food | ALXnow - Part 6

Government shutdown moves Taste of NoVA from Fort Belvoir to Manassas

Published October 7, 2025 at 4:30PM

Taste of NoVA has moved to NOVA LIVE campus in Manassas (via NOVA LIVE/Facebook)

The government shutdown has prompted the Taste of NoVA to move from the National Museum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir, nearly 30 miles west, to the NOVA LIVE event field in Manassas.

More than 120 restaurants and wineries are featured at the Northern Virginia Magazine event on Oct. 11 and 12, and organizers had to think fast as the National Museum of the U.S. Army is closed during the shutdown. Federal workers attending the event can use promo code GOV20 to receive 20 percent off general admission tickets with a valid government ID at TasteOfNoVA.com.

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Alexandria-area bakery is making all the pretzels at Capital One Arena

By James Cullum

Published October 6, 2025 at 10:00AM | Updated October 9, 2025 at 6:13PM

Bread and Water Co. in the Belle View Shopping Center is now making all the pretzels for Capital One Arena in D.C. (courtesy photo)

A local bakery just got a big order with a twist, literally.

Bread and Water Co. in the Belle View Shopping Center is now the pretzel maker for Capital One Arena. Throughout the hockey and basketball seasons, as well as during concerts and special events, customers can expect to find pretzels made by Bread and Water’s bakery in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County.

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Playa Bowls seeks to open Old Town location

By James Cullum

Published October 2, 2025 at 1:15PM

A Playa Bowls franchise has submitted paperwork to open at 1229 King Street in Old Town (via Facebook)

A Playa Bowls franchise just submitted paperwork with the city to open at 1229 King Street in Old Town.

The quick-service restaurant will sell “fruit bowls, oatmeal bowls, smoothies, and juices for takeout and pickup,” according to the special use permit (SUP) filed with the city. The chain was founded in New Jersey in 2014, and there are now more than 300 Playa Bowls locations nationwide, with the nearest one in Arlington, located at 2055 15th Street.

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Alexandria businesses offer discounts for federal workers during government shutdown

By James Cullum

Published October 1, 2025 at 12:30PM | Updated October 1, 2025 at 12:54PM

via Made In ALX/Instagram

Several Alexandria businesses are offering discounts and freebies to federal employees affected by the government shutdown.

Made in ALX (415 King Street) is offering discounts on workshops, has items on sale, and is putting out one of their artists’ 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles for anyone to work on during regular business hours. “I’m in a federal family, and have gone through several shutdowns in the past,” Beth Lawton, a cofounder of Made In ALX, told us. “I know firsthand how stressful it is, and if we can make things easier on people affected this year, we’re happy to do that.”

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Alexandria restaurants offering ‘furlough freebies’ to impacted federal employees

By James Cullum

Published September 30, 2025 at 10:10PM

A pulled pork sandwich at Pork Barrel BBQ in Del Ray (via Facebook)

In the event of a government shutdown Wednesday, two Alexandria restaurants are offering impacted federal employees free food.

Pork Barrel BBQ (2312 Mount Vernon Avenue) and Sweet Fire Donna’s (510 John Carlyle Street) are offering a free pulled pork sandwich to federal employees who bring their IDs to the restaurant. The deal is limited to one sandwich per day per federal employee Monday through Friday. Both restaurants are owned by Bill Blackburn and “Mango” Mike Anderson of the Homegrown Restaurant Group.

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Pak Soii Izakaya to hold menu preview popup before Del Ray opening

By James Cullum

Published September 23, 2025 at 11:00AM

Pak Soii Izakaya and Bar is hosting a pop-up at their sister restaurant Gin Ramen & Asian Tapas (500 John Carlyle Street) on Oct. 4 and 5, 2025 (courtesy image)

Pak Soii Izakaya and Bar is set to open in Del Ray, and will finalize its menu with a popup at their sister restaurant, Gin Ramen & Asian Tapas (500 John Carlyle Street), on Oct. 4 and 5.

“We need to get feedback from our customers,” owner Jay Chainam told ALXnow, and said that the offerings will include sushi, yakitori, highballs, and sake.

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New farmers market opens Sept. 25 near King St.-Old Town Metro station

By James Cullum

Published September 18, 2025 at 2:45PM

Farmers' Market (photo courtesy Visit Alexandria)

A new farmers market opens Thursday, Sept. 25, across from the King St.-Old Town Metro station.

The King Street Station Farmers Market will be held every Thursday from Sept. 25 to Oct. 30 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the King Street Station Office Plaza at 1800 Diagonal Road. The market is free to attend and sponsored by the King Street Station Association.

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ALIVE! food pantry has plenty of peanut butter, needs jelly

By James Cullum

Published September 16, 2025 at 11:02AM

Alexandria nonprofit ALIVE! needs jelly contributions (via Facebook)

Alexandria nonprofit ALIVE! gets plenty of peanut butter donations, but not enough jelly.

ALIVE! feeds more than 20,000 hungry residents monthly, and recently announced on social media that the perfect partner to peanut butter is harder to come by. According to ALIVE:

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Alexandria chefs to compete in Carpenter’s Shelter fundraiser Oct. 19

By James Cullum

Published September 15, 2025 at 2:37PM

Carpenter's Cook Off flyer (image via Carpenter's Shelter)

Alexandria-based Carpenter’s Shelter will hold its signature fundraiser next month, pitting chefs around the city against each other.

Chefs from more than a dozen Alexandria restaurants will compete in the Carpenter’s Cook-Off 2025 from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, at The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Avenue). Funds from the event will benefit the nonprofit, which provides temporary housing and support for hundreds of homeless families and individuals every year.

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Video: Inside Pupatella’s new Old Town North location opening Sunday

By James Cullum

Published September 12, 2025 at 3:15PM

(Left to right) Pupatella vice president Natasha Neely, managing partner Michael Berger and CEO Jim Biafore at the new location at 700 Slaters Lane in Old Town North (staff photo by James Cullum)

It takes about one minute to cook a pie in the 1000-degree oven at Pupatella Neapolitan Pizza, and ALXnow just got a sneak peek inside their newest location in Old Town North.

The new restaurant is the twelfth for the company, and has been in development for more than two years. It will officially open on Sept. 15. Today, (Sept, 12) Pupatella had a soft opening for special guests and the restaurant’s Managing Partner Michael Berger was at the opening today, and was joined by company CEO Jim Biafore and Vice President Natasha Neely. Biafore said that the opening feels like crossing the finish line.

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Life Alive Organic Cafe seeks permit for Old Town location

By James Cullum

Published September 11, 2025 at 3:15PM

Life Alive Organic Cafe has filed paperwork to open at 400 King Street in Old Town (via Facebook)

A popular Massachusetts-based fast-casual organic restaurant has filed paperwork to open at 400 King Street in Old Town.

Life Alive Organic Cafe has filed a special use permit application to open in the space formerly occupied by Long and Foster Realtors. The building is currently home to The Alexandrian Old Town Hotel at 480 King Street and Southern restaurant King & Rye, near City Hall at 301 King Street. Life Alive is planning on a 3,000-square-foot, 97-seat restaurant to be open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.