Cafesano Italian and Mediterranean Bistro and Chateau de Chantilly are expanding to Fairfax Corner.
Developer Peterson Companies announced today (Wednesday) that it has secured leases from the teams behind those local eateries and three other dining and shopping retailers — all expected to open over the next year.
Cafesano will bring pasta, pizza, kabobs, wraps and other dishes “inspired by the classic Mediterranean diet of whole grains, lean meats, and fresh vegetables” to its third location, according to a press release. In business since 2005, the restaurant can currently be found at Reston’s South Lakes Village Center and Dulles Town Center in Loudoun.
While Peterson didn’t specify where Cafesano will be located in Fairfax Corner, its lease is for 5,202 square feet, and the suite will include outdoor seating. It’s scheduled to open “later this year.”
Slated to open in early 2027, Chateau will occupy 3,029 square feet in the building at 4211 Fairfax Corner East Avenue, which freed up more than 14,000 square feet of space when the furniture retailer Arhaus moved its showroom to a new building in November 2024.
Since opening at 13974 Metrotech Drive in 2020, the cafe and bakery has gained notice for its hot drinks, custom cakes and other Instagram-ready pastries. The Fairfax Corner location will be Chateau’s first expansion in Fairfax County, but last year, the team added a sister cafe in Rockville and introduced a new cafe called Layered to Fairfax City.
Also coming to Fairfax Corner early next year will be Nando’s Peri Peri, which has secured the 3,450-square-foot suite adjacent to Chipotle (11941 Grand Commons Avenue).
The current occupant of the space, Rosegate Boutique, will be closed by that time, a Peterson spokesperson indicated. FFXnow has reached out to the business for comment, including whether there are plans to relocate.
A grilled chicken chain brought to the U.S. from South Africa in 2008, Nando’s has dozens of locations across the D.C. region, the Chicago area and Texas, including at RTC West in Reston, the Mosaic District in Merrifield and Springfield Town Center.
Outside of the culinary world, Fairfax Corner has now fully leased the 36,000-square-foot retail building it constructed in 2024 for Arhaus and an Apple store with the addition of Brighton, which sells women’s jewelry, handbags and accessories. The retailer hopes to open its 1,552-square-foot shop later in 2026.
Part of a $110 million expansion of the shopping center, the new building at 4221 Fairfax Corner East Avenue also houses the clothing brand J. McLaughlin and fast-casual eatery Sweetgreen.
More immediately, Fairfax Corner will unveil a permanent storefront for Becky’s Boutique, which had been running a successful pop-up next to Ben and Jerry’s since April 2023. According to Peterson Companies, the fashion retailer is on track to reopen next to F45 Training at 11877-B Grand Commons Avenue this month, though Becky’s indicated on Instagram last year that it was aiming for a March return.
As previously reported, Fairfax Corner will also welcome Ruthie’s All Day sometime in March.
In total, the development has delivered more than 58,000 square feet of newly occupied or leased space over the past 14 months, according to Peterson Companies.
“We capitalized on a rare opportunity to remerchandise key areas of Fairfax Corner in a condensed timeline and are now seeing the efforts to refresh our mix come to life,” Peterson Senior Vice President of Leasing Kimli Cross said in the press release. “With several new brands and an entirely new retail building, we’re elevating the center’s offerings and experience. Our mix is changing in the best of ways, and our newly opened and soon-to-come tenants are giving our customer the best of what they want.”
