After nearly a year in development, a new café and wine bar in Old Town is soft opening this week.
Owner Ksenia Varakina is opening Cherry On Top at 1021 Queen Street from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday (June 24), and told ALXnow the grand opening will be on July 10. The shop is expected to offer selections of wine, espresso beverages, charcuterie and pastries.
Varakina, a data scientist for Mastercard in her day job, moved to Alexandria from New York City last year and says that the new shop is off the beaten path in Old Town. Varakina has hired staff to help run the café, which will regularly host wine tastings, seasonal lawn evenings, cultural and creative events, and educational tastings.
“Cherry On Top was created from a simple belief: the most memorable moments rarely happen in crowded rooms,” according to the business’ website. “They happen around a well-set table, a thoughtfully chosen bottle, and conversations that have room to unfold.”
This marks Varakina’s first business, and she hasn’t ruled out future locations if the café succeeds.
“It’s been quite a journey,” Varakina told ALXnow in a previous interview. “I think I knew that it was going to be, not a fast thing to do … but I learned a lot.”
Cherry on Top has 40 indoor seats, and its 437-square-foot yard accommodates eight outdoor tables for 16 customers. The business will share updates on its website and Instagram.
