The Esposito’s Fairfax in Fairfax City will permanently close after this weekend.
Owner Maria Esposito told FFXnow that the property owner notified her last Thursday, Feb. 28, that she had two weeks to vacate the premises because the property has been sold.
Located at 9917 Fairfax Blvd, the Italian restaurant first opened over four decades ago in 1982 and will welcome its final customers on Sunday, March 10.
It’s unclear who bought the property, but the Fairfax City Council is currently mulling a special-use permit to repurpose the 1.15-acre site for a Tommy’s Express Car Wash.
D.C.-based private equity firm Olympus Pines, which submitted a pre-application in November 2021, is behind the car wash proposal. The Board of Architectural Review Board and City Council members reviewed the application at two separate work sessions held last December and this past January.
A public hearing date, required before any vote, has not been set.
Last month, Esposito assured FFXnow she had no plans to close the restaurant, but the decision was ultimately out of her hands.
“It breaks my heart, this is like a family to me,” she said. “You become family after so many years. I’ve known all the customers since before 1982 in the ’70s. We share good news. We share sad news. We have shared tears. You know, we have a history over here… It’s been very sad, but it’s not in my control.”
Esposito says she plans to work temporarily in McLean, stating that she needs “a job, but right now we don’t know what the future holds.”
When reached for comment, Fairfax City Economic Development (FCED) said it has been working with the restaurant owner to make sure they’re aware of the resources it offers to local businesses.
“Esposito’s is a long-standing Fairfax City business and we have been working with the ownership to ensure that they have access to our resources and programs designed to help businesses remain and stay in Fairfax City, regardless of the location,” FCED President and CEO Christopher Bruno said.
Lezzet has closed its Vienna restaurant after less than two years in the town.
The location closed for good “last week unfortunately,” a spokesperson for the Mediterranean restaurant confirmed to FFXnow by email on Friday (March 1), though they didn’t elaborate on what led to that decision.
A notice taped to the restaurant’s front door was similarly opaque, saying only that it was permanently closed.
An expansion of a popular restaurant that started in Centreville in 2020, Lezzet opened in the Cedar Park Shopping Center (262-G Cedar Lane) on April 10, 2022. It was accompanied by El Sabor Grill, a Mexican restaurant and bar also operated by general manager Burcin Can.
El Sabor opened in March 2022 and closed after less than a year of business.
Lezzet was founded by chef Serkan Gozubuyuk, who had more than three decades of experience cooking Turkish cuisine. An immigrant from Turkey, his previous work included stints as an executive chef at Ankara in Dupont Circle and a sous chef for Agora Tysons.
The Centreville location (13850 Braddock Road, Suite E) remains open. It has the same menu as the Vienna location, serving kabobs, flatbreads, wraps and other Turkish and Mediterranean dishes.
Lezzet joins a growing list of restaurant closures in the Town of Vienna, following in the more established footsteps of Noodles and Company and preceding last week’s shuttering of Akai Tori Ramen & Yakitori. The family-owned store Princess Jewelers is also set to close after 38 years on March 16.
Anchored by CVS Pharmacy and Simply Social Coffee, Cedar Park Shopping Center’s remaining dining options include Sushi Koji, America’s Best Wings, Hunan Delight, Pizza Boli’s and The Red Bird, a hot chicken eatery that opened in December.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill has officially shuttered in Reston after more than two decades of business.
A sign on the door of the chain restaurant at 12192 Sunset Hills Road thanks customers for their “support over the past 21 years” and directs them to the company’s Centreville location at 5805 Trinity Parkway.
The Burn reported earlier that the Reston location was no longer listed on the company’s website.
It’s part of a series of closures under parent company Bloomin’ Brands, which also owns Outback Steak House, Bonefish Grill and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar. The company plans to close 41 locations across its portfolio, Nation’s Restaurant News reported.
“We periodically review our asset base and, in our latest review, we made the decision to close 41 underperforming locations,” Bloomin’ Brands CEO David Deno said when announcing the closures during an earnings call last Friday (Feb. 23).
According to Nation’s Restaurant News, Deno said most of the locations targeted for closures “were older assets with leases from the ’90s and early 2000s.”
