An upcoming cafe is bringing coffee from its historical birthplace to the Town of Vienna.

Qamaria Coffee, a Michigan-based company, will open its first cafe on the East Coast next year at 124 Maple Avenue West in Vienna Shopping Center, filling a 1,900-square-foot space that has been vacant since Viva Sol Juice Company closed on Dec. 31, 2021.

Vienna isn’t short on cafes, welcoming Café de Vienna to Church Street just over a month ago, but Qamaria promises to stand out with its focus on coffee sourced exclusively from Yemen, which is believed to be where coffee beans were first brewed into a beverage.

“Historians trace the origin of coffee to this region, which gives it an incredibly rich history and unique flavor profile to these rare beans,” a Qamaria spokesperson told FFXnow. “The café will also be offering a warm and inviting gathering space to enjoy coffee and tea into the evening, prepared using the espresso extraction methods as well as traditional brewing methods that have been used for thousands of years.”

Though this will be the company’s first brick-and-mortar location, it’s no stranger to the D.C. area: Qamaria launched a coffee truck in July that’s primarily based in Bailey’s Crossroads at 3400 Payne Street but gets booked for events throughout the region.

The spokesperson says the new Vienna cafe isn’t intended to replace the truck, which was seen as “an opportunity to begin serving our fans a limited menu.” The mobile operation will continue into “the foreseeable future.”

“The brand has gained incredible traction over the last several years, and this was a meaningful way to introduce this unique experience to the DMV market as we launch our first brick-and-mortar operation,” the spokesperson said.

Founded by entrepreneurs Munif Maweri and Hatem Al-Eidaroos, Qamaria began as a supplier dedicated to “building a supply chain to source Yemeni coffee beans,” according to its website. It opened its first cafe in early 2021 in Dearborn, Michigan, just outside Detroit out of a desire to bring coffee directly to customers.

The company now has 12 franchises across Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Texas and California. It also runs a roastery in Dearborn and continues to sell coffee online and wholesale, claiming to having the largest inventory of Yemeni coffee beans in the U.S.

In addition to coffee, the Vienna cafe will serve pastries and sweets.

“Given where we are in the process, we can say that we expect to launch in the first half of 2024,” Qamaria said. “We are thrilled to be situated in the heart of Vienna, a town with a diverse population and accessibility to Fairfax County at large.”

It was love at first sight for Afsaneh and the 123-year-old building at 131 Church Street NW where she recently launched Café de Vienna.

Constructed in 1900, per Fairfax County property records, the quaint, two-story house atop a hill on Vienna’s historic Church Street was converted at some point into a commercial space. It was home to Money & King Funeral Home — the town’s oldest still-operating business — until the now-closed Guarantee Shoe Repair took over in 1990, according to The Connection.

Though she initially considered a property in Great Falls, Afsaneh knew as soon as she saw the building that it was the right setting to fulfill her dream of opening a cozy, small-town cafe, an alternative to the “industrial” ambiance found in chains like Starbucks.

“I want to have that warm feeling, but that starts from a building. The building has to have character or that old-fashioned look,” she said. “…Right away, I said this is it. I was envisioning to have a coffee shop in an old building, and that’s how it started. The building did it. It was the building’s fault!”

A 27-year resident of Reston, Afsaneh says she always wanted to start her own business, but knowing how risky that can be, it took years of working in the retail and food service industries before she decided she’d gained enough experience to make that leap.

After submitting paperwork for various permits from the county and town in April, Afsaneh and her business partner Reza Sadeghi gave Café de Vienna a soft opening on Sept. 21.

In addition to Nespresso coffee, the shop serves tea, bread and pastries baked daily, gourmet fruit pops, raw honey and 16 flavors of handmade ice cream, which comes from “a little company in Maryland” that doesn’t use any preservatives or additives, Afsaneh told FFXnow.

She says the customer experience and the quality of its food and drinks are the cafe’s top priorities, which to her, means supporting local businesses and providing freshly made, preservative-free products.

“I know it might be a little costlier, but it’s worth it. So, quality is important for the products I’m bringing,” Afsaneh said.

In the future, Café de Vienna plans to introduce paninis and other dishes for a “small” breakfast and lunch menu.

Though the space is relatively small, it can fit 16 indoor seats that are supplemented by a 12-seat outdoor patio and a gazebo with picnic tables at the rear of the building. Afsaneh says she also intends to add some benches inside.

The cafe currently opens from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, until 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and until 5 p.m. on Sunday. Those hours and the day off on Mondays could change during the warmer spring and summer months, according to Afsaneh.

