This week is the peak of restaurant weeks for the season, with both the Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week extended to this week and Alexandria Restaurant Week in full swing.

The Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week has been extended through the end of this week, thanks to the snowy weather last week, giving locals another chance to check out the seven Alexandria locations participating. Restaurant Week involves restaurants having special menus at fixed prices: $25 or $35 for lunch or brunch and $40, $55 or $65 for dinner — which still isn’t exactly cheap, but in some cases is saving at certain local restaurants, and is designed to be an approachable introduction to these restaurants.

The regional restaurant week includes restaurants from across Northern Virginia, Maryland and D.C. The Alexandria restaurants participating are:

• Evening Star Cafe (2000 Mount Vernon Avenue)
• Hen Quarter (801 King Street)
• Josephine (109 S. Saint Asaph Street)
• Laporta’s Restaurant (1600 Duke Street)
• Osteria Marzano (6361 Walker Lane)
• Rustico (827 Slaters Lane)
• Vermilion (1120 King Street)

Alexandria, meanwhile, has it’s own Alexandria Restaurant Week starting last Friday and running through Sunday, Jan. 28.

Over 70 restaurants are participating in Alexandria Restaurant Week, from Old Town to the West End, with prix fixe dinners at $30, $40 and $50.

A full list of participating restaurants in Alexandria Restaurant Week is available online.

Photo via Hen Quarter/Facebook

Get your palate ready, because Restaurant Week is returning this winter to more than 70 Alexandria eateries.

The bi-annual event will be held from Jan. 19 to 28 in neighborhood restaurants throughout the city, which will offer $30, $40, or $50 in-person dinners  for one.

Deals include a $30 dinner for one at Barca Wine Bar, a $50 dinner for one at Brabo and a $50 dinner for one at Josephine Brasserie and Bar.

Restaurant Week is held every summer and winter and was created in 2009 by Visit Alexandria.

“In addition to serving as an economic driver for Alexandria restaurants, Alexandria Restaurant Week bolsters the city’s reputation as a culinary destination,” Visit Alexandria said in a release.

Alexandria Restaurant Week, a biannual event where restaurants around the city offer pre-set dinners, is making its return this August.

Visit Alexandria said in a release that the summer Alexandria Restaurant Week is set to run from Friday, Aug. 18, to Sunday, Aug. 27.

The event has $25, $35 and $45 per person dinners at restaurants throughout the city.

“Try out first-time Restaurant Week participants, from the Mediterranean flavors of Elaine’s to the rich pasta dishes of Thompson Italian to the New Haven-styles slices of Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana,” the release said. “Plus, experience eateries debuting rebranded restaurant concepts, such as Jula’s on the Potomac (formerly Café 44) in Old Town North and Alexandria Bier Garden (formerly Village Brauhaus) on King Street. Or, enjoy Parisian plates in a lush courtyard at Josephine, the new concept from Neighborhood Restaurant Group in the former Columbia Firehouse space.”

Restaurant week has digital menu flip-book for those looking to browse the offerings this year. The event launched in 2009 and now runs both in late summer and January, where it sometimes buts up against the larger, regional restaurant week.

According to the release:

• Settle into Oak Steakhouse in Old Town North for a luscious Italian burrata starter followed by mouthwatering steak Diane, priced at $45 per person.
• Carlyle favorite Tequila & Taco’s $35 menu lets you choose between sizzling fajitas or nachos paired with four tacos of your choice, and a sweet finish of tres leches or key lime pie.
• Just-opened Josephine off King Street lets you choose your own adventure with its $45 menu offering French-infused flavors like foie gras mousse, duck confit and cardamom crème brûlée.
• At $25 per person, Junction Bakery & Bistro in Del Ray offers your choice of one small plate and large plate options including a vegan coconut curry bowl.
• Take your taste buds on a trip to Alexandria, Egypt, when you explore new Old Town eatery Elaine’s $45 Mediterranean-inspired menu.
• Beloved West End eatery Clyde’s at Mark Center offers hearty plates such as New England clam chowder, chicken fettucine and bread pudding, set at $35 per person for three courses.

