Northern Virginia Restaurants
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Northern Virginia - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Northern Virginia - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
