Port City and La Tingeria team up for the perfect pairing in Alexandria. | Port City Brewing Company Plus, more Mexican cuisine comes to town, Italian food galore, a seafood-obsessed restaurant in Union Market, and more area arrivals to note As Washingtonians prepare for the onslaught of winter plenty of new spots are popping up to take refuge in with warm drinks and hearty dishes. Consider this your guide to all the new restaurants, bars, and cafes that have debuted in November 2024 so far. This list will be updated weekly. If there’s an opening in your neighborhood that we’ve missed, let us know at [email protected]. November 23 Port City Brewing Company The new taco truck outside Port City’s massive brewery ALEXANDRIA — The excellent birria goat tacos and chicken tinga from popular Virginia taqueria La Tingeria now have a permanent home at Port City’s 13-year-old brewery. The popular Mexican chain started as a taco truck in 2013 and saw incredible growth during the pandemic when chef David Peña started selling halal meat options for the Northern Virginia Muslim community. The new taco spot serves specialties you can’t get at the Falls Church and Spotsylvania locations, including lamb burger sliders and Sonoran hot dogs wrapped up in halal beef bacon. All of Peña’s signature dishes, like cheese-covered elote on the cob, crispy tostadas, and chilaquiles-filled tortas, are also available to pair with Port City brews at the new location. 3950 Wheeler Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia DOLA Photo An array of soups, sandwiches, and salads that will be available at the library’s new cafe. November 22 CAPITOL HILL — The expanded Folger Shakespeare Library’s new cafe Quill & Crumb pays homage to the Bard’s prized work. A $80.5-million renovation added new room for Folger’s exhibits, opening up the historic Great Hall to become the perfect spot to grab lunch, pastries, coffee, tea, and snacks. During the library’s opening hours, Quill & Crumb will dish out a Waldorf salad with candied walnuts and Stilton cheese, herby salmon gravlax sandwiches, lavender blackberry financiers, and espresso drinks made with homemade syrups. 201 E Capitol Street SE H STREET — A Maryland Mexican spot opened its first outpost in the District, with no-frills gorditas, flautas, tacos, burritos, and fajita platters in a small H Street space. Taqueria Los Perez already has locations in Baltimore, Laurel, and Riverdale and claims to make “traditional recipes,” including plenty of breakfast items, on its website. 1344 H Street NE Scolapasta The new fresh pasta spot in Tysons Galleria. TYSONS — Tysons Galleria has a new fast-casual pasta option in its food court operated by executive chef Roshan Ashiq, who previously ran the Il Canale kitchen in Georgetown and hails from the Modena region of Italy. Fresh pasta is made in front of mall-goers in the stand’s small kitchen before being packed into an ingredients-covered takeout container. Traditional pasta shapes include penne, rigatoni, and tagliatelle (including squid-ink) topped off with diners’ choice of cacio e pepe, ragu alla bolognese, pesto, pomodoro, and more. 2001 International Drive, 3rd Floor, McLean, Virginia Her Diner Diner favorites like the marble rye-encased BLT stay put on Her’s menu. November 20 ADAMS MORGAN — The iconic “18th and U” address reopened its doors as the renewed Her Diner, complete with colorful cocktails, neon everywhere, and a Beyonce-themed bathroom. The eye-popping diner is an inclusive neighborhood space that features everything from comfort food favorites to Bravo-viewing parties and lively weekend brunches flowing with bubbly beverages. The restaurant is the brainchild of Kelly Laczko, who makes her debut as an owner and operator after spending 10 years as general manager for the space’s previous occupant, Duplex Diner. The opening menu balances nostalgic meatloaf and pigs in blanket with fresh items like gratis pickles from local business Gordy’s Pickle Jar. Choices at Her Diner include breakfast-for-dinner dishes like French toast or a breakfast burrito and the return of milkshakes. Behind the bar, the late-night diner shakes up fruit-forward crushes as well as twists on classics that include a dill pickle brine martini, a Hugo spritz, and a fig vodka mule. Laczko, who says she loves a theme, also plans to rotate cocktails with the season. 