Per its website, Carrabba’s has 11 locations remaining in Virginia, though the Centreville restaurant is the only one left in Fairfax County. The chain can also still be found in Dulles International Airport.
Perhaps the commercial building at 234 Maple Avenue East in Vienna is just not meant to be a ramen shop.
Its current occupant, Akai Tori Ramen & Yakitori, will dish out its last noodle soup bowl today (Thursday) before permanently closing its doors at 7 p.m. The restaurant announced the closure “with a heavy heart” via social media on Monday (Feb. 26), and it was first reported by Patch.
“This decision was incredibly difficult, but necessary given the current circumstances,” Akai Tori said in a message to customers and supporters. “…We are immensely grateful for your unwavering support over a year and cherish the memories we’ve created together. Thank you for being a part of our journey. Take care, and we hope our paths cross again in the future.”
When contacted by FFXnow, an Akai Tori employee said the team is unable to elaborate on the reasons for the closure at this time. She noted that a new tenant for the space is already lined up, but she doesn’t know who it will be.
Akai Tori opened on Jan. 28, 2023 in a 3,000-square-foot building previously filled by Shin Se Kai Ramen, which launched in February 2019 but never returned from an initially temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inspired by izakaya bars, the concept came from chef-owner Mark Liu, who also owns Sushi Yoshi on Church Street. It serves tempura, grilled meats (yakiniku), sushi and sashimi, and other Japanese dishes, including the ramen and yakitori skewers referenced in its name, which translates to “red bird.”
Before it opened, the business told FFXnow that its ramen broth would be made by hand using its own recipe, a “differentiator” from other restaurants in the area that rely on pre-made broth.
(Updated at 4:30 p.m. on 2/28/2024) The Town of Vienna will kick off March with its third annual Restaurant Week.
More than 40 restaurants in the town will offer special deals during the promotional campaign, which will run from March 3-10. For the first time, the town will celebrate the week by hosting a drop-in social event near the Town Green on Tuesday, March 5 from 4-6 p.m. with giveaways and live music.
Sponsored by the Town of Vienna Economic Development Department, the program aims to boost resident and visitor activity in the town, while also boosting business for the participating restaurants, with a goal of increasing the number of patrons at each eatery during the week.
“While some restaurants are offering multi-course, prix fixe menus, others are offering exciting specials, or creating new menu items just for the week,” a press release says. “Alongside meticulously curated menus, local restaurants and eateries are introducing discounted à la carte dining and exclusive deals. These enticing options are designed to tantalize the palates of discerning food enthusiasts, encouraging them to explore new and delightful cuisines.”
Vienna introduced its own restaurant week in 2022 and revived the concept last year, when it more than doubled the number of participating eateries.
This year’s event will begin the same day that nearby Fairfax City’s Restaurant Week ends. From bakeries and cafes to fast-casual chains and fine-dining restaurants, the full list of participants is below, sorted by the type of food offered.
Asian
- Burapa Thai And Bar (delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- Chit Chaat Cafe (delivery, carryout)
- Oh My Dak (carryout, dine-in)
- Peking Express Of Vienna (curbside pickup, delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- Royal Nepal Bistro (carryout, dine-in)
- Sushi Koji (dine-in)
- Sushi Yoshi (carryout, dine-in)
- The Mixx Delight (carryout)
- Viet Aroma Asian Cuisine (carryout)
American
- America’s Best Wings (delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- Bazin’s On Church (dine-in)
- Bear Branch Tavern (carryout, dine-in)
- Big Buns (curbside pickup, delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- Caboose Tavern (dine-in)
- Domino’s Pizza (curbside pickup, delivery, carryout)
- Foster’s Grille (delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- Maple Ave Restaurant (dine-in)
- Social Burger (delivery, carryout, dine-in)
- The Virginian Restaurant (carryout, dine-in)
(Updated at 11:50 a.m.) Fairfax City will soon invite community members to experience cuisines from Azerbaijan and the Caribbean to Ireland and Vietnam for its seventh annual Restaurant Week.
From Monday, Feb. 26 through Sunday, March 3, promotions will be available to diners at more than 25 restaurants, according to the event’s website.
