Around Town

Italian restaurant Floriana targets late summer opening in Old Town

By Emily Leayman
Brick, multi-story commercial building at 277 with arched windows and a metal mansard roof, storefronts along the sidewalk.
The Atrium Building at 277 S. Washington Street (via Google Maps)

Italian restaurant Floriana is set to occupy restaurant space in the Atrium Building in Old Town, but permitting has delayed the opening.

Floriana is leasing space in the Atrium Building at 277 S. Washington Street, replacing a vacancy left by Virginia’s Darling and Mae’s Market. This will be Floriana’s second D.C.-area location, joining the original D.C. location that opened in 1979 and later moved to 1602 17th Street NW. The new location is being led by owner Jamie Branda and co-owner Dino Tapper, son of restaurant founder Floriana Nestore.

Branda told ALXnow the restaurant is now aiming for a late August or early September opening. Floriana is currently working on a permit that has kept getting delayed.

The Alexandria location, while offering the same northern Italian cuisine as its D.C. counterpart, will have a few differences. The Washington Business Journal had reported the location will add breakfast and lunch menus, an expansion from the dinner and Sunday brunch served in D.C. Pizza, happy hour specials and a raw bar are expected to be other offerings at the new location.

Floriana also has a Wilmington, N.C. location and is working to open a Huntsville, Ala. location this year.


Image via Google Maps

About the Author

  • Emily Leayman is the editor of ALXnow and contributes reporting to ARLnow and FFXnow. She was previously a field editor covering parts of Northern Virginia for Patch for more than eight years. A native of the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, she lives in Northern Virginia.