Vermilion at 1120 King Street has some pretty prestigious fans.
Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema shared a list of his five favorite spots around the area with an emphasis on international cuisine.
The last location on the list was Vermiilion, an Americana restaurant in Old Town known for its wine pairings.
Sietsema particularly praised the work of head chef Tony Chittum:
Seemingly overnight, Chittum jump-started the Old Town stalwart with dishes that marry local bounty with practiced creativity.
Fried oysters? Been there, done that, but never where the crisp oysters are staged atop shells filled with what tastes like Waldorf salad. Chittum’s salads are beautiful haystacks, one night speckled radicchio with sheeps’ milk cheese, chips of fried Jerusalem artichokes and folds of country ham. Sweet scallops share their plate with fritters that mimic scrapple, and even steak — straightforward steak — is elevated when the beef comes with a bright salsa and blue cheese suspended in tempura.
Sietsema also praised the aesthetics of the restaurant, from the brick walls to flickering lanterns.
The restaurant is open nightly for dinner starting at 5 p.m. The bar opens at 4 p.m. Weekend brunch runs from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.
Photo via Vermilion Restaurant & Bar/Facebook
Crumbl Cookies is coming to Alexandria’s Bradlee Shopping Center.
There have been reports of the cookie store coming to the Bradlee Shopping Center for years, but construction is finally underway.
Construction started at the end of March at 3618 King Street to convert the 1,900-square foot space into a cookie shop. The shopping center now lists the store as one of its tenants.
Crumbl Cookies founded in 2017 in Utah, and the franchise now has more than 900 locations. In 2022, the company reportedly sold more than $1 billion in cookies. That’s a lot of dough.
Crumbl Cookies is known for their weekly rotating menu of cookies.
The nearest Crumbl Cookies to Alexandria is in the Kingstowne area of Fairfax County (5810 Kingstowne Towne Center).
There’s a new Honduran restaurant in town.
Como En Casa (Just Like Home) opened last month at 4112 Mount Vernon Avenue in the former home of Ferman’s Bar & Grill. It’s the first restaurant for owner Jury Vaquedano, who brightened the interior by painting the walls, and adding large televisions, as well as a fresh menu and staff.
One thing that is sticking around is the rotisserie oven for cooking roasted chicken.
“We have great pupusas, chicken fajitas and tacos,” Vaquedano said. “Lunch is getting busier every day because people are finding out how good the food is.”
Vaquedano is in the process of getting a license to serve wine and beer, and wants to host Olympic watch parties this summer, as well as for other big sporting events.
The entrees at the restaurant cost between $15 and $30.
Vaquedano has owned a roofing company, JVC Home Improvement, for the last eight years. In 2018 she opened a food truck, El Sazon Catracho, but closed it in 2020. Since then, she’s worked with her sister’s Honduran restaurant in Springfield, Hondu Pollo (6959 Hechinger Drive).
Como En Casa serves breakfast all day and is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Here’s a roundup of all the events, live music, and entertainment happening around Alexandria this weekend. Enjoy!
Are you organizing an event? Submit events to ALXnow.
Friday, April 19
Things To Do
- 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Character Building Workshop at Military Children’s Six Foundation
- 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Fun Friday at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Degas Art Bingo at Nepenthe Gallery
- 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.: In My Cookie Era! Cookie Decorating at Lost Boy Cider
- 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Guided Meditation With Cats at Mount Purrnon Cate Cafe & Wine Bar
Live Music & Entertainment
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Hall Pass from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Ryan Forrester from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Johnny Artis Band from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
- Fish Market: DJ at 9 p.m.