Restaurants will offer prix fixe menus, setting prices at $25 for brunch/lunch and $40 for dinner. Specialty restaurants will offer a two-for-$10 deal, according to a press release.
“Restaurant Week is that nudge our residents get twice a year that says dining out is a community event,” City of Fairfax Mayor Catherine Read said in the press release. “Dining in the city can be a culinary trip around the world without needing a passport.”
Participating restaurants include:
Baku Delicious, Bellissimo, Commonwealth Brewing Co., Capital Ale House, Coyote Grille, Curry Mantra, Dolce Vita, Draper’s Steak & Seafood, Earp’s Ordinary, El Pollo Rico, Hamrock’s Restaurant, Jas & Fam Caribbean Flavor, Mackenzie’s Tunes & Tonics, Mama Chang, Meokja Meokja, Ned’s New England Deck, Old Dominion Pizza Company, ONE Bar & Grill, Ornery Beer Company, Okonomi Asian Grill, Patriot’s Pub & Grill, P.J. Skiddos, Roots Natural Kitchen, Taim Mediterranean Kitchen, The Auld Shebeen, The Wine House and Vivi Bubble Tea.
Though it wasn’t mentioned in the initial list, Pupatella says its Mosaic District location is also participating in Fairfax City Restaurant Week.
The week is co-sponsored by the Fairfax City Economic Development Authority, the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce and the Old Town Fairfax Business Association.
“Together, they have consistently expanded the event, establishing Fairfax City as a premier dining destination and fostering a strong sense of community among restaurant operators,” Fairfax City Economic Development President and CEO Christopher Bruno said.
Maggiano’s Little Italy and the Cheesecake Factory are swapping one Tysons mall for another.
The chain restaurants will both move their long-standing locations at Tysons Galleria (2001 International Drive) just down the road to Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) later this year.
Tysons Corner Center owner and developer Macerich announced that the older, bigger mall has signed a lease with Maggiano during an earnings call with investors last Wednesday (Feb. 7), the Washington Business Journal first reported.
Confirming the move, Maggiano’s Vice President Larry Konecny told the WBJ that the restaurant “made itself a part of the McLean community since its opening at Tysons Galleria” almost three decades ago, but the new location will “be more accessible” to Metro riders and “those joining festivities in the plaza.”
Maggiano’s opened on Tysons Galleria’s second floor in the mid-1990s. It was the company’s fourth location overall and its first expansion outside of the Chicago area, according to a 1995 report by the Washington Post.
The transition to Tysons Corner Center is expected this summer, but a closing date at Tysons Galleria hasn’t been established yet, a Maggiano’s employee told FFXnow. A representative for Brookfield Properties, which owns the Galleria, didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry about when the lease will expire.
“Maggiano’s opening date is still tentative,” a Tysons Corner Center spokesperson said.
The Cheesecake Factory’s new Tysons Corner Center restaurant will also be a relocation, not a second site, an employee confirmed to FFXnow. The chain opened its 13,300-square-foot space on Tysons Galleria’s third floor — one level above Maggiano’s — in 2003.
“We’re not sure yet, but it might be at the end of 2024,” the worker said when asked about a potential closing date at Tysons Galleria.
The Cheesecake Factory anticipates opening at Tysons Corner Center in the fourth quarter of this year, the mall’s spokesperson says, adding that both new restaurants will be located on the east end near Coastal Flats.
The mall currently has two sizable vacancies on its first floor near Coastal Flats, one of which hasn’t had a permanent tenant since Gordon Biersch Brewery closed in 2020. Temporary pop-ups have included the locally owned Bisnonna Bakeshop and the art exhibit “Overboard.”
Maggiano’s only other Northern Virginia location is at Springfield Town Center, while the Cheesecake Factory can also be found at Fair Oaks Mall and in Arlington’s Clarendon area.
In addition to the two restaurants, Tysons Corner Center is slated to welcome the fashion retailers Khaadi, Primark and Mango this year after Rothy’s, the recycled shoes company, opened in January. Macerich also recently announced that Level99 will open a 40,000-square-foot gaming playground at the mall in 2025.
