After a two-and-half year hiatus, The Tasting Room (1602 King Street) has reopened in Old Town.
The 2,500-square-foot restaurant is owned by Lorien Hotel & Spa, which also owns BRABO (1602 King Street) next door. Both restaurants are run by Executive Chef Fredy Garciaguirre, who was promoted from executive sous chef over the summer.
After years without a by-the-slice pizza shop in Alexandria, two opened in Old Town on the same day this week.
Three months after a cryptic announcement, Andy’s Pizza has launched in Old Town at 107 N Fayette Street — while Handover by the Slice opened at 728 King Street. The latter has been referred to as Old Town’s first by-the-slice pizza joint. True to the by-the-slice pizza fashion, though, it may have to share the prize.
Halloween pop-up bar ‘Nightmare On The Avenue’ is back in Del Ray.
The pop-up bar at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue is decorated for the occasion, and offers spooky cocktails and snacks in the space previously home to the Tiki Bar Del Ray pop-up.
An Old Town office building slated for an overhaul could be getting a bakery as part of that revitalization, Washington Business Journal first reported.
Tatte Bakery & Cafe has leased space at 515 King Street, the office building in Old Town with the giant clock on the side of the building. Tatte Bakery & Cafe is a small chain based out of Massachusetts with several locations in D.C. The Alexandria location will be the second Northern Virginia location after one in neighboring Arlington.
Hungry? The fine dining experience continues at 1799 Prime Steak & Seafood, which opened last month in the old Restaurant Eve location at 110 S. Pitt Street in Old Town.
Founders Jahmond Quander and Chef Sonny Tena say that their menu is straightforward — fine American steakhouse fare with some French and Asian fusions. Lunch costs about $50 for two, and dinner can cost upward of $100 without drinks.
Without discussion, the Alexandria City Council on Saturday (September 17) unanimously approved a proposal to charge rent to local businesses that use their street parking spaces for dining and shopping.
The new rule combines the city’s commercial parklet program with the outdoor dining program that was implemented during the pandemic.
Another week down at ALXnow.
The big stories this week was a pair of dangerous situations in public places, with injuries at AMC Hoffman Center after a man walked into a theater and threatened the crowd and a man arrested for pulling out a gun outside a West End club.
A Planning Commission endorsement of Vola’s Dockside Grill’s (101 N. Union) expansion plans came with two notes: the city should loosen up on its Torpedo Factory-adjacent noise restrictions and there’s a regrettable dearth of vegetarian options in Old Town.
The Planning Commission voted 6-0 with one recusal in favor of Vola’s plans to permanently convert the former Riverside Taco area into more outdoor seating.
No one was injured after a man used a gun to rob the McDonald’s (121 W. Glebe Road) in the Arlandria neighborhood of Alexandria on Tuesday night (Aug 30).
The Alexandria Police Department was called at around 10:30 p.m. The suspect took money from the business and fled the scene on foot.
The big news this week was some favorite local restaurants and bars going away.
Both Mackie’s Bar and Grill and Elizabeth’s Counter are set to close in the next couple weeks. Owner Rob Krupicka is planning to replace the latter with a new comfort food restaurant called Railbird Kitchen sometime later this year, but the spot’s famed handmade donuts won’t be returning.
Landmark neighborhood sports bar Alley Cat is closing early next month, local news site Annandale Today first reported.
The bar first opened in 2009 and, according to the bar’s website, the last day of business will be Sunday, Sept. 4.