While noting that she still has “a tough road ahead,” she’s encouraged by the community’s response to Café de Vienna during its first month of operations.

“It’s been going great because of the people in Vienna,” Afsaneh said. “They were so supportive in the past one month, so [I’m] very grateful for that. So far, so good, and I hope it’s going to continue.”

Coffee may soon become a staple of grocery shoppers at The Spectrum at Reston Town Center.

Starbucks is slated to open soon inside Harris Teeter (11806 Spectrum Center), a company representative told FFXnow.

It marks a return for the coffee chain, which previously had a location in the shopping center at 1857 Fountain Drive that closed its doors in February 2021.

The floral department will be relocated as a result, according to Fairfax County permits.

“Starbucks is always looking for great locations to better meet the needs of our customers,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement.

It’s unclear exactly when the new Starbucks will open. The county’s permit database shows that an application seeking approval for alterations was accepted.

Sunrise Senior Living’s massive new community in the Town of Vienna is officially open.

After holding a small ribbon-cutting with town officials late last month, the senior living provider announced today (Thursday) that its 81,755-square-foot, four-story building at 374 Maple Avenue West is now ready for residents to start moving in.

The facility can accommodate over 100 residents with 50 assisted living units and 35 memory care units.

“We are excited to unveil Sunrise of Vienna, a community that goes beyond traditional senior living by blending artistry, culture and exceptional experiences to create the preferred lifestyle for residents to enjoy longer, healthier, happier lives,” Sunrise of Vienna Executive Director Adriane Oliver said.

Replacing a three-story office building that dated back to the 1970s, the new Sunrise includes about 950 square feet of retail space that has been leased to Tango Pastry, a café open to residents, their families and the general public.

This is Tango Pastry’s second location after its flagship bakery opened at 6100 Richmond Highway in Huntington more than a decade ago. Developed by Argentine chef Katriel Menendez, the business serves lunch and dinner options, including its specialty empanadas, along with baked pastries and drinks.

After a grand opening on July 31, the Vienna café is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays, according to Tango Pastry’s website.

As part of the project, Sunrise also enlisted artist Chad Bradley to paint a mural and two benches with “scenes inspired by outdoor living, local birds, and native trees,” the company said in a press release that highlighted its “commitment to embracing the creative spirit of the Town of Vienna and fostering a sense of belonging within the neighborhood.”

“With the addition of the custom painted mural by Chad Bradley and the inviting Tango Pastry café, Sunrise of Vienna aims to create an inclusive and vibrant environment where residents and the local community can come together, celebrate life, and forge lasting connections,” Oliver said.

Construction on Sunrise of Vienna began in June 2021 following a fraught planning process that included a lawsuit and relocation after the Vienna Town Council rejected an initial proposal to build the facility at the corner of Maple Avenue and Center Street.

The site that Sunrise ultimately chose was previously under consideration for a mixed-use development that would’ve included condominiums and retail.

Sunrise of Vienna was designed by an in-house team in collaboration with the Alexandria-based firm Rust Orling Architecture to “create an environment that prioritizes both comfort and safety,” including “an advanced emergency response system,” the company said.

Constructed in collaboration with Forrester Construction, Sunrise of Vienna showcases design elements that honor the American Colonial style, seamlessly blending into the surrounding community. The community offers an array of inviting amenities, ensuring residents’ comfort and enjoyment. Residents can gather in the multi-functional bistro area for socializing, relax in the welcoming lounge, or indulge in the entertainment room equipped with theater accommodations. An activity room provides space for engaging pursuits, while common and private dining rooms offer delightful settings for shared meals. In addition, residents can savor the tranquility of the secure rooftop garden or visit the onsite beauty salon for pampering.

Sunrise opened its first community in Oakton in 1981 and has since expanded to more than 270 locations in the U.S. and Canada, including a second McLean facility that started welcoming residents in May.

One Centreville cafe is offering something sweeter than just desserts: community.

Bôn Tea House (5718 Pickwick Road) launched a new three-part, pop-up Summer Market series this past June in hopes of bringing together the local community.

On the last Sunday of June, July and August, the small tea shop transforms into a bustling community hub, where customers can purchase an array of handcrafted items from local vendors in a monthly market-style event. Offerings include, but are not limited to, apparel, jewelry, soaps and baked goods.

“Summer market is a place where people can come and meet and support local vendors,” co-owner Danny Bae said. “We do our best to only invite or accept vendors that are in the NOVA area and who are not these major businesses, so a lot of people who don’t have a platform, a store or anything like that…they need a place to be able to advertise and sell and get their name out there.”