Restaurants in Fairfax County are officially free to set up temporary outdoor dining areas as they wish — provided they adhere to a handful of new regulations.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a zoning ordinance amendment on Tuesday (Feb. 6) to create a permanent outdoor dining program, codifying many of the more relaxed measures that the county adopted to help local eateries stay open during the pandemic.
“Integrating outdoor dining into the county’s regulations has the potential to enhance the pedestrian experience, activate street-level environments and contribute to the vibrancy of commercial areas,” the county said in a news release announcing the approval.
As of 12:01 a.m. yesterday (Wednesday), when the amendment took effect, restaurants and other food service establishments can provide temporary furniture for outdoor dining on patios and sidewalks by right, meaning they don’t need the county’s permission specifically for that use.
They can also have outdoor dining areas in parking lots with an administrative permit, which can be approved without public hearings and comes with a lower application fee of $205 than the minor site plan approval previously required.
In all cases, the outdoor dining area can be at most half the size of the restaurant’s indoor dining area, a slight change from the emergency rules that have been in place since July 2020 to limit the spread of Covid. County staff recommended setting a maximum size based on floor area, instead of 50% of the occupancy limit, because it would be easier to gauge compliance.
The outdoor dining area’s operating hours should match those of the main restaurant to ward off noise issues, Lily Yegazu with the county’s Department of Planning and Zoning told the board.
Outdoor dining areas must also maintain access for pedestrians and people with disabilities and obtain a fire marshal’s permit for tents bigger than 900 square feet. Businesses aren’t required to provide additional parking, but they still need to meet the minimum number of spaces required for the site.
“It makes good sense to me,” Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman said of the proposed regulations.
The board’s vote preceded a March 1, 2024 expiration date for the uncodified ordinance that eased regulations for outdoor dining, among other allowances, during the pandemic. The ordinance could stay in place for up to a year after the county’s state of emergency ended.
When initially presenting a proposal for permanent outdoor dining in October 2022, county staff reported that 91 businesses had implemented outdoor dining during the pandemic, but by Sept. 1 of that year, only five sites were confirmed to still be using parking spaces for that purpose.
Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) Vice President of Government Affairs Che Ruddell-Tabisola testified that having permanent guidelines will encourage more businesses to invest in outdoor dining, which expanded across the D.C. region and the country during the pandemic.
“Expanded outdoor dining has been wildly successful in its efficiency and efficacy of maximizing the use of outdoor space,” he said. “Additionally, outdoor dining is popular among Fairfax residents, and we have not yet maximized either the demand or capacity for outdoor dining.”
Ruddell-Tabisola praised Fairfax County’s “commonsense approach” to the permitting process for outdoor dining, adding that RAMW has cited the program “as the model for other jurisdictions to follow.”
Area localities that have approved permanent outdoor dining regulations in recent years include Arlington County, the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, and the towns of Vienna, Herndon and Leesburg. Fairfax City has a seasonal pilot program that offers permits for outdoor dining areas that can operate between March 1 through Nov. 30.
The embrace of outdoor dining is “one of the good things to come out of the pandemic,” Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity said.
“There weren’t many good things, but this is [one],” Herrity said before the board voted. “I want to thank staff for jumping on this right away early in the pandemic with the temporary rules and great job here.”
Though the new rules are already in effect, the county is giving restaurants with existing outdoor dining areas until April 30 to get them in compliance.
Noodles & Company has closed its doors in the Town of Vienna.
The fast-casual noodle chain had anchored the Vienna Marketplace shopping center at the corner of Maple Avenue and Park Street for nearly 20 years. Now, the windows at 201 Maple Avenue East have gone dark, the linguine-ladling storefront sign stripped down.
“We’re sorry to say, this Noodles location is permanently closed,” a flyer posted to the eatery’s door says. “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed serving you and appreciate all your support.”
The notice encourages customers to visit the company’s closest remaining location, which is in Idylwood Plaza at 7501 Leesburg Pike.
An employee at that location confirmed to FFXnow that the Vienna restaurant closed Wednesday, Jan. 24 due to the high rent. Press contacts for Noodles & Company and KLNB, the retail broker for Vienna Marketplace, didn’t immediately return requests for comment.
