Being from the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania, you could say there was a bit of a culture shock when Darian & I moved to Northern Virginia just outside DC. We’re both from small towns that have the same 5 chain restaurants, so one of best parts about moving to this area has been the wide array of unique restaurants and endless food options! We are not “city people” by any means, but we’re not really “country people” either – we fall somewhere in between. We quickly realized that Northern Virginia is a perfect fit for people like us. We’re just a quick 5 mile drive from the heart of DC, but we live in a more suburban area where we can still drive and have a bit more space than we’d have in the city. Best of all, Northern Virginia still has all of the food and activities our hearts could desire. When we first moved to the area, we initially lived in Alexandria just outside Del Ray but we’ve since moved to the Shirlington neighborhood of Arlington. Both of these areas have tons of amazing restaurants, but I narrowed down my list to 10c favorites. Read on to learn more about my favorite restaurants in Northern Virginia!
Junction Bakery
Junction has everything I could ever want from a restaurant – delicious food, plenty of breakfast options, and a beautiful aesthetic. It’s probably my favorite restaurant in all of Northern Virginia and my go-to breakfast place when I have people over. They have tons of locally sourced dishes and recently started serving dinner again! Their dinner menu is super unique and everything I’ve tried has been delicious.
My Favorite Menu Items: Cinnamon Roll for breakfast, Tomato Rosa soup for lunch or dinner
Los Tios
Guys, I don’t want to be dramatic here, but Los Tios has *literally* changed my life. It was one of the first restaurants Darian & I discovered when we moved to the area and it’s been one of our favorites ever since. Los Tios is Tex-Mex at its finest – top notch chips and salsa, strong (and delicious) margaritas, and next level enchiladas. Their giant margaritas are as big as my face and the chips and salsa are constantly flowing thanks to the attentive and friendly staff. It’s basically impossible to be anything but deliriously happy when you’re at Los Tios. 12/10, drop what you’re doing and get there immediately!
My Favorite Menu Items: Cheese Enchiladas to eat, Frozen Strawberry Margarita to drink
Vola’s Dockside
Old Town Alexandria has a slew of great restaurants, but Vola’s Dockside is my favorite by far. They only opened a couple years ago but they’ve already made their mark on Northern Virginia, and for good reason! I highly recommend Vola’s as a brunch stop – the menu is AMAZING and you literally cannot go wrong (their monkey bread is the bomb.com). The service here is also great and they make a killer Blood Mary. If you’re stopping by for dinner, they have lots of fresh seafood options; the crab legs in particular are one of my favorites!
My Favorite Menu Item: Monkey Bread
Copperwood Tavern
Copperwood Tavern is our go-to happy hour spot, but it’s also one of those places that’s a great “take your parents when they visit” spot. We’re living on a tight budget, so it’s a bit pricier than our usual haunts, but the cost is definitely worth it. Their locally sourced menu features many unique dishes, including lots of tasty appetizers and some of my favorite oysters that are perfect for a quick happy hour. Pro tip: get a table during happy hour instead of sitting at the bar – they’ll bring the most insanely delicious popcorn and cornbread and you’ll cry tears of joy. Added bonus: their patio is dog friendly and they even keep a jar of dog treats at the hostess stand for your furry friend!
My Favorite Menu Item: Chilled Oysters
Palette 22
Palette 22 is easily my favorite brunch spot in NoVa. Both brunch and dinner are served tapas-style, which is perfect for me since I tend to prefer several small dishes over one big one. They serve a wide range of cuisines and have everything from sweet potato tacos to flatbreads to Mexican street corn and everything in between. They offer a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar at brunch and amazingly fruity sangria all day long, so you’re bound to have a delicious drink no matter what time you go. Not only is the food amazing, but the environment is so cool – most of the artwork hung on their walls is for sale, and they often have local artists come create while you eat. They even have an artist on some nights who will paint your dog while you eat!
My Favorite Menu Items: Sweet Potato Tacos & Patatas Bravas
Stomping Ground
Along with Junction, Stomping Ground is one of our go-to breakfast places in NoVa. It’s located in the heart of DelRay, which is the neighborhood we lived next to when we first moved to the area. This place is all about local cuisine and has a homey feel to it, plus the service is amazing. They’re only open for breakfast and lunch but Stomping Grounds is definitely a must-visit!
My Favorite Menu Item: Hashbrown Casserole with Sour Cream & Dill
Smoking Kow BBQ
You know a BBQ restaurant is amazing when someone who doesn’t even eat meat recommends it! Darian and I didn’t discover Smoking Kow until recently and I’m honestly so mad about it. They actually started out as a food truck and after much success opened a restaurant. I’m telling you guys, their food is so. good. They have lots of delicious sides (I highly recommend the jalapeno mac & cheese and baked beans), which is perfect for me because I can make an entire meal out of them without feeling like missing out on anything. I can’t personally comment on the BBQ itself, but Darian loves it, and I can at least confirm that the variety of barbecue sauces they offer is incredible.
My Favorite Menu Item: Jalapeno Mac & Cheese
South Block
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen me post about South Block a million times. There’s a reason for that! South Block serves up amazing smoothie bowls, smoothies, and other organic snacks. I also love that they’re passionate about sustainability – they recently stopped using cash and plastic straws. My favorite menu items are the PB&J Bowl and the Mermaid Bowl, but literally everything I’ve ever tried here has been incredible. Also, as a millennial, I don’t hate that all of their locations are highly Instagrammable. #SINS
My Favorite Menu Items: Mermaid Bowl & PBJ Bowl
Yamazato
Darian and I are extremely passionate about sushi, so when we first moved to the area finding a new sushi place was a top priority. After a few misses, we found Yamazato and fell in love. Since then, it’s become our go-to date night spot. The sushi is always fresh and delicious, the miso soup is tasty, and the service is quick and friendly. We typically order a bunch of different rolls and so far I don’t think we’ve had any misses. They also have a pretty extensive special rolls menu that has some really unique choices – I recommend the Japanese Lasagna Roll if you’re looking for something different!
My Favorite Menu Items: Salmon Roll & Hole in One Roll
The Dairy Godmother
This list simply wouldn’t be complete without The Dairy Godmother aka home of the best ice cream in Northern Virginia (just ask Barack Obama – he visited during his presidency)! I’m not really sure if an ice cream shop counts as a restaurant, but we’re gonna roll with it because if there is one place you need to eat while in NoVa, it should be The Dairy Godmother. Their custard is amazing, they have tons of sundae options, and the staff is friendly. I recommend the chocolate custard, obviously, and Darian loves their root beer floats. The line is typically long but always moves quickly, and I always love seeing pups waiting patiently outside as their owners grab them a pupsicle (yes, they even make ice cream for dogs). The inside of the shop is small but adorable – it even features a mural painted by students at a local high school. This place is a local staple in every sense of the word and definitely a must visit!
My Favorite Menu Item: Chocolate Custard
One of the best things about living in Northern Virginia is the seemingly endless array of food options. Whether you live in the area or you’re just visiting, I highly encourage you to visit any one of the amazing restaurants listed in this post – I can promise you won’t be disappointed! Did I miss any of your local NoVa favorites? If so, let me know in the comments!
