More details have been released about the restaurant that will occupy the lobby of Reston Town Center’s upcoming Marriott hotel.
Seven Restaurant will launch on the street level of Marriott’s AC Hotel and Residence Inn at 1975 Opportunity Way in January 2025, when the dual-branded hotel is expected to open its doors.
Open to the general public as well as hotel guests, the restaurant will serve classic American food as well as European and Latin American dishes influenced by Executive Chef Alexis Hernandez’s travels and Peruvian heritage, according to a press release.
“With a focus on locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients and artful presentations, Hernandez’s innovative cuisine with the use of French techniques will take diners on a culinary journey designed to explore fresh perspectives on food and diverse flavors,” the release said.
A full menu won’t be released until closer to the opening date, but an initial sampling of dishes includes:
Guests can begin with classic European dishes such as Pulpo, a wood-grilled octopus dish complemented with baby potatoes, chorizo topped with olive aioli and an innovative approach to Grilled Calamari, presented with a green burst of vibrant chimichurri topped with a charred lemon. Main dishes with Latin American influences include the Scallop Linguini, served with bay scallops tossed in a creamy Peruvian aji amarillo sauce and the vegan Roasted Cauliflower, seasoned with tajín, brushed with a sweet, smoky panca BBQ and accompanied by a luscious cauliflower purée and sweet rocoto aioli.
Inspired by his childhood experiences of visiting open-air markets in Lima, Peru, with his mother, Hernandez trained at the Le Cordon Bleu in Peru, where he was the youngest student in the school’s inaugural class.
While working as an executive sous chef at the restaurant El Ancla y Las Brasas in Lima, he was chosen in 2007 by Felipe Ortiz de Zevallos, then the country’s ambassador to the U.S., to be a private chef for the Peruvian Embassy. His American career has included stints with the D.C. restaurants Le Diplomate, Zengo and Dirty Habit in Kimpton Hotel Monaco.
In 2020, Hernandez became the executive chef at Topside, a seafood restaurant at the Revival Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.
Named in homage to Reston founder Robert E. Simon’s principles, Seven Restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. It will feature a central bar with spirits and wine, lounge areas with a glass-encased fireplace at its entrance and a dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Much like Simon’s vision for the village-like structure of Reston, SEVEN is more than just a dining venue, it’s a community hub, welcoming people from all walks of life to share in a dining experience that celebrates diversity and inclusion,” the release said.
Hernandez will also oversee a banquet kitchen and a bar called SYN Rooftop Bar and Lounge on the hotel’s 16th floor.
Managed by Donohoe Hospitality Services, the 267-room Marriott hotel will be split between the AC Hotel, which focuses on business travelers and other short-term visitors, and the extended-stay Residence Inn.
The hotel is part of Reston Town Center’s expansion south of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, a development that already encompasses two office buildings and the 508-unit apartment building Skymark, which began welcoming its first residents this fall.
The first phase of the expansion will also deliver about 67,000 square feet of planned retail space. The first tenant, Molly’s Dog Care, is scheduled to open this Sunday (Dec. 8).