2004 18th Street NW Deb Lindsey Crispy roasted turbot surrounded by an array of sides. UNION MARKET — A new seafood mecca from Clyde’s Restaurant Group touched down in the rapidly expanding neighborhood this month. Cordelia Fishbar is the first truly seafood-centric eatery in the group’s portfolio, with a menu that emphasizes charcoal grilling, fish aging, and (of course) an extensive raw bar. While Clyde’s is perhaps best known for its wide-ranging menus at large dining destinations like Old Ebbitt Grill, the Hamilton, and of course, Clyde’s, Cordelia — the group’s 14th location to date — is a bit of a departure from the norm. For starters, the restaurant has a sense of whimsy and hominess that is apparent both in the food and the ambience. Dutch-influenced design includes quirky details, including hand-painted Delft tile, blown glass accents, and a leather-stitched bar. 550 Morse Street NE FAIRFAX — An Alabama-based restaurant chain known for its namesake chicken salads continues its expansion across Virginia, with another location of the Chicken Salad Chick opening this month. Franchise group CSC NOVA first debuted the fast-casual dining option in Falls Church in August and plans to open four more locations in the next two years across Leesburg, Ashburn, and Sterling. The Southern-style chicken salads at each outpost include buffalo, jalapeño, lemon basil, barbecue, and fruity flavors. Diners can grab scoops of chicken salad or eat them in a sandwich at the Greenbriar Town Center location, along with pimento cheese, salads, and soups. 13057 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway Unit 36, Fairfax, Virginia November 19 UNION MARKET — Sweets startup Handcraft Doughnuts soft launched a new stand in the Northwest food hall more than a year after the doughnut shop debuted online. In the meantime, husband-wife team Kara Terrell and Ike Emejuru have had pop-ups and long-term residencies across town, from Western Market to Solid State Books, selling seasonally flavored doughnuts. Currently, the shop sends out options like Early Grey tea with lavender, rosewater buttercream, cold brew glaze, cinnamon streusel, and much more. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and extend to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday (unless they sell out earlier). 1309 5th Street NE Steve Vilnit The fideau de setas is a paella of short noodles, not seen at many Spanish restaurants in D.C. JUDICIARY SQUARE — Arrel opens in the 445-room Arlo Washington DC hotel four years after construction started on the downtown lot. The warm-toned restaurant with a bright grab-and-go cafe highlights chef Pepe Moncayo’s Spanish roots, from growing up in Barcelona with Andalusian parents to being mentored by chefs across the Iberian Peninsula. Succulent roasted rabbit and artichokes were always thrown into a crispy rice dish his mother used to make during his youth, plus anything else she could find in the market. Arrel’s conejoy y alachachofa includes carrots and a sauce made from the roasted rabbit. Plenty of other rice dishes, seafood stews, and tapas fill the Spanish menu, along with bar snacks from the Arrels Bodega, like high-end tinned seafood and potato chips Moncayo painstakingly sourced from four different distributors to bring in from Spain. The market serves quick, under-$25 lunches made in 10 minutes that “cross-utilizes ingredients” from the larger restaurant. Both the full-service dining destination and its snack-filled bodega opened up for business this month, with the Japanese-themed ART rooftop bar coming in December. 333 G Street NW Taqueria Xochi Nopales and steak filled tacos from Taqueria Xochi. NATIONAL LANDING — Adding to the plethora of delicious choices around Amazon’s HQ2, Taqueria Xochi’s first sit-down location swings open with regional Mexican favorites like crispy Milanesa-filled cemitas, huge tlayudas, and tacos that range from lengua (beef tongue) to nopales (grilled cactus). The Mexican spot’s first foray into Virginia tests out a new sit-down model for the brand, which will also expand to Navy Yard next year in a space that’s double the size. With 30 seats inside, including eight hot-pink highchairs at the bar, and 14 blue chairs on the outdoor patio, the blue-and-pink space isn’t huge. But it’s a game changer for longtime fans that begged the small taqueria to expand ever since its U Street takeout window opened in 2020. Founders Teresa Padilla, the executive chef, and Geraldine Mendoza, who runs operations for all the locations, started growing last year with a small stall and new cocktail menu in downtown’s the Square food hall. The focus at Xochi is still always on the food, which Mendoza plans to keep as “authentic” as possible at each location. 1450 S. Eads Street Suite 32, Arlington, Virginia November 18 Rey Lopez Divino’s opening pastas are fit for fall, integrating seasonal produce like squash. GLOVER PARK — The Glover Park Hotel’s lobby-level dining attraction returns to its Italian roots as a dreamy neighborhood newcomer called Divino takes up the original Casolare space that became Glover Park Grill. The renovation called for all-new furniture and jewel-toned chairs, and a semi-open kitchen that puts its nightly pasta-making process on full display. The new northern Italian replacement comes from industry vets Daniel Perron and Luca Giovannini, who reunite at Divino after working together years ago at D.C. standbys Fiola Mare and Blue Duck Tavern. Casolare’s gas-fired pizza oven was transformed into a wood-fired replacement, which help grills proteins like Roseda Farm NY strip, an Autumn Olive Farm pork chop, and a red snapper “chop.” Homemade pastas are a “huge focal point,” Perron says, with multi-colored carbs being a unique draw that sets it apart from other local Italian restaurants. Divino — which means “divine” in Italian — is big on northern Italian wines from Rome and up, plus Negronis and other classics at the bar. The cozy dining room seats 80, plus another 40 at the bar. An additional bar and patio area with room for up to 80, which will follow in the spring, swings more casual with small snacks (cicchetti). 