Image via Thompson Italian/Facebook

A regional “restaurant week” event launching next week is set to kick off next week, but as always, Alexandria does things a little differently.

There are two “restaurant week” events that include Alexandria this month.

The first is Winter Restaurant Week and there are just under a dozen restaurants in Alexandria signed up to offer special offerings as part of the event, relatively light compared to neighboring areas.

During Restaurant Week — a bi-annual event sponsored by Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) — participating restaurants in the D.C. region offer special menus to encourage locals to try new locations around the area. The event is scheduled to run from Monday, Jan. 16 to Sunday, Jan. 22.

“Participating restaurants will offer multi-course brunch and lunch menus for $25 per person, and multi-course dinner menus for $40 or $55 per person for on-premises dining,” RAMW said in a release. “Many restaurants will also offer RW-To-Go dinner meals and cocktail pairings, giving more variety for diners wanting to partake in the program. RW-To-Go dinner packages will be available at two price points: $70 or $100 for two people and $140 or $200 for four people.”

The following restaurants around Alexandria have signed up for Restaurant Week this year:

• Bastille Brasserie & Bar (606 N Fayette Street) — French cuisine in the Braddock neighborhood
• Chart House (1 Cameron Street) — American restaurant on the waterfront
• Cheesetique (2411 Mount Vernon Avenue) — Cheese-centered restaurant and wine bar in Del Ray
• Evening Star Cafe (2000 Mount Vernon Avenue) — “retro chic” cafe in Del Ray
• Hen Quarter (801 King Street) — Southern dining in Old Town
• Laporta’s Restaurant (1600 Duke Street) — Restaurant and jazz lounge in Old Town
• Osteria Marzano (6361 Walker Lane) — Italian restaurant in Franconia, Fairfax, but close to Alexandria
• Rustico (827 Slaters Lane) — A pizzeria between Potomac Yard and Old Town North
• The Rub Chicken & Beer (801 King Street) — An Old Town restaurant featuring, brace yourself: chicken and beer
• Vermilion (1120 King Street) — American restaurant in Old Town

But beyond just the regional restaurant week, Alexandria has its own Alexandria Restaurant Week starting on Friday, Jan. 20. Like the regional event, Alexandria Restaurant Week — launched by local tourism bureau Visit Alexandria — has local restaurants offer fixed-price dinners. The selection for Alexandria Restaurant Week is significantly larger than the city’s offerings in RAMW’s Winter Restaurant Week.

“Explore nearly 80 restaurants in Alexandria, VA offering a $25, $35 or $45 per person prix fixe dinner,” Visit Alexandria said on the event website. “Special menus will be available for in-person dining at participating restaurants, many with heated outdoor dining options.”

Alexandria’s restaurant week will run from Friday, Jan. 20 to Sunday, Jan. 20.

According to a release from Visit Alexandria:

• Find a new favorite when you visit Old Town’s recently opened 1799 Prime Steak & Seafood, offering a $35-for-one menu with entrees including savory shrimp and grits and luscious seafood linguine.
• Head to recently reopened Vermilion for a $45-for-one menu featuring elevated items including brussels sprouts with honey and chili vinaigrette, risotto with black truffle and wine-poached pear strudel.
• Hightail it to Barkhaus, located between Del Ray and Potomac Yard, for a $25 per person menu that includes the option to add a homemade doggie treat like a “fruit barkfait.”
• At Delia’s in Carlyle, linger over a $45 per person menu including Prince Edward Island mussels, seafood arrabiatta and veal parmigiana.
• In Del Ray, warm up from the inside out at Elo’s Italian, with a $35-for-one menu featuring crowd-pleasers such as garlic focaccia bread, spaghetti pomodoro and bombolini to top it off.
• Northside 10 boasts the perfect $35 dinner to savor while watching a big game at the Arlandria neighborhood favorite, with options including mac and cheese fritters and mustard barbecued salmon.
• In the West End, Shooter McGee’s $35 dinner menu offers hearty entrees including cider pork chops, shrimp Florentine pasta and bistro steak, alongside tempting apps and dessert.

The full menu for Alexandria Restaurant Week is available online.

The twice-annual Alexandria Restaurant Week returns next week with specials available at roughly 70 restaurants across the city.

The new highlight this restaurant week is a new price range compared to the earlier fixed $35 cost.

Restaurant Week is a slight misnomer, with the event scheduled to run from Friday, Aug. 19 to Sunday, Aug. 28.

“For 10 days and two weekends, nearly 70 restaurants in Alexandria, Virginia, will offer a $25, $35 or $45 per person prix fixe dinner for one during Alexandria Restaurant Week, August 19-28, 2022,” Visit Alexandria said in a release. “Special menus are available in-person at all participating restaurants, many with outdoor dining available. The new pricing structure reflects a spectrum of Alexandria’s offerings from fast casual to fine dining.”

Many of the previous restaurants are returning, with the Del Ray pop-up Tiki Bar highlighted as a first-time participant. While the lion’s share of restaurant week locations are in Old Town and Del Ray, other options across the city include City Kitchen (330 South Pickett Street) in the West End and New Orleans-style RT’s Restaurant (3804 Mount Vernon Avenue) in Arlandria.

A full menu flip-book is available online.

The twice-annual Alexandria Restaurant Week starts next Friday with some new options on the list of restaurants.

Restaurant week’s schtick is that each of the restaurants offers $35 per-person meals at various restaurants around the city, which is still a bit much for the $10-$20 restaurant-goers among us, but is discount at many of the restaurants in question.

Visit Alexandria highlighted BARCA Pier and Wine Bar as a new participant. The riverside restaurant opened in March and features Mediterranean dishes and drinks. Other new restaurants include Thai Signature, The Rub Chicken and Beer and St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub.

Visit Alexandria has announced new details for the next Alexandria Restaurant Week, scheduled for Jan. 21-30.

The week (give or take three days) is a twice-annual event in Alexandria where around 70 restaurants across the city offer $35 per-person dinners.

“Special menus are available in-person at all participating restaurants, many with heated outdoor dining available,” Visit Alexandria said in a press release. “Fifty restaurants will also offer to-go options in addition to in-person meals. The online menu book makes it easy to browse delicious selections from dozens of Alexandria eateries and enjoy special menus at some of Alexandria’s winterized dining destinations or from the comfort of your own home.”

Visit Alexandria highlighted BARCA Pier and Wine Bar as a new participant. The riverside restaurant opened in March and features Mediterranean dishes and drinks. Other new restaurants include Thai Signature, The Rub Chicken and Beer and St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub.

“Alexandria Restaurant Week showcases the inventiveness of local chefs in neighborhoods throughout the city, including Old Town, Del Ray, Carlyle and Eisenhower, and the West End,” Visit Alexandria said. “Guests will savor the flavors of Alexandria’s distinctive collection of eateries, from casual neighborhood favorites to elevated date night destinations and beyond.”

What a busy week in Alexandria. Here’s the rundown.

Alexandria City Public Schools reopened their doors to full-time in-person instruction on Tuesday, and there have been a few hiccups. On Friday, we published a video taken of a brawl inside Alexandria City High School, and a teenager was hit by a car while walking home from school in Del Ray on Thursday.

This week was dominated by crime stories, although other big events occurred, such as the City breaking ground on a new broadband network.

In our poll this week, we asked if readers agree with a proposed 5 cent tax on plastic bags. Out of more than 900 votes, 62% said it shouldn’t be implemented and 38% said it should.

Important stories

• Tales of regret and hope win in creative writing contest at the Alexandria Jail
• Report: Massive Oakville Triangle project secures financing
• Alexandria man convicted for possessing child porn and violating parole
• Del Ray park moving forward with lead artist chosen
• French Twist: Alexandria’s sister city committee wants to revolutionize membership
• School Board Member Michelle Rief praises ACPS COVID response in reelection bid
• Alexandria woman scammed of $15K by ‘friend’ with compromised Facebook account
• Street repaving and curb repairs underway in Old Town this week and next
• $50K fundraiser launched after sewer pipe bursts in Arlandria preschool
• Alexandria to consider imposing 5 cent tax on plastic bags
• Juvenile stabbed in West End Sunday night

Top stories

1. Alexandria man arrested for beating up ex-girlfriend in Old Town North
2. Fox put George Washington Middle School into a lock-in today
3. Design realities could conflict with promises to speed up stormwater improvements in Alexandria
4. City breaks ground on new broadband network
5. Poll: Do you support the proposed 5 cent plastic bag tax?
6. This Alexandria gym manager went rogue and launched a personal training business
7. Alexandria kicks off Restaurant Week tomorrow
8. Alexandria sees huge spike in COVID-19 cases in August, another death
9. Poll: Have you been impacted by flooding in Alexandria?
10. New Normal: ACPS fully reopens for first time since pandemic started
11. Evolving COVID-19 decisions loom as Alexandria City Public Schools fully reopen next Tuesday

Have a safe weekend!

Over 70 restaurants city-wide are planning to host special deals on meals for the biannual Restaurant Week.

The local event is organized by Visit Alexandria and features meal specials at restaurants across the city — though most of them are in Old Town and Del Ray.

There are a few restaurants highlighted in the city’s west end: like Clyde’s at Mark Center (1700 N Beauregard Street) and City Kitchen (330 S Pickett Street) near the former Landmark Mall.

The event is scheduled to start tomorrow (Friday) and run until Sunday, Aug. 29.

According to the Visit Alexandria website:

Enjoy Alexandria Restaurant Week from August 20 to 29, 2021 and show your support for the city’s large community of locally owned restaurants. For 10 days and two weekends, more than 70 restaurants in Alexandria, Virginia, will offer a $49 in-person and/or to-go dinner for two. Nearly 50 of the participating restaurants will offer solo diners a $25 in-person and/or to-go dinner for one in addition to serving the $49 dinner for two.

Restaurant Week first launched in 2009. A press release from Visit Alexandria noted that the dinner-for-one option was added during the Winter Restaurant Week due to increased interest from single diners during the pandemic.

A full list of participating restaurants is available online.

Virginia extends ‘cocktails-to-go’ laws for another year — “During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many restaurants were shuttered, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) created a safe and secure way for restaurants to offer cocktails to go with a meal. The General Assembly has now continued this practice in statute for one year.” [Zebra]

Republican mayoral candidate Catchings announces she won’t get education endorsement — “I will not be receiving the endorsement from APACE – Alexandria Political Action Committee for Education. What matters most is that I receive the support from Alexandria parents and citizens for School Choice !!” [Twitter]

Alexandria Restaurant Week returning Aug. 20-29 — “For 10 days (including two weekends), diners can enjoy specials from 60+ restaurants throughout Alexandria including Old Town, Del Ray, Carlyle, Eisenhower and the West End. Participating restaurants will be offering special $49 in-person and/or to-go dinner for two and select restaurants will also be offering a $25 in-person and/or to-go dinner for one.” [Alexandria Living]

‘Queens On King Street’ is back — “After a hiatus of more than a year due to the pandemic and COVID-19 restrictions, Alexandria’s Queens on King Street group will reconvene on Tuesday, July 13th at The Light Horse from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The occasion will also serve as the group’s five-year anniversary. In 2015, co-founders Timothy McCue, Nathan Sell, and Alex Rodriguez-Rozic created Queens on King Street to provide a space for LGBTQ+ individuals that live, work, or just love to visit Old Town Alexandria.” [Visit Alexandria]

VDOT seeking feedback on Little River Turnpike improvement plan — “Give input on a study assessing potential Rt 236 (Little River Tpk) improvements from I-495 in Annandale to I-395 in Alexandria! View a presentation and take our online survey (also available in Spanish and Korean) through 7/28.” [Twitter]

Today’s weather — “Sunny skies (during the day). Hot. High near 95F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph… Clear skies (in the evening). Low around 75F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.” [Weather.com]

New job: Manager — “Dolci Gelati is a small, customer-focused cafe and gelato shop in the heart of Old Town, Alexandria. We strive to serve the very best in innovative coffee drinks, gelatis, and various other pastries and desserts.” [Indeed]