restaurant | ALXnow

Washington Post highlights Ethiopian restaurant in Van Dorn Shopping Center as great affordable spot

Published July 17, 2024 at 11:05AM | Updated July 16, 2025 at 5:58PM

Meat lover and veggie combo plater (photo via Feru Bar and Restaurant/Instagram)

Ethiopian spot Feru Bar and Restaurant in the Van Dorn Shopping Center (512 S. Van Dorn Street) recently won a spot on Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema’s top five great affordable restaurants around the region (shoutout to Patch for spotting it).

Sietsema praised not only the awaze tibs — a meat stew dish — but the down-to-earth atmosphere of the restaurant and the hard work of owner Firehiwot Bireka. Sietsema also praised the vegetarian kitfo with diced mushrooms, jalapenos and mitmita.

Around Town

Sprig’s Coffee and Pastry Cafe shutters near federal courthouse

By Jared Serre

Published July 16, 2024 at 10:45AM

The Sprig's Coffee and Pastry Cafe storefront (staff photo by Jared Serre)

A local coffee shop mere steps from the federal courthouse in Alexandria is no more.

Sprig’s Coffee and Pastry Cafe, which opened only two years ago at 2050 Ballenger Avenue, has closed.

News

Del Ray bakery Taste of Eurasia closes after seven years

By Vernon Miles

Published July 11, 2024 at 1:35PM

Food at Taste of Eurasia (image via Taste of Eurasia/Facebook)

Del Ray bakery Taste of Eurasia (428 A Hume Avenue) closed last month after seven years serving cuisine from the Caucasus, Central Asia and beyond.

In a post on Alexandria Dining — a popular group dedicated to Alexandria cuisine run by The Zebra Press — owner Shohina Touraeva said the restaurant was closing as she pivoted back to work in real estate.

News

Founding Farmers to include outdoor dining in new Oakville Triangle location

By Vernon Miles

Published July 9, 2024 at 11:00AM

Regional restaurant chain Founding Farmers is one of three restaurants announced for the in-development Oakville Triangle project and it could include extensive outdoor dining.

An application filed with the Planning Commission for the September meeting outlined plans for outdoor dining along Swann Avenue and Route 1 in an L shape around Founding Farmers.

News

Tall Ship Providence to float pier expansion with live music and a bar past the Planning Commission

By James Cullum

Published July 8, 2024 at 1:30PM

The Tall Ship Providence Foundation will soon be floating an expansion plan past the Alexandria Planning Commission. The proposal would add outdoor dining with alcohol and live entertainment to its offerings along the waterfront.

The proposal by the nonprofit to amend its special use permit would expand its current footprint along the Potomac River at Waterfront Park to accommodate a portable bar, 78 seats, and an area for live music performers.

News

Del Ray’s Junction Bakery & Bistro opens new bar and patio

By Vernon Miles

Published July 8, 2024 at 9:45AM

Del Ray restaurant Junction Bakery & Bistro (1508 Mount Vernon Avenue) announced the grand opening of its new bar and patio.

The new expansion includes a 750-foot patio addition at the northern end of the restaurant.

News

Pupatella Neapolitan Pizza still opening in former dry cleaner in Old Town North

By James Cullum

Published June 28, 2024 at 10:45AM

The future home of Pupatella Neapolitan Pizza at 700 Slaters Lane in Old Town North (staff photo by James Cullum)

After a construction delay, Pupatella Neapolitan Pizza is still planning to open in Old Town North before the end of this year, the company tells ALXnow.

Construction started and then stopped at the building at 700 Slaters Lane, and will resume again in the next few weeks, according to Natasha Neely, a vice president for marketing for the company. Neely did not comment on the delay.

News

Van Dorn Street Red Lobster on the chopping block in latest bankruptcy filings

By Vernon Miles

Published June 20, 2024 at 10:00AM

S Van Dorn Street Red Lobster (image via Google Maps)

Alexandria Living Magazine reported that the Van Dorn Street Red Lobster may close after all.

While the local franchise survived an earlier round of closures, Alexandria Living Magazine reported that the location at 555 S. Van Dorn Street was on the chopping block according to new bankruptcy court filings.

News

New arcade featuring rare X-Men game coming to Braddock neighborhood this fall

By Vernon Miles

Published June 12, 2024 at 2:55PM

Continues founders Doug Bauer (left) and Allen Brooks (right) (courtesy photo)

In 1992, Konami debuted a groundbreaking new X-Men game. Using two screens, an unprecedented six-players could fight together as their favorite X-Men against Magneto.

It was a hit, one of the highest grossing arcade games of the year, but only around 500 of them were made and it’s been largely inaccessible on modern technology, leaving modern game fans with no way to play it — until now.

News

One year after zoning battle, Del Ray bar Hops N’ Shine returns to city review with rosier outlook

By Vernon Miles

Published May 31, 2024 at 9:30AM | Updated May 31, 2024 at 10:30AM

Hops n Shine (photo via Hops N Shine/Facebook)

A year ago, popular Arlandria/Del Ray bar Hops N’ Shine faced a contentious city review as it faced criticism from both the Planning Commission and City Council zoning violations.

Now, a new staff report for a special use permit one-year review paints a much rosier picture of the situation with the bar.

News

‘Taste Of Del Ray’ returns June 2 with local delicacies and a wine tasting

By James Cullum

Published May 28, 2024 at 9:41AM

Taste of Del Ray on the Avenue organizers, and Vice Mayor Amy Jackson (center), at the VIP reception at Jack Taylor's Alexandria Toyota, June 2, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Feeling hungry? The Taste of Del Ray is returning June 2, with 17 of the neighborhood’s restaurants participating in the 15th annual event.

The Del Ray Business Association (DRBA) event will be will held on Sunday, June 2, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center fields (2701 Commonwealth Avenue).