It will be one day more before Fairfax Corner visitors can start digging into the buttermilk biscuits and barbecued meats that have made Ruthie’s All-Day a hit in Arlington.
The Southern comfort food establishment will open its second restaurant at 11951 Grand Commons Avenue tomorrow (Wednesday), with dinner service starting at 5 p.m.
Hours are expected to expand next week to include lunch, typically from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony is also being planned, though a date hasn’t been announced yet.
“Our community has been so supportive of Ruthie’s All-Day since we opened in Arlington, and we are very excited to bring that same warm hospitality throughout Fairfax, my wife’s hometown,” Ruthie’s co-owner and chef Matt Hill said. “We can’t wait to welcome even more people to share in the great food, friendly service, and relaxed vibe that make Ruthie’s so special.”
The original Ruthie’s opened in a former Arlington Heights chocolate factory in October 2020 as the first solo venture by Hill — previously the executive chef for the restaurant group behind The Liberty Tavern, Northside Social and more — and business partner Todd Salvadore.
Even though it emerged at an uncertain time amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Ruthie’s quickly gained a following among local diners and critics, landing top spots on polls of ARLnow and Washingtonian readers as well as recognition by the Washington Post’s now-retired food critic as one of the region’s 40 best restaurants.
The restaurant is also once again vying for a RAMMYS Award, this time in the “Best Brunch” category, one of five voted on by the public. It was named “Casual Restaurant of the Year” in 2022 by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s annual accolades for the regional food service industry.
Like its Arlington predecessor, the Fairfax Corner location will eventually offer all-day service, with different menus for breakfast (7-11 a.m. Monday through Friday), lunch, dinner (5-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday), and brunch (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays).
In addition to the aforementioned biscuits and barbecue plates, the culinary highlights include sandwiches, salads, and shareable items like crispy smoked wings, Harry’s hot hushpuppies and yellowfin tuna tartare. Brunch brings big breakfast plates with diner staples, such as omelettes and a grits and pulled pork bowl, while dessert options include cookies with ice cream, butterscotch pudding and maple apple cobbler.
Gluten-free dishes are available, and the restaurant says many dishes can be modified for customers with allergies.
The restaurant also features a bar that serves beer, wine and cocktails.
More retail tenants signed for Fairfax Corner
Fairfax Corner owner Peterson Companies also announced today that it has secured leases to bring beauty chain Sephora and the made-to-order furniture store Joybird to the shopping center.
Sephora is slated to open next year in a space at at 11922 Grand Commons Avenue that was recently vacated by the fashion boutique Loft, which relocated last month to another storefront at 11892 Grand Commons Avenue.
Joybird, meanwhile, will move into the space at 11948 Grand Commons Avenue currently occupied by King Arthur Baking Company after the popular but temporary pop-up closes at the end of June.
This will be the Los Angeles-headquartered company’s first showroom in Virginia, though it has one in D.C. and a partner studio in Sterling that sells a “curated selection” of products.
Back in February, Peterson Companies announced that it will welcome several new restaurants to Fairfax Corner over the next year, including Cafesano Italian and Mediterranean Bistro, Chateau de Chantilly, and Nando’s Peri-Peri.
The jewelry and accessories maker Brighton is also opening a 1,552-square-foot shop in the freestanding retail building constructed in 2024 for Apple and Arhaus.