- Galactic Panther: The Dead Queens W/ Folking Tunes and Tennessee Frisky from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: The Satin Doll Trio from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Lost Boy Cider: Game Night from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Poehemia & Pat Carroll at 9 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Crushing Diamonds from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse: Broken Ground at 9:30 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live piano music from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Two Nineteen Restaurant: Rich Russman Band from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
City of Alexandria
- 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Parents Night Out at Mount Vernon Recreation Center
Saturday, April 20
Things To Do
- 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.: ALX Dog Walk at Oronoco Bay Park
- 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Old Town Farmers’ Market at Market Square Plaza
- 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Del Ray Farmers Market at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square
- 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Pop Up Spring Marketplace Boutique at the Athenaeum
- 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Del Ray Kitchen Confidential Design Tour at Del Ray Design Tour
- 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Animal Family Day at Mount Vernon
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Old Town Alexandria Historic Home and Garden Tour Kicks Off Spring Tradition in Old Town Alexandria
- 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.: Saturday Pop Up, Pop In Story Time at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Exploring Watercolor Takes Courage – A painting class by artists Teresa Brunson and Lynn Martin at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Garden Day Tours at Carlyle House Historic Park
- 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Board Game Cafe at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Embroidered Tapestry Workshop with Beta White at Fibre Space
- 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.: 10th Anniversary Party at Sweet Fire Donna’s
- 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.: ReFashion Show at The Garden ALX
- 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Brews & Booze Motor Cruise with Tall ship Providence Foundation
- 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.: Gadsby’s Tavern Museum Society Spring Fling at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
- 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: To The Sea | Pro Coro Alexandria Concert at Westminster Presbyterian Church
Live Music & Entertainment
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Small Town 7 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Larry Thomas Duo from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Practically Einstein from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
- Galactic Panther: RedHorizon, The Backbeat Collective & Zawadi Live Music @ Galactic Panther from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Karaoke from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Sharon Clark Trio from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Poehemia & Pat Carroll at 9 p.m.
- Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center: ASO Presents: On the Town & Shostakovich 5 – Shuffle and Deal at 7:30 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere Music Hall: Steep Canyon Rangers at 7:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse: Black Cactus Hotels at 9:30 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live piano music from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Two Nineteen Restaurant: Bill Pappas Project from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
City of Alexandria
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Charles Houston Health & Fitness Expo at Charles Houston Recreation Center
- 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Annual Invitational Cheer Competition at Alexandria City High School Gymnasium
Sunday, April 21
Things To Do
- 8 a.m.: Dyke Marsh Sunday Morning Bird Walk at Dyke Marsh
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Four Mile Run Farmers & Artisans Market
- 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Art of Manual Coffee Brewing at Galactic Panther
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Old Town North Farmers Market
- 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Animal Family Day at Mount Vernon
- 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Burpees and Brews at Port City Brewing Company
- 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Girl Scout Garden Day at Carlyle House
- 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Writers Group at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Kids Arts & Crafts at Hops N Shine
- 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Oddball Cinema – Barry Landon at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Jazz at Meade featuring the Vaughn Ambrose Quartet at Meade Memorial Episcopal Church
Live Music & Entertainment
- Blackwall Hitch: Jazz Brunch with Black Coffee from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Conor Malone from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Galactic Panther: ESP’s InterGalactic Open Mic from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: The Office Trivia Night from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Steve Zubrick from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Walt Johnson Trio from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Meade Memorial Episcopal Church: Jazz at Meade featuring the Vaughn Ambrose Quartet from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Rook Richards at 8:30 p.m.
- Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center: ASO Presents: On the Town & Shostakovich 5 – Shuffle and Deal at 3 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere Music Hall: SGGL (Speidel, Goodrich, Goggin, & Lille) at 7:30 pm
- Two Nineteen Restaurant: Kev Powe Thang from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
City of Alexandria
- 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award at Del Ray GardenFest
Ryan Belmore is an award-winning news publisher, editor, and journalist. Born and raised in Rhode Island, he now resides in Alexandria with his wife and two rescue dogs. He was recently appointed to the City of Alexandria’s Board of Zoning Appeals and previously served on the City’s Commission For The Arts. Email listings and events to Ryan at [email protected]. Follow Ryan on Instagram at whatsupalexandria.
In recognition of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month in June, Del Ray’s seasonal pop-up bar will open in early May as Pride on the Avenue, it’s owners tell ALXnow.
Bill Blackburn and his business partner “Mango” Mike Anderson of the Homegrown Restaurant Group and their staff gutted the space that was home the last few months to their ski lodge concept, Aspen on the Avenue. Just what they’re planning for the interior is still under wraps, as is the menu, but Blackburn said that renovations will be extensive.
