The wait for new restaurants at The Boro in Tysons is over at last.
Circa bistro (1675 Silver Hill Drive) and Él Bebe (8354 Broad Street), a Mexican restaurant and bar, will open their doors to diners at 4 p.m. today, said the Metropolitan Hospitality Group (MHG), which owns both brands.
This is the fourth Circa overall and second in Virginia, after an Arlington restaurant opened in 2011. Specializing in tacos and tequila, Él Bebe launched at D.C.’s Navy Yard in 2019, making the Tysons location its first expansion.
“We think in many ways, we’re kind of bringing the city out to Tysons,” MHG President Matthew Carlin said. “We have Circa and Él Bebe at the Navy Yard, here in Nats Park, so we’re most excited to bring some of our D.C. concepts…to Tysons and The Boro.”
When MHG announced in November 2019 that it was bringing two restaurants to The Boro, the company anticipated that they would open in late 2020 or early 2021. At that time, Él Bebe was going to be joined by Open Road, another American bistro concept that has a location in Merrifield.
Then, COVID-19 showed up.
Construction took “much longer than we ever imagined,” Carlin told FFXnow. Global supply chain issues resulted in equipment, particularly if it involved computer chips, taking months to arrive.
At the same time, the initial pause in construction in spring 2020 gave MHG and The Meridian Group, the developer behind The Boro, an opportunity to revise their plans.
“The longer we talked with The Meridian Group, they felt like Circa would be a better fit [than Open Road], because it’s a little more contemporary and would be a better fit for some of the office tenants,” Carlin said.
The company is also working on an Open Road Distillery and a “speakeasy” restaurant called Heirloom at Reston Town Center, so it wanted to bring something different to Tysons, he added.
Circa and Él Bebe are located in adjoining 5,000-square-foot suites in Boro Tower, directly across from ShowPlace ICON Theatre with a view overlooking Boro Park. They both allow outdoor dining, including on a 2,000-square-foot patio for Circa with an awning and bar seating.
Carlin says MHG had been interested in expanding to Tysons and specifically The Boro for a while.
“The Boro market for us is a perfect demographic, where it has really extraordinary commercial, office and residential demographics, and we think with the Silver Line and Greensboro Metro [station] right here, it’s easily accessible,” he said
The restaurants will open at 11 a.m. daily with happy hours from 4-7 p.m. on Monday through Thursday.
Here’s more from MHG and The Boro on what to expect from the eateries: Read More
A Junction Bistro and Bar is on its way to Merrifield, ready to pay homage to the area’s cinematic past.
Drawing its name from the railroad ties of Alexandria’s Del Ray, where the original Junction Bakery and Bistro opened in 2016, the regional business adapts each of its locations to the neighborhoods they serve, Managing Director Noe Landini says.
When the opportunity emerged for a bistro in the Mosaic District, the property’s history with movie theaters — starting with the D.C. area’s largest drive-in and continued with the Angelika Film Center — was a logical source of inspiration.
“We thought, ‘Man, it would be really cool to design this Junction after a drive-in,’ so we have a lot of cool design features at this one that are much different from the rest,” Landini told FFXnow by phone.
The Junction team hopes to unveil those design features, including a hand-painted wall mural with iconic film characters and images, to customers in late August.
Located between Urbano and District Dumplings in the former Cheesetique space (2985 District Avenue, Suite 115), the Mosaic Junction materalized with a partnership between Landini’s REX Management group and Common Plate Hospitality, which owns Urbano.
According to Landini, Common Plate invited him to look at the adjacent, vacated space, since they thought his brand “would be a good fit.” He had also collaborated with Mosaic District developer and property manager EDENS “on some minor things” in the past.
“I knew them, and I met with them, and it did seem like a really good fit, so we said, ‘Let’s give it a shot,'” Landini said.
The Mosaic Junction will serve a lunch and dinner menu of sandwiches, salads, and various entrees, from shrimp and grits to Thai street noodles. Brunch will be available on weekends, and there will be baked goods made by the bakery in Alexandria.
It will be the third Junction with a bar, joining venues in Capitol Hill and Chevy Chase. Landini says it will have the capacity to serve about 140 people with indoor, outdoor, and bar seating.
The restaurant has been under construction for more than half a year now, with Fairfax County issuing an interior commercial alteration permit back on Jan. 27.
The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on supply chains has “one hundred percent” affected the restaurant’s build-out, Landini says. A refrigerator or oven that once might’ve arrived in a couple of days or a week now takes anywhere from four to 20 weeks.
“Whether it’s equipment for the kitchen or light fixtures or flooring, you name it, the supply chain is seriously broken in this country,” he said. “We’re not the only ones that are experiencing this. It’s everybody.”
With hiring for the new bistro underway, finding staff has also been a challenge — not in terms of finding people looking for work, but in finding people with experience, Landini told FFXnow.
Despite those obstacles, Landini says he’s eager to introduce Junction to the Mosaic District and find a foothold in the neighborhood.
“I know people that live there. I know people that work nearby. They’re very excited about us coming,” Landini said. “I’m very excited to come and be a part of that community.”
The former Bad Axe Throwing spot at the Mosaic District in Merrifield is being wiped clean.
Work to demolish Suite 190 at 2985 District Avenue has been underway for the past month, based on Fairfax County permits, as property owner EDENS prepares the space for a potential new tenant.
For those just itching to toss a hatchet or two, though, Bad Axe Throwing urges patience. The business is “actively pursuing a new location to open in the Fairfax area,” says Skylar Mills, the operations manager for the shuttered Mosaic District site.
“Fairfax is an amazing area and we are fully committed to finding a new, awesome location but it can take some time,” Mills said in an email to FFXnow. “Being an event based business, and axe throwing on top of that, narrows our options so we generally need to remain patient until the right space becomes available.”
Mills said she couldn’t comment further on a possible new location or reopening date but confirmed the company is “looking at any and all options in the broader area,” not just the Mosaic District.
Bad Axe Throwing started in 2014 amid a trend of axe-throwing bars that first took off in Canada before migrating to the U.S. in the late 2010s. After opening its first center in Ontario, it now has eight locations in Canada, dozens in the U.S., and two in the U.K.
The Mosaic District bar opened in September 2019 and reported success with over 600 visitors in its first weekend. However, it closed in the spring of 2020 when then-Gov. Ralph Northam ordered a shutdown of most businesses in Virginia in an effort to limit the coronavirus’ spread.
Bad Axe Throwing founder and CEO Mario Zelaya told FFXnow’s sister site, Tysons Reporter, that May that the company intended to reopen the Mosaic location when possible, though even then, a “long and difficult road to recovery” was expected.
The Mosaic District has added a few, mostly food-related tenants in recent months, including Shake Shack, the pizza eatery Pupatella and Pressed juice bar. The fast-casual Indian restaurant Rasa will open in the mixed-use neighborhood tomorrow (Saturday).
What to Know About Covid Vaccines for Young Kids — If recommended by the CDC and Virginia Department of Health, COVID-19 vaccines will be available from the Fairfax County Health Department with no appointments needed. Parents should contact their medical provider to see if they will carry the vaccines, which may be harder to find at pharmacies due to a state law that prohibits pharmacists from giving vaccinations to kids younger than 3. [FCHD]
Friends Stunned by Fair Lakes Shooting Deaths — “Now those who knew them are left to reconcile the image of three bodies with memories of an outwardly cheerful trio…who seemed to be always up for a boisterous evening out, for the karaoke nights they enjoyed at Fairfax bars, at Fat Tuesday’s and the Auld Shebeen.” [The Washington Post]
Mosaic District Restaurant Helps Worker After Crash — The Greek restaurant Our Mom Eugenia is helping share a fundraiser for an employee after her daughter was critically injured in last week’s fatal crash in Oakton. The business operator says Katya is “doing well” after being hit by a car while walking home from Oakton High School with her cousin and friend. [NBC4]
Annandale House Fire Started by Lights — Fairfax County fire investigators have determined that a house fire in the 3900 block of Terrace Drive on Saturday (June 11) was started accidentally “by an electrical event involving outdoor string lights” on the backyard deck. The fire displaced seven people and caused approximately $125,000 in damages. [FCFRD]
Victim Says County Prosecutors “Pressured” Her Into Plea Deal — “Julie, not her real name, said she’s been traumatized. First, by a manipulating online predator. Then, by the Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office.” [ABC7]
Prepare for Change at Springfield Town Center — “PREIT CEO Joe Coradino said his eye is on reshaping the property into something that more closely resembles its title as a town center, with a greater mix of uses. The introduction of additional components, including the planned Lego Discovery Center and seven-story hotel will help further that aim, he said.” [Washington Business Journal]
Historic Reston Distillery Gets Spotlight — “Thank you Virginia Department of Heritage Resources for promoting #Reston landmark A. Smith Bowman Distillery on #NationalBourbonDay! Read about the only legal whiskey distillery in Virginia in its day, which operated until the 1950s” [Supervisor Walter Alcorn/Twitter]
Restaurant Crawl Coming to Fairfax City on Saturday — The Old Town Fairfax City Summer Crawl is a timed, self-guided tour through participating restaurants, which will offer exclusive small plates and drinks from their menus. The free event will unfold from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., letting patrons “support local restaurants…while enjoying a variety of bites and beverages.” [Fairfax City EDA]
It’s Wednesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 85 and low of 69. Sunrise at 5:44 am and sunset at 8:37 pm. [Weather.gov]
After nearly three years of business, a locally-curated restaurant at Lake Anne Plaza has officially closed its doors.