2505 Wisconsin Ave NW November 15 SILVER SPRING — Los Angeles-based chain Dave’s Hot Chicken opened a new White Oak Town Center location, with spicy tenders and fries that got Drake to invest in the ongoing hot chicken trend. The former pop-up that went national also serves Nashville-style hot chicken sliders, loaded shakes, slaw, and mac and cheese. The fourth DMV location is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. 12255 Prosperity Drive Suite #113, Silver Spring, Maryland Rey Lopez/Eater DC Osteria Monza’s round bar serves both Italian-influenced cocktails and an array of mozzarella dishes. November 10 GEORGETOWN — Filled with glowing copper accents and lush emerald chairs, Georgetown’s iconic Dean & Deluca space was completely transformed into the luxurious D.C. outpost of Osteria Mozza. Acclaimed chef Nancy Silverton and mega-restaurateur Stephen Starr unveiled a combination of all three of Silverton’s California menus, Michelin-starred Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza, and Chi Spacca, in the 20,000-square-foot setting. While Silverton had final say on the menu and a small Italian market space, down to assembling how the products will be displayed, Starr has brought his classic style and go-to interior decorating firm, Roman and Williams, to the multi-faceted restaurant. Natural light pours through the large arched windows into the open first floor, covered in dark wood and marble that not only tops tables and the bar but is integrated into chips of the bright terrazzo floors. The menu includes the single, plump ricotta and egg ravioli served in browned butter at the original Osteria Mozza, the crispy focaccia di Recco, and a new oblong-shaped pizza only served during lunchtime. 3276 M Street NW eJin Omakase courses celebrate the bounty of the season. November 8 MCLEAN — At Modan, fine dining doesn’t take itself too seriously. The shiny new Japanese restaurant from Nobu alum Micheole “Chico” Dator wows Northern Virginia diners with standout omakase offerings, a rolling caviar cart, and decidedly light-hearted take on some very serious ingredients. Housed on the second floor of the Heming Luxury Apartments, Modan is a gleaming homage to modern Japanese cuisine. Alongside fresh sashimi and robata-grilled skewers, diners will also find crispy nori taco shells filled with sweet onion salsa and a choice of wagyu beef, lobster, tuna, salmon, or cauliflower. Dumplings also get an upgrade with wagyu beef and freshly shaved truffle, while dry aged lamb chops are complemented by a spicy miso and shichimi, a traditional Japanese spice mix. Modan coaxes much of the flavor from its ingredients from a set of dry aging refrigerators, displayed proudly along the restaurant’s back walls. 1788 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, Virginia November 5 MCLEAN — Timber Pizza Co., Petworth’s critically acclaimed place for crispy, “Neapolitan-ish” pies since 2016, continues its expansion across the D.C. area. The menu will largely mirror the one in D.C., with a rotating list of 12-inch pies include 11 white, red, and green varieties at any given time. Timber’s specialty pies come piled with interesting ingredients like cured chorizo, pea shoot pesto, sous vide chicken thigh, roasted sweet potatoes, and kale. 8100 Old Dominion Drive, McLean, Virginia Shia Tuna-wrapped bibimbap represents chef Ed Lee’s Korean-American upbringing. November 1 UNION MARKET — There’s more than meets the eye at celebrity chef Edward Lee’s new boundary-pushing Korean restaurant that joined D.C.’s booming Union Market neighborhood earlier this month. SHIA’s small, earth-colored space is a physical journey of sorts, transitioning from a 12-seat bar to a 22-seat dining room (and soon a semi-outdoor dessert lounge) as the seven-course tasting menu ($160) guides diners through the condensed restaurant. Lee serves up classic-with-a-twist Korean food that mirrors dishes that won him second place on the South Korean cooking competition show and international Netflix hit Cultural Class Wars. Current highlights on the constantly evolving menu include a pine nut, tofu, and apple Korean porridge topped with Maryland crab and a tuna-encased ball of layered bibimbap crowned with caviar and a runny quail egg. Beyond the food, Lee tells Eater that there is “a story that we want to tell about sustainability” along the way at Shia. The nonprofit restaurant is committed to being plastic-free, making its own menus and coasters from leftover paper, and even dehydrating its own trash to test sustainable alternatives for restaurants looking to contribute to a greener future. 1252 4th Street NE