“We’re expanding Pride Month into a two-to-three month period in celebration of openness and inclusiveness for the LGBTQ+ community,” Blackburn said. “I can tell you that we’re going to have a new, extensive craft cocktail program, and the interior of the pop-up is going to be completely different.”
The pop-up is located between HRG’s other Del Ray restaurants Pork Barrel BBQ and Holy Cow Del Ray on Mount Vernon Avenue.
Blackburn said that he got the blessing to open the bar from Freddie Lutz, the owner of Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant in Crystal City. He also said that HRG is planning on donating $500 a week to Equality NOVA, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
“I anticipate that Del Ray will rally behind us with this concept,” Blackburn said. “We want everyone to be welcome in all of our restaurants, and this is a way for us to showcase that.”
Pride on the Avenue will likely stay put until October, when the pop-up will be transformed into its Halloween concept Nightmare on the Avenue. After Thanksgiving, the bar will once again be turned into the Christmas-themed Joy on the Avenue.
There’s a new barbecue restaurant in an Old Town space that was previously home to… You guessed it — a barbecue restaurant.
Mystic BBQ & Grill formally opened this month at 220 N. Lee Street in the space previously occupied by Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster Barbeque, the Zebra first reported. Myron Mixon’s closed last Christmas Eve.
RT’s Restaurant (3804 Mount Vernon Avenue) owners Ralph Davis and Matthew Davis took over the restaurant, after their special use permit was approved. The menu has undergone a visual and branding overhaul and the “southern-centric menu” also features fresh seafood, “including our signature spicy she crab soup, low country shrimp & grits & creole bouillabaisse,” according to the restaurant.
According to Mystic BBQ & Grill:
Opened in April 2024 by a family that has been operating restaurants in and around Old Town for almost 50 years. Located in the heart of Old Town, Mystic has a diverse menu featuring Texas style smoked brisket, baby rack ribs & Carolina pulled pork. Meats are smoked low & slow in BBQ champion Myron Mixon’s signature smoker that is front and center in our open kitchen.
BBQ is just one part of this southern centric menu that also features fresh seafood including our signature spicy she crab soup, low country shrimp & grits & creole bouillabaisse. Not to be missed is the jumbo lump crab cake sandwich, which sets the standard for all of Old Town. Specialty sandwiches & unique salads are available all day in a casual setting that features upscale but moderately priced food. Great little wine list & large selection of draft beers are also available. Don’t forget about the “bananas foster” bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream & brown sugar rum sauce.
The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, and from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!
🌤️ Today’s weather: Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 75 degrees and a light northeast wind shifting to the south at around 6 mph in the afternoon. On Tuesday night, there’s a 40% chance of showers after 2 am, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 57 degrees accompanied by a south wind of approximately 6 mph.
🚨 You need to know
The wait is over for ice cream lovers, because it’s Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry’s.
There’s no strings attached. Since 1979, the ice cream shop has handed out free ice cream cones one day a year, and that day has come.
The Old Town shop is located at 103 S. Union Street, and staff said that it’ll be busy today.
More than a million scoops will be handed out today around the world, according to Ben and Jerry’s.
📈 Monday’s most read
The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for Apr 15, 2024.
- CVS set to close in Taylor Run off Duke Street (2021 views)
- Notes: Fundraiser for motorcyclist killed on Duke Street raises thousands (1258 views)
- No arrest after fistfight leads to gunfire in Lincolnia (1055 views)
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on today in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
- 👉 7:00 pm: Celtic Corridor in Concert at the Lyceum
After a three-month renovation, Royal Restauraunt reopened to the public on Wednesday with an expanded menu and hours.
The favorite brunch spot was bought by Alexandria Restaurant Partners and Sloan Hospitality last fall, and after being up and running for three months closed in January. ARP refurbished the 123-year-old restaurant, added a 56-seat patio with a retractable awning, reupholstered the booths, built an inside bar and expanded its menu to include dinner.
“It’s a definitely a awesome growing area,” said partner Matt Sloan. “There’s been a lot of excitement people walking by, you know, there’s, there’s a good amount of foot traffic here.”
In Alexandria, ARP also owns Mia’s Italian Kitchen, Vola’s Dockside Grill, Riverside Taco Company, Joe Theismann’s Restaurant, The Majestic, Ada’s on the River and Barca Pier and Wine Bar. The company also owns a Mia’s Italian Kitchen and Café Tu Tu Tango in Orlando, Florida.
For Sloan, the move is the latest in a long collaboration with ARP. He was previously the general manager at ARP’s restaurant Ada’s on the River, and later left to open his own restaurant — Matt & Tony’s at 1501 Mount Vernon Avenue. He also leased Matt & Tony’s from ARP.
D.C.-based architect David Anthony Chenault designed the interior, paying homage to the diner’s history with some modern elements.
“The walnut-colored bar, featuring a sleek stainless-steel top, handmade Soho tiles, and lightly antiqued glass mirrors, is complemented by oversized canvas art,” ARP said in a release.
The restaurant previously closed after brunch, and it’s new hours are 7 a.m to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Royal Restaurant will hold a ribbon cutting on Monday, April 15, at 12:30 p.m.
According to ARP:
Royal’s menu retains its beloved 1904 classics such as The Royal Breakfast, Classic Belgian Waffle with whipped butter and maple syrup, and the traditional Greek Omelet served with home fries and toast, ensuring longtime fans can still enjoy their favorite dishes. An array of new creations across all-day brunch, lunch, and, for the first time, dinner menus complement these staples.
Noteworthy additions to the all-day brunch selections include Crispy Fried Chicken Thighs with chorizo gravy and Steak & Eggs, marinated in guajillo for a spicy kick. Lunch and dinner “mains” include Country Fried Steak served with crispy potatoes and mole-spiced carrots, Prime Brisket Meatloaf with mashed potatoes, sweet and sour charred corn relish, burnt onion gravy and crispy onions, as well as a selection of savory starters, refreshing salads, and sandwiches like the “Club Sandwich” Torta on ciabatta, and the Green Chili Cheeseburger featuring roasted green chili, escabeche onions, bacon, sharp cheddar, and deli mustard piled heartily on a house ground chuck meat patty served on a warm brioche bun.
The new dessert menu invites guests to indulge in Roasted Apple Chimichangas and Ancho Chili Chocolate Mousse.
After nearly a year of extensive renovation and expansion, Piece Out Del Ray is reopening next month, it’s owner tells ALXnow.
The expansion from 2,700 to 4,600 square feet includes a large, center-focused bar area, a brand new dining room in what was previously a neighboring yoga studio, booths, dart boards and 21-and-up-only shuffleboard. A small area for outdoor seating is still being leveled and rails need to be put in place, but otherwise the restaurant was ready enough to open for a March Madness pop-up event on Wednesday night.
Owner Larry Ponzi wouldn’t disclose how much he spent renovating the space, except to say that it was more than he’d expected.
“We’re just going to work next week on our staffing, post-construction organization, cleaning and finishing our menu development,” Ponzi said. “The following week we should be open.”
Ponzi and his wife Christine opened the pizzeria for delivery and takeout only during the pandemic in 2020. The restaurant became popular, and after distancing and dining restrictions were lifted, Ponzi said that the 2,700-square-foot space got overwhelmed with customers and the delivery option had to be scrapped.
After studio Body Logic moved across the street, Ponzi and the property owner agreed on absorbing the additional space into the restaurant.
“We’re doing our best to keep the feel and vibe of the old Piece Out,” Ponzi said. “We’re just in a space that we really feel is our own. We want to keep all the good things about Piece Out that people love and just make it a little better.”
Chef Johnny Mohl is working on an expanded menu with seasonal specials.
“I’m really excited to be here,” Mohl said. “With this modern layout, the whole restaurant just has this feeling of old and new coming together, which is something that I really love.”