Noodles & Company had been in Vienna since at least 2007, the days of its earliest Yelp reviews, though one reviewer said they’d previously ordered from that location “years ago.” That makes the Vienna restaurant one of the brand’s first sites in the D.C. region after it arrived in Fairfax City in 2002 and began more rapidly expanding a decade later, according to the Washington Post.
In addition to Idylwood and Fairfax City, Noodles can still be found in Kingstowne, Mount Vernon, Chantilly, Fair Lakes, Herndon, Reston and Springfield. It has 26 Virginia locations.
Though it’s not clear yet what will replace Noodles & Company, The Burn reports that the vacated Cold Stone Creamery two doors down will be filled by the D.C. deli Call Your Mother — not Taïm Mediterranean Kitchen as previously confirmed.
According to The Burn, the deli “swooped in” to take over the 1,300-square-foot space after Taim’s deal “fell through.” FFXnow has reached out to both Taim and KLNB for confirmation.
Known for its bagels, Call Your Mother entered Northern Virginia last May when it launched a “Lil Deli” at Chesterbrook Shopping Center in McLean. The business is expected to move out of the mobile truck and into a permanent, brick-and-mortar location later this year.
Taim, a fast-casual Mediterranean eatery that originated in New York City, opened restaurants in Pimmit Hills last July and at Plaza America in Reston on Dec. 5.
Remaining tenants in Vienna Marketplace include Crumbl Cookies, South Block, Chipotle, AT&T and Lacrosse Unlimited.
(Updated at 3:45 p.m.) An entertainment complex that brings puzzle and video game-like challenges to life is taking over the former Old Navy at Tysons Corner Center.
Next year, Level99 will open a 40,000-square-foot playground and restaurant on the mall’s second floor adjacent to Barnes & Noble, the company jointly announced today (Tuesday) with Tysons Corner Center owner Macerich.
Old Navy was relocated to the other end of the mall near Bloomingdale’s. Its previous space — the one that will be permanently occupied by Level99 — is currently filled by the temporary Hot Wheels Champion Experience.
Originally opened in Natick, Massachusetts, in 2021, Level99 describes itself as a “first-of-its-kind destination for live-action, challenge-based entertainment, craft beverages and farm-to-table dining designed for grown-ups.”
Visitors can work together to complete various physical and mental games in “challenge rooms,” or they can compete in duels. The Tysons location will have 40 rooms that can collectively accommodate up to 600 players, along with a 300-seat taproom and scratch kitchen.
The challenges vary from room to room, from obstacle courses to a life-sized version of “Rock Band” and “ninja training” for a battle against a samurai, according to Level99.
“Level99 offers mental, physical, communication and skill challenges in an open-world format for guests to discover and explore,” said Level99 CEO Matt DuPlessie, a former Disney engineer and owner of the production company, Box Fort, that designed Level99. “…We look forward to welcoming residents and visitors from the D.C. area to discover all that Level99 has to offer.”
The original Level99 drew over 400,000 guests in 2023 and recently expanded with 10 new rooms, according to Patch. The company also launched a second location in Providence, Rhode Island, last week.
Operated by Night Shift Brewing Kitchen & Tap, a Boston-based brewery, the restaurants serve beer hall-style food, including pizza, wagyu burgers and fries. Drinks include craft beer and cocktails. Level99 wasn’t immediately available to confirm whether the Tysons venue will have the same operator and menu.
Following the December opening of the toy store/entertainment experience Camp, the addition of Level99 continues Tysons Corner Center’s push into the realm of interactive retail.
A market study released last summer by the Tysons Community Alliance suggested the area needs more entertainment options — such as the virtual reality gaming venue Sandbox VR, which opened on Dec. 22 in The Boro — to meet demand as its population grows.
“Level99 created an impressive, innovative way for adults to have a memorable experience at its first space in the Boston area, and we know our active, sophisticated Tysons Corner guests will enjoy exploring all that Level99 has to offer,” Eric Bunyan, Macerich’s senior vice president of leasing for the east region, said. “It’s a great complement to our existing tenant base.”
Level99 is scheduled to launch in Tysons in 2025. More immediately, Tysons Corner Center is expected to open the clothing stores Khaadi and Mango this year after adding Rothy’s just last week.
