Good morning, Alexandria! 👋 Today is Thursday, Aug. 14, the 226th day of 2025. There are 139 days left in the year.
⛈️ Today’s weather: A slight chance of showers between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 50%.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight, mainly before 9 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
🚨 You need to know
Hank’s Pasta Bar will reopen Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 600 Montgomery St. as a delivery and takeout-only operation, marking the popular Italian restaurant’s return to Old Town Alexandria after closing more than five years ago.
The original Hank’s Pasta Bar closed in September 2019 for renovations and reopened in August 2020 as Hank & Mitzi’s Italian Kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Hank & Mitzi’s permanently closed in June 2021, citing pandemic-related challenges.
The revived concept will operate exclusively for takeout and delivery from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, the restaurant shared with ALXnow.
“Hank’s Pasta Bar is coming back — this time as a delivery and to go concept, built for dinner,” the restaurant told ALXnow. “It’s a nightly operation running out of our Old Town kitchen’s second level (separate from the main kitchen) and dedicated entirely to the Pasta Bar menu. You can preview the full menu now on our site, but in addition to delicious pastas, we’ll have crispy rustic breads, caesar salads, bottled wine, and canned beer to go!”
The restaurant said it will be “perfect for busy families, date nights, at-home dinner parties, or anyone who wants restaurant-quality pasta without dining out.”
The return follows the recent conclusion of another food partnership at the location. Pizzeria Paradiso had been operating a pop-up concept at Hank’s Oyster Bar since March, but that arrangement has since ended. The pizza restaurant had announced in February that the pop-up was “the first step” in its return to Alexandria after closing during the pandemic in 2020.
Pizzeria Paradiso’s website now states: “Thank you for your support in Old Town! Our popup hosted by Hank’s Old Town has ended.” The pop-up had operated Thursday through Sunday, offering pickup and delivery.
The original Hank’s Pasta Bar operated for three years from late 2016 to 2019 before closing. The restaurant is part of the Jamie Leeds Restaurant Group, which also operates multiple Hank’s Oyster Bar locations in the Washington region.
The restaurant’s Instagram bio playfully states they are “Back On Our Pasta Sh—t” and “simply feeding, not seating” with the new takeout-focused model. The full takeout and delivery menu is available on the restaurant’s website at hankspastabar.com.
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What else you should know
🌮 A new Mexican restaurant in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood will close daily at 2 a.m. rather than operate around the clock after facing opposition from residents.
🟦 The Alexandria Democratic Committee announced Tuesday in a newsletter to supporters that it will host its annual Labor Day picnic at a new indoor-outdoor venue this year, marking a shift from previous outdoor-only locations to ensure the event remains accessible regardless of weather conditions.
👉 The man who died Aug. 8 after jumping from a 15th-floor balcony during an FBI arrest attempt had been indicted on multiple counts of wire fraud for allegedly defrauding women he met on dating apps, according to court documents.
🚧 Construction will close East Abingdon Drive north of Slaters Lane starting Monday as part of a long-awaited project to widen the Mount Vernon Trail, the City of Alexandria announced.
📈 Wednesday’s most read
The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for Aug. 13, 2025.
- Man who jumped from King Street balcony was indicted for dating app fraud
- Former Alexandria councilman Seifeldein announces bid for Congress
- 2 Alexandria business owners charged in first skill games indictments
- Man charged in string of 7-Eleven robberies across Alexandria, Fairfax County
- Alexandria resident creates app to track local crime data
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s happening today in Alexandria, as per our newsletter and event calendar.
Things To Do
- 10 a.m.: Brixalot Duplo Trains at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 10 a.m.: English Language Learning (ELL) 1 Workshop – Beginner Conversation at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 10:15 a.m.: Rocknoceros at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 10:30 a.m.: Storytime in the Reading Garden at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 12 p.m.: Line Dancing at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 1 p.m.: Crafting for Teens at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 1:15 p.m.: Baby Bounce at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 2 p.m.: Old Town North Farmers’ Market at Montgomery Park
- 2 p.m.: American Style Mahjong – Learn and Play at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 3 p.m.: Handcraft Crafternoon at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 5:30 p.m.: Tai Chi at Beatley Library – Balance Your Mind and Body at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 6 p.m.: Art+ Wine+ Cheese: Meet artist Marietje Chamberlain at Nepenthe Gallery
- 6 p.m.: Nerdy Knotters – Knitting and Crochet group at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 6 p.m.: Dungeons and Dragons: Adult Group! – Adventure awaits! At Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 6 p.m.: Coding Game Night – ages 6-12 at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 6 p.m.: Duncan Literary Society – Not Your Average Book Club at The Company of Books
Live Music & Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Mike Kelley & Friends at 9 p.m.
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Trivia at 7:30 p.m.
- Aslin ALX: Trivia at 7 p.m.
- Augie’s Mussel House & Beer Garden: Live music at 5 p.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Summer Cup Pong Tournament at 7 p.m.
- Della J’s Delectables: Geno Marriott & the Spirit of Jazz at 7 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Trivia at 6:30 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Ken Kilpatrick Trio at 6 p.m.
- Lost Boy Cider: Trivia at 7 p.m.
- Mason Social: Tory Grace at 5 p.m.
- Murphy’s Pub: Pat Garvey at 8:30 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Koluna, Metro 2 Paris, and Amazon Crimes at 9 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Little Theatre of Alexandria: Kinky Boots at 8 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live Piano Music at 6 p.m.
City of Alexandria Events & Public Meetings