The Ponzi’s PCG Restaurant Group owns St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub in Del Ray and Old Town North, Cafe Pizzaiolo (1623 Fern Street), Market 2 Market (116 E. Del Ray Avenue) and Red Drum Grill and Tap House in Nags Head, North Carolina.
(Updated 2:25 p.m.) It can be hard to find good vegetarian and vegan-friendly options around Alexandria. After a walk along the waterfront or a stroll through Del Ray, it’s nice to know where you or your friends with plant-based diets can stop in for a meal.
ALXnow has you covered.
There are a couple different ways of ranking Alexandria’s vegan restaurants, but one of the most consistent is from Happy Cow, an app dedicated to helping users find vegetarian and vegan-friendly options.
Ranked by ratings, these are the Happy Cow users’ top choices in Alexandria:
- PLNT Burger (1700 Duke Street): a regional chain with plant-based burgers. The Alexandria location is in the Whole Foods Market on Duke Street.
- Spice Kraft Indian Bistro (2607 Mount Vernon Avenue): an Indian restaurant with two locations, one in Arlington and another in Alexandria. Has several vegan and vegetarian options.
- Hawwi Ethiopian (1125 Queen Street): an Ethiopian restaurant in Old Town with vegan options.
- Asian Wok Cafe (828 N. Washington Street): a casual Chinese restaurant with a fairly extensive vegetarian and vegan menu, including vegan versions of classic Chinese dishes.
- Yunnan by Potomac Noodle House (814 N. Fairfax Street): a restaurant in the Montgomery Center focusing on food from southwest China. Enjoy it while it’s in Alexandria, though, because it’s moving to Arlington due to the redevelopment of the Montgomery Center.
- Caphe Banh Mi (407 Cameron Street): a Vietnamese restaurant in Old Town with vegan options.
- Lost Dog Cafe (808 N. Henry Street): a pizza and sandwich regional chain with some vegan and vegetarian options,
though the selection for vegan/vegetarian options is very limited. Update: Lost Dog Cafe has vegan cheese as a substitute option and all vegetarian sandwiches and pizzas can be made vegan. - Mai Thai Restaurant (6 King Street): a Thai restaurant on Alexandria’s waterfront with several vegan options.
- &pizza (Hoffman Town Center, Bradlee Shopping Center, Potomac Yard): a regional pizza chain with several premade and customizable vegan pizza options.
- The Peoples Drug (103 N. Alfred Street): a sandwich and cocktail bar in Old Town with vegan options, notably a plant-based meatball sub.
Yelp, meanwhile, ranked Spice Kraft as the number one highest rated vegan-friendly restaurant in Alexandria. Yelp’s Top Ten also included Fetching Goodies, a vegan and gluten-free residential bakery with treats available for purchase online to be picked up on East Windsor Avenue.
ALXnow checked in with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and got some recommendations as well:
PLNT Burger is 100% vegan and located inside a Whole Foods Market. They offer various kinds of burgers, chik’n sandwiches, and a “Save the Bay Fillet”.
The following restaurants aren’t fully vegan, but do offer vegan options:
Hawwi Ethiopian Restaurant offers a vegan sampler, which includes chickpea puree, beets and potatoes, and collard greens served with Injera (flatbread) or basmati rice.
Spice Kraft Indian Bistro has several vegan options, such as vegetable korma and bhuna bartha (roasted eggplant) can make other entrees vegan upon request.
Aditi Indian Dining also has several vegan options, including channa masala and gobi Manchurian (cauliflower).
Falafel Inc has a small menu, but offers great options, like a vegan meat shawarma sandwich with red umami cabbage with vegan dressings.
Andy’s Pizza in Old Town has a great vegan pizza called Miller Time made with locally made vegan cheese (vertage brand).
The following are near Alexandria:
Busboys and Poets in Arlington has many vegan options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, like vegan egg wraps, vegan tuna salad, and vegan Bolognese pasta.
Loving Hut in Falls church is 100% vegan with everything from summer rolls with vegan meats to spicy noodle soups.
Chay Restaurant is also in Falls Church and features Vietnamese cuisine where about 80-90% of the menu items are vegan.
Image via Spice Kraft Indian bistro/Facebook
