially since immediate surface lot parking is limited.
The Reston location includes traditional elements of Mezeh’s nine other locations like a community bar and wrap-around seating. No paint is used anywhere on its mixed-media walls — except on the restaurant’s bathroom doors.
“More and more fast-casual restaurants I see are becoming more like a box,” Mika said. “Ours is more like a home.”
The restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Its first fundraiser for a local charity will be on August 7. Forty percent of proceeds from purchases made between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. that day will go toward the fundraiser if customers mention “Solutions Street.”
Photos by Fatimah Waseem
BGR the Burger Joint will open a new location in the fall in RTC West, JBG Smith’s new mixed-use development.
The restaurant, which offers burgers grilled over an open flame and hand-spun milkshakes, will be located at 12120 Sunset Hills Road.
An exact opening date was not available, although restaurants are opening their doors in development, which is already home to Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, Nando’s, Honeygrow and Starbucks.
Mezeh Mediterranean Grill, which is located in the same development, is also expected to open this month. An exact opening date will be confirmed next week, a company representative told Reston Now on Friday.
Other businesses planned for the development include The Black Squirrel, an old-school gastropub, Forever Nails and Punjabi by Nature.
Photo by Fatimah Waseem
Attention, food lovers: Taste of Reston, the area’s largest outdoor food festival, is coming to Reston Town Center on June 15 and 16.
The event features samplings from the region’s eateries, live music, beer and wine gardens and a family fun zone. Admission is free, but tickets for tastings can be purchased online or on the day of the event.
Garage parking will remain free throughout the event, which runs from Friday, June 15 from 3-11 p.m. and on Saturday, June 16 from noon to 11 p.m.
The event is produced by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and was voted as the best food festival of Northern Virginia by Virginia Living last year.
Participating restaurants include Agora Restaurant, Choolah Indian BBQ, Founding Farmers Reston, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant and Trader Joe’s.
Live entertainment will take place in several areas: the main pavilion, which will include regional bands; Library Street stage, which offers interactive entertainment for kids; and the Explorer Street Local & Live Lounge, which will feature acoustic artists.
Volunteers can sign-up online.
Photo by Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce
Busara Thai Restaurant (11964 Market Street) has permanently closed its Reston Town Center location.
The restaurant, which served up authentic Thai cuisine, closed on Saturday, May 19, ending 13 years of business in Reston’s urban core.
An employee with the restaurant told Reston Now the decision was driven by the shift from free to paid parking in Reston Town Center.
“Revenue just went down the drain,” the employee said. The owner was not immediately available for comment.
A representative for Boston Properties said a new tenant has not yet been identified. The restaurant has one other location at 8142 Watson Street in McLean.
Photos by Fatimah Waseem
Honeygrow, a Philadelphia-based, fast-casual restaurant, is opening in JBG Smith’s new Reston Town Center West development at 12100 Sunset Hills Road in May.
The restaurant sells made-to-order stir-fry, salads, cold-pressed juices. The store has no freezers in order to ensure ingredients are sourced locally and made from scratch on a daily basis.
Justin Rosenberg, the restaurant’s CEO, founded honeygrow in 2012. Since then, the restaurant has opened in Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, the District, Pentagon City and other areas.
Photo via honeygrow
Mezeh Mediterranean Grill is expected to open this spring in JBG Smith’s RTC West development (12130 Sunset Hills Road).
A specific date has not been announced. Permits for the installation of the electric system were issued late last year.
The grill will join other establishments like Starbucks, Nando’s Peri-Peri and Cooper’s Hawk Winery as work continues on adjacent office buildings and ground-floor retail spaces. Other future businesses, as advertised on signage at the front of the new office building, include Punjabi by Nature, The Black Squirrel, The Burger Joint, and Honeygrow.
The first phase of development converts 15,000 square feet of office space into street-level retail and adds 25,000 square feet of new retail on the southwest corner of the nearly 14-acre campus. The buildings have structured surface parking for visitors and a four-level parking garage with a total of 1,619 parking spaces.
Photos by Fatimah Waseem
After a windy campout that began at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Chick-fil-A at 1494 North Point Village Center is now open.
The 2,800-square-foot restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It is closed on Sunday.
Customers participating in Chick-fil-A’s promotional “First 100” event camped overnight at the location and received 52 chicken sandwich meals.
They were then ceremoniously welcomed down a red carpet to the sound of “When The Saints Go Marching In” and the banging of pots, pans and cowbells, according to a restaurant representative.
The store is run by Larry Everett, a retired firefighter who worked for the fire departments in Fairfax County and Montgomery County, Md. for more than 30 years.
Here’s more about Everett from the company:
Chick-fil-A is a family business for the Everett family. In addition to his son, Philip, a franchise owner in Rockford, his son, Joshua, will serve as facilities director at the new restaurant where Everett’s daughter-in-law, Stevie, will work as assistant human [resources] director and granddaughter, Evangeline, will be director of playground safety and designated Cow handler at North Point Center.
During his 30-year firefighting career, Everett was a first responder to the Pentagon during 9/11 and spent most of his career serving the local community in Fairfax County. He and his wife, Andrea, and their family are looking forward to continuing that spirit of service among their friends and family in the Reston community.
Photos via CP Communications
Locally owned café chain Sweet Leaf will hold its official grand opening on Wednesday (March 28) at Reston Station from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The restaurant will open at 1908 Reston Metro Plaza as part of Comstock’s BLVD development. Founding Farmers, Sweet Leaf’s neighbor, is set to open on April 11.
Sweet Leaf was originally set to open late last year, but co-owner Andre Matini said they delayed the opening to match the timing of Founding Farmers’ launch day.
“We’re basically trying to open up when the entire plaza is ready. It’s a better time to open as the weather turns warmer, as more people are out, and the plaza is activated,” Matini told Reston Now.
A soft opening will be held tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Around 300 people are registered for the booked event, which will include free lunch.
Sweet Leaf was founded in McLean in 1991 and has other locations in Tysons, Vienna, McLean and three in Arlington.
The menu includes sandwiches, salads, grain bowls and breakfast options. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options are also available.
Customers can park in Reston Station’s garage. Two-hour parking will be validated at the store’s register. Two garage spaces will also be designated for customers who place online orders, Matini said.
Photos courtesy of Andre Matini
Herndon man arrested in connection with double homicide in Loudoun County — “The sheriff’s office said Brian K. Welsh, 38, of Herndon, was charged with two counts of first degree murder in the shootings in the Aldie area of the county. Officials said the killings appeared to be drug-related.” [The Washington Post]
Chef on Wheels seeks beer and wine permit — The restaurant, which was formerly a food truck, on 1810 Michael Faraday Drive is seeking the license to sell alcoholic beverages. [Reston Patch]
Preparing for the March on Washington — A former teacher who is running for Congress in Virginia’s 11th district is prepping for the march this weekend. [Jonathan Park via Eventbrite]
An argument between a bus driver and parent — A Herndon parent was served summonses for making threats to a school employee, assault and disorderly conduct last Tuesday after the parent boarded a local bus. [Herndon Police Department]
Photo by Ruth Sievers
Total Wine & More will open its doors at 9 a.m. today at 11620 Plaza America Drive.
The grand opening event, which runs through Sunday, features more than 20 wine tastings.
Customers will receive a free reusable wine tote with gifts, store information and savings worth more than $40, according to promotional information.
A portion of all grand opening sales will be donated to Cornerstones, a nonprofit organization that aims to promoted self-sufficiency.
The schedule for featured producers and tastings starts at 4 p.m. and includes the following:
- Domaine Ste. Michelle, 4-8 p.m.
- Deutsch featuring Joseph Carr Wines, Crossings Winery, and more from 4-8 p.m.
- Brew Republic Bierwerks, 4-8 p.m.
- Alewerks Brewing Company 4-8 p.m.
- Bold Rock Hard Cider 5-8 p.m.
The Northern Virginia Restaurant Week is back this year. The annual event, which runs from March 19-26, offers reduced price at more than 50 restaurants in Northern Virginia.
Customers are strongly encouraged to make reservations.
Several eateries in Reston and Herndon are participating in the event, including:
- Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants (12130 Sunset Hills Rd)
- GreenFare (408 Elden Street)
- Gregorio’s Trattoria (428 North Point Village Center)
- Kalypso’s Sports Tavern (1617 Washington Plaza N)
- Mon Ami Gabi (11950 Democracy Drive)
- Red’s Table (11150 South Lakes Drive)
- The Melting Pot (11730 Plaza America Drive)
For a complete list of all eateries taking part, visit the event’s website.
Photo via Northern Virginia Restaurant Week
Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, an Annapolis-based restaurant, will replace Red Velvet Cupcakery (11939 Democracy Drive).
Buildout for the 800-square-foot restaurant will begin in late summer, according Dan Beck, lobster maven and the company’s founder.
The news comes as Aaron Gordon, owner of Red Velvet Cupcakery, announces plans to shutter his business at Reston Town Center on May 27 — a move he hinted at last year.
Gordon has vehemently and visibly opposed Boston Properties’ paid parking structure — a program that drove his decision to close his store.
“I have no interest in staying with our current landlord, which in my opinion, completely disregards it’s retail partners,” Gordon said. He may reconsider finding another location in Reston in the future.
Late last year, Mason’s opened its first franchise locations in Baltimore, Md. and National Harbor. Masons’ serves lobster rolls, lobster bisque, clam chowder, salads, and more.
Beck said his company selected Reston Town Center because the franchisee lives in Reston and because the community’s urban core has “strong foot traffic and strong demographics,” especially customers from nearby offices.
The store will be similar to other locations, but will also include a “very strong Monday through Friday lunch business.” Customers will be able to place online orders through an app.
Plans for build-out are still on the drawing board as the company works through the permitting process. The restaurant’s sign should be up in the coming weeks.
Foodies can enjoy discounted prix fixe meals through Sunday, Jan. 28 during this year’s Metropolitan Washington Winter Restaurant Week.
More than 250 restaurants in the District, Maryland and Virginia are participating in the event, which kicked off on Monday.
In Reston, four eateries are also taking part. Restaurants will offer three-course lunch and brunch menus for $22 and a three-course dinner for $35. The annual event is sponsored by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.
Participating Reston restaurants include:
- McCormick & Schmick’s (11920 Democracy Drive)
- Morton’s The Steakhouse (11956 Market Street)
- The Melting Pot (11730 Plaza America Drive)
- Passion Fish (11960 Democracy Drive)
Support Herndon Middle School’s Chorus at MOD Pizza in Reston — Bring this flyer to the restaurant on 11642 Plaza America Drive all day today. MOD Pizza will donate 20 percent of the bill to the choir. [Herndon Middle School Chorus via Twitter]
Plans in the Works to Bring Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls to Reston — A company representative told the Washington Business Journal the franchise could open a Reston location this year. The lobster restaurant’s menu includes lobster rolls, sandwiches, salads and soups. [Washington Business Journal]