Local VA, a gourmet dive bar that opened in 2019, permanently closed earlier this month, the business confirmed in a statement to FFXnow.
The spokesperson for the business declined to comment further on the closure, citing legal reasons.
The doors of the spot are blocked off with chains, and multiple white signs indicating the closure are plastered over the storefront.
The business tells FFXnow that the closure will be permanent for this location, but there’s no word yet on what’s in store for Local VA’s future in the region.
Owner Dylan Clark prided the business for bringing neighborhood appeal to the plaza in a relaxed and homey environment.
A new business has opened up shop at Comstock’s Reston Station plaza near the Wiehle-Reston Metro Station.
Scissors & Scotch opened in mid-April, bringing grooming services and a fully-stocked bars to customers.
The business is located at 1902 Reston Metro Plaza, Suite 101, and is part of Comstock’s Reston Station development.
The men’s salon and cocktail bar occupies a little over 2,000 square feet on the plaza.
It’s open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., on Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
While packages aren’t required for services, customers can purchase a membership for unlimited booze, special discounts and guest passes, according to its website.
“We are very excited to continue our expansion in the Washington D.C. area at Reston Station,” Kai Christian, the company’s operations director, said in a statement. “At Scissors & Scotch our team of seasoned barbers, stylists and bartenders strive to make our customers look and feel great. We believe those who live and work in the Reston area will love the unique combination of grooming services and cocktails our locations are known for.”
This is the Scissors & Scotch’s first location in Fairfax County, joining franchises in Arlington and D.C. Originally started in Omaha, Nebraska, the business is now based in Kansas City, Missouri, with shops in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
Franconia Townhouse Fire Under Investigation — Fairfax County fire investigators are still working to determine the cause of a townhouse fire that occurred in the 6500 block of Gildar Street on Saturday (April 2). The blaze didn’t cause any injuries, but four people have been displaced, and there was an estimated $93,750 in damages. [FCFRD]
Fairfax City Police Search for Missing Woman — “Fairfax City Police are still searching for information Tuesday on the disappearance of Amanda Childress, 43, who may have also been the victim of an assault…Investigators said the assault may have happened in the 10400 block of Eaton Place on March 6.” [ABC7]
GMU Dedicates Memorial to People Enslaved by Namesake — “The Enslaved People of George Mason Memorial is located on the campus’s recently renovated Wilkins Plaza, named for the late civil rights leader and George Mason University professor journalist Roger Wilkins. On Monday, several hundred people assembled in Wilkins Plaza for the monument’s dedication.” [Patch]
ACLU Lawsuit Over Mask-Optional Law Continues — A federal judge denied a motion to dismiss a challenge of Virginia’s law making masks optional in schools. The Fairfax County School Board filed a brief supporting the 12 families with immunocompromised children, while the Fairfax County Parents Association, a community group that grew out of the Open FCPS campaign, has backed the state. [WTOP]
Reston Woman Wins Cherry Blossom Race — “Sunday marked the first Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run since 2019, and with it, a local became champion for the first time since 1983, according to race officials. Susanna Sullivan of Reston, Virginia, won the elite women’s race.” [WTOP]
County Police Recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month — “Pinwheels will be displayed outside Public Safety Headquarters and at our district stations throughout April in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month. Pinwheels are a reminder of the carefree spirit of children and symbolize the happy childhood every child should have.” [FCPD/Facebook]
It’s Also National Poetry Month — Fairfax County is celebrating National Poetry Month by having community members read poems “that showcase the diverse and compelling work of contemporary American poets” throughout April. The series kicked off with County Executive Bryan Hill reading “Crossing” by Jericho Brown. [Fairfax County Government/Twitter]
It’s Wednesday — Light rain in the morning and overnight. High of 65 and low of 51. Sunrise at 6:46 a.m. and sunset at 7:38 p.m. [Weather.gov]