Danny, who started Bôn Tea House with his wife Diana and brother in 2021, says the market has grown significantly from their initial launch on June 25 to their most recent market on Sunday, July 30, despite how new and limited-edition the series is.

“After the June market, a lot of vendors reached out to us saying, ‘Can we be a part of it? How do I be a part of this?'” Danny said. “So, I think there was a lot of anticipation for the July one, so that July one was actually the biggest one in terms of traffic flow.”

Danny hinted that the upcoming market on Sunday, Aug. 27 may be the last one for the foreseeable future. Though grateful for the success of the series, he noted that the colder weather brings more complications, so their next event will likely be a one-day holiday market in the late fall or early winter, rather than a recurring series.

“We’ve had several vendors where it was their first time ever selling something like in person, and they were all very surprised at the turnout and how well it went,” Danny said. “…We were very grateful and thankful that a lot of vendors showed up, and they did their best to showcase their merchandise. It was just a really good experience for us as the host and all the vendors as well.”

According to the Baes, the vendors appreciated the opportunity to sell their wares and meet other business owners in their position.

“I think it’s great that they’re able to…see that people do enjoy what they have to offer and gain that support through the community,” Diana said.

Building community is Bôn Tea House’s founding mission, the Baes say. When closed on Mondays, they usually let locals rent the space for private events, and they are rolling out new bonding events this month, like the game nights that will be held on Tuesday (Aug. 14) and Monday, Aug. 28.

“We really wanted to create that community aspect and have people come, whether they just grab ice cream and go, or whether they’re in there for a conversation, that they could really feel like this is a place that they could relax and enjoy and come back to,” Diana said. “…So, we’re always looking for ways where we could use our space and use our platform to share our passion and what we think the community might need or want.”

Bôn Tea House began out of the Baes’ living room before they transitioned to a small window in D.C., where they became “the first ones” to serve specialty matcha desserts, Diana says.

As they began to receive outpourings of support from the local community, the Baes knew they had something special and eventually sought an official storefront. Coming from a Korean background, the Baes settled on Centreville for its strong Korean community.

Along with tea, Bôn Tea House specializes in ice cream, with matcha as its best-seller. The cafe prides itself on using fresh, in-house ingredients and taking the “time and effort to really try and bring out the flavors,” Danny says.

Now, the Baes are focused on forming a tight-knit community in Centreville, though many of their loyal D.C. followers still yearn for them to return to the nation’s capital, Diana says.

“We’re just trying to be this local mom-and-pop shop where people can come and gather and have a nice meeting with their friends and family and just enjoy their tea,” Danny said. “We wanted to showcase the Asian American culture, whether it’s our styling through our merch or through the flavors of our ice cream and teas.”

Photo via Google Maps

A new family-owned sandwich spot has officially opened in Reston.

Veloce Deli celebrated its soft opening at 1900 Campus Commons Drive in Suite 120 yesterday (Monday).

Currently, opening hours are from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 7 am to 7 p.m. Thursday through Friday, and 9 a.m. through 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Veloce Deli’s creative director, Neha Kapoor, co-owns the business with her parents, who have been in the deli business since the 1990s, she said.

“We chose this location as it was in a great area where we could connect with our local community,” Kapoor said. “We are a family run business and needed that connection factor. And we wanted to create a new hotspot in an up and coming area.”

The deli previously operated out of an office building at 205 Van Buren Street in Herndon before relocating to Reston.

Items on the menu include turkey club sandwiches, spicy Sicilican subs, coffee, and egg salad subs.

Veloce Deli is in the Campus Commons office park near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a plan in 2019 to redevelop the site with 1.3 million square feet of new residential and office space, though the two existing buildings will remain.

Centreville shoppers may have experienced a bit of déjà vu stepping into the recently opened Cafe Bdan at 13814 Braddock Road.

That’s because the new Korean-Japanese fusion dessert shop is a rebranding of fan-favorite Iron Ice, which closed down for six weeks before reopening as Cafe Bdan on Saturday, July 15, according to shop owner Charlie Shin.

Cafe Bdan is still currently in its soft opening period, offering what Shin says is approximately 85% of the full menu.

In honor of the recent opening, the cafe is giving out 10% off coupons to use at Cafe Bdan or either of Shin’s other two businesses in the Old Centreville Crossing shopping center — Japanese restaurant Kazone and women’s clothing store The Style by Coco.

Cafe Bdan’s predecessor Iron Ice was best known for its Instagram-worthy dessert commonly dubbed “puffle ice cream,” consisting of scoops of ice cream nestled in a Hong Kong egg waffle.

Though customers can still order puffle ice cream at Cafe Bdan, Shin spent the temporary closure devising an expanded menu that caters to “all four seasons,” rather than serving only one specialty item.

Shin says customers have called the refreshed menu’s croffle — a mix of a croissant and a waffle — “the best in town.” He takes care to use higher-end French croissants to elevate patron’s experiences.

Cafe Bdan’s bingsu, or Korean snow ice, topped with a special whipped cream has similarly been a smash hit amongst customers, according to Shin.

Shin also highlighted the cafe’s new bubble tea, which he says is brewed at his home and then brought into the store, taking over three hours to make.

“It’s really good,” Shin said. “It’s more than premium — it’s triple premium.” Read More

A former Subway in McLean will soon be filled with the tastes, scents and atmosphere of the Levant.

The owners of Dolce Vita Salon & Spa at 6829 Elm Street are expanding their presence in the office building by opening Cafe Levantine just next door, taking over a space vacated by Subway last year, according to the landlord, Marva Properties.

Located in Suite 150, the cafe will serve food from the eastern Mediterranean area, particularly Lebanon, the homeland of owners Fatima Farran and Jean-Paul Achour.

“My husband and I have a true passion for coffee,” Farran said. “It’s always been a dream of ours to open some sort of café or bed and breakfast, and we heard that the Subway next door might be leaving, so we were like, ‘Why not?'”

Though she obtained a college degree in electrical engineering, Farran told FFXnow that she loves cooking, baking and hosting. She will be running the kitchen herself, making sweets and other food from recipes passed down by her grandmother, aunts and their ancestors.

The cafe is her and Achour’s first food-related business venture, but they have accrued plenty of experience with in the retail and hospitality world with Dolce Vita, which has now been open for 20 years. The salon recently finished a renovation that added a second level, where the spa has been relocated.

“A guest is a guest. You want them to experience whatever service they’re having to the utmost capability,” Farran said.

As of the end of June, the couple had signed off on building permits for the cafe and were starting to work on construction bids, according to Farran.

With the design and furniture already prepared, the team hopes to be able to open Cafe Levantine by the end of this summer, though Farran acknowledged that construction “rarely” goes according to schedule.

The cafe will have seats inside for about 32 to 35 people, along with an outdoor patio that can seat another 20 to 25 people. It will share a wall with the salon, where patrons will be able to order food and drinks to eat while they get their hair styled.

A Great Falls resident and mother of four children, Farran hopes to create a place that feels like a true part of the McLean community, where adults and kids alike will feel comfortable spending time, whether they’re grabbing “a healthy bite to eat” while doing homework or gathering for a book club meeting.

“It’s almost an extension of our salon, because that’s what our salon is for a lot of people. That’s their home away from home,” she said. “…I love to see people. It brings me a lot of joy. It truly, truly does.”

Photo via Google Maps

Robeks, a smoothie franchise, is officially open in West Springfield.

Located in Cardinal Forest Plaza (8324B Old Knee Mill Road), the location includes smoothies, juices, açaí bowls and toasts, according to the company.

It’s led by franchisees Josue Chavez and Alejandra Ponce, who also own a Robeks location in McLean.

“We are delighted to open our second Robeks location in West Springfield,” Chavez shared in a statement. “Our goal is to create a vibrant, yet welcoming environment where people can discover and enjoy the benefits of delicious and nutritious smoothies, juices and bowls. We are committed to serving our community and promoting a better-for-you lifestyle, and we look forward to becoming an integral part of the West Springfield neighborhood.”

Robeks President and CFO David Rawnsley said the opening of the Springfield location is a “testament” to the company’s “strong growth trajectory.”

“The dedication and success of franchisees like Josue Chavez and Alejandra Ponce reflect our shared vision of promoting well-being and serving as a beacon of health-conscious choices. We look forward to continuing our expansion and positively impacting more lives across the state,” Rawnsley said.

Items on the menu include açaí almond butter toast, smoothies, juices, açaí bowls, and wellness shots.

A new tea spot is opening soon in Herndon’s Worldgate Centre.

Sharetea, a franchise that specializes in tea drinks, is expected to open soon at 13043 Worldgate Drive, according to signage posted at the door.

The business kicked off in Taiwan in 1992. It currently has more than 300 locations across 13 countries.

Virginia has three locations in Fairfax, Falls Church and Chesapeake. The business didn’t immediately return a request for comment from FFXnow.

Items on the menu include a variety of milk teas, fruit tea, blended ice beverages, and tea mojitos.

It replaces 1,053-square-feet of space previously leased by Pivot Physical Therapy.

The shopping plaza — which is anchored by Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa and AMC Theaters — has one 921-square-foot vacancy, according to the property owner’s website.