A family that opened a coffee shop inside a recently closed Italian restaurant in Old Town North has launched a GoFundMe.
In January, Dream Chasers Coffee owners Leo and Brittani Maggio opened Valletta Espresso Bar inside Italian restaurant Valletta Port at 682 N. St. Asaph Street. On Friday (April 17), the restaurant abruptly closed. Maggio told ALXnow that he arrived at work to find the doors locked and the business shut down.
After being open for less than two years in Old Town, Italian restaurant Valletta Port has permanently closed.
The business’s last social media post was on Thursday, April 9, announcing live music that weekend. The business’s website now says that the restaurant is permanently closed.
The owner of the dilapidated former Potomac River Generating Station in Old Town is hosting a community meeting next month on mixed-use redevelopment plans for part of the site.
HRP Group‘s virtual community meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, May 4 from 6-7 p.m. Under discussion will be the special use permits for Block B and Block C (both submitted in July 2025), as well as open space along the waterfront and Norfolk Southern rail corridor.
An early tenant of Old Town North’s emerging arts district is holding its official grand opening this Saturday (April 11).
After closing its longtime location at 532 N. Washington Street and working from a pop-up at Founders Hall, 532 Yoga, Arts & Culture will hold a grand opening at its new permanent home at 500 Montgomery Street. The free event will feature live violin music, a presentation by artists Xenia Gray and Cari Babitzke, and snacks and drinks. The event will be held from 5-7:30 p.m., and coincides with the studio’s 14th anniversary.
Five Alexandria eateries have advanced to finalist status in the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s annual restaurant awards.
Narrowed down from dozens of semifinalists who were publicly revealed last month for the first time, the list of finalists announced last night (Monday) at The Hamilton Live in D.C. by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington span regional chains, chef-driven favorites and independent restaurants. The 20 categories of the RAMMYs recognize the region’s chefs, restaurateurs and other industry professionals.
Several Alexandria restaurants are in the running for the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s restaurant awards.
The association named 190 semifinalists for the RAMMYs, given annually to members of the D.C. region’s restaurant industry. This was the first time semifinalists were publicly announced in the four decades of the awards, providing an early glimpse at which chefs, restaurants and hospitality staff are in the running.
A restaurant and bar with a focus on spirits has closed after nearly two years in Old Town North amid a legal battle with the landlord over rent.
The MacMillan Spirit House is no longer in business at 500 Montgomery Street, the MacMillan Restaurant Group confirmed to ALXnow. The spirit house first opened in late March 2024, as a sister establishment to the MacMillan Whisky Room at the Mosaic District in Fairfax County.
Leaders from religious communities, development groups and financial institutions are gathering in Old Town North today (Tuesday) for a summit on faith-based housing development.
The sold-out event, “Restoring Hope and Building Opportunities,” is taking place now at United Way Worldwide’s Alexandria headquarters, where speakers and attendees “will examine how faith-based institutions can move beyond advocacy to serve as structured development partners — leveraging land, capital, and community trust to address housing shortages and expand economic opportunity,” according to a release.
A new memorial in Alexandria will honor the lives of the 67 people killed in last year’s midair collision over the Potomac River, which happened one year ago today.
A bench, newly planted trees and plaque bearing the names of the 67 victims will be installed on the Potomac waterfront on the northeastern portion of Rivergate Park, Mayor Alyia Gaskins announced last night (Wednesday) during a ceremony in D.C. honoring the victims, their families and first responders from the tragic night.
Foodies will have two opportunities to score dining deals from restaurants across Alexandria in the coming weeks.
In Alexandria, 11 eateries plan to offer prix-fixe menu deals through the Metropolitan Washington Winter Restaurant Week, which returns Monday, Jan. 19 through Sunday, Jan. 25. Hosted biannually in the winter and summer by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, the week features multi-course meal deals at participating D.C.-area restaurants.
The National Park Service is seeking input on a proposal to redesign intersections, add new trail connections and expand waterfront access in Old Town North, among other changes.
The agency is planning a slate of future upgrades along the GW Parkway, Mount Vernon Trail and Potomac waterfront, aiming to make the areas “safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for everyone,” according to a press release. Plans include trail bridge replacement, new bike lanes and crosswalks and “improved views” of the waterfront.
