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A new Thai restaurant has opened in Alexandria’s Oakville development, between Potomac Yard and Del Ray.

Dok Khao Thai Eatery is currently in a soft opening at 2514 Richmond Highway with an all-day, Thai street food-inspired menu with more than a dozen specials from owner and chef Porntipa Pattanamekar, also known as “Chef Pat.” The restaurant includes an all-day menu and full-service bar, with space for about 100 guests.


Around Town

The owners of Matt and Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar (1501 Mount Vernon Avenue) have filed paperwork to open a sister location across the street in Del Ray.

Restaurant owners Matthew Sloan and Eric Brannon are asking the city for permission to allow 10 seats of outdoor dining for the space formerly occupied by Benny DiForza’s Pizza (1504B Mount Vernon Avenue) for a new restaurant named Little Birdie, according to their special use permit application.


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Numerous restaurants and sports bars in Alexandria are gearing up for March Madness this week, with plans to offer specials on drinks and bites while the games play on.

Fans will get to see how their March Madness brackets fare when the NCAA men’s tournament’s first round begins Thursday (March 19) and women’s tournament follows on Friday (March 20). Games run until the final championship games on April 5 (women) and April 6 (men).


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The Commodore, a self-described “five-star dive bar,” is now open for business in Old Town.

Owners Rob Van de Graaff and Steve Kim used a huge trident to pierce the ribbon on their new bar and restaurant at 220 N. Lee Street yesterday (Thursday). It was an on-brand move for the business, which is filled with nautical decor.


Around Town

Alexandrians can now get falafel with their cheesesteak, as a Falafel Inc. franchise soft-opened this week in the longtime home of the Philadelphia Cheesesteak Factory at 3060 Duke Street. Its new owner plans on running with both concepts, according to staff at the new restaurant.

The restaurant officially opened on Sunday, March 9. A grand opening event is currently in the works, but a date has not been set, staff told ALXnow.


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Alexandria’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade may have come and gone, but there are plenty more festivities coming to Alexandria celebrating the Emerald Isle.

Across the city, upcoming events include multiple bar crawls, live performances of Irish music and a feline-friendly “St. Catrick’s Day” at Mount Purrnon Cat Café + Wine Bar.


Around Town

A new restaurant self-described as a “five-star dive bar” will cut the ribbon at its new location in Old Town on Thursday.

The Commodore (220 N. Lee Street) is the second location for business partners Rob Van de Graaff and Steve Kim, who also own The Commodore in D.C.’s Dupont Circle. The space was previously home to Mystic BBQ & Grill, which closed last fall after being open for a year and a half. Before that, it was home to Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster BBQ.


Around Town

Two chefs from Alexandria are vying to be the next “Top Chef” winners as the show’s new season premieres today (Monday).

Anthony Jones, the executive chef at Marcus DC, and Jonathan Dearden, corporate chef at KNEAD Hospitality + Design, are representing Alexandria in season 23 of Top Chef. The first episode will appear on Bravo at 9 p.m. tonight.


Around Town

A new Indian restaurant celebrated its recent foray into the Eisenhower East neighborhood over the weekend with festivities alongside local city and business leaders.

The Bombay Canteen rolled out the red carpet at 2010 Eisenhower Avenue yesterday (Sunday) for a grand opening of its Mumbai-inspired dining room and kitchen. The new eatery, which soft opened last month, is led by D.C.-area restaurateur Asad Sheikh and chef Nishi Barua, replacing a vacancy left by Hunan Cafe.


Around Town

Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Restaurant and Bar just hit a milestone.

On Saturday, Feb. 28, the restaurant at 112 King Street will host its 20th anniversary party. The festivities start at noon with live music and continue for 12 hours, featuring raffles, contests and happy hour from 3-5 p.m. with $6 pints of Guinness — the price of a pint back in 2006.


Around Town

A local Indian restaurant founded by an Old Town couple is celebrating the start of a new chapter in Alexandria.

After about 18 months of planning and renovations, Sundara Indian Restaurant & Cafe is reopening in a new space on the ground floor of 1320 Braddock Place in Suite 105. It’s a hard-earned milestone for the business, which grappled with unexpected delays and rising renovation costs to reopen after departing from an Arlington VFW post in summer 2024, following a zoning dispute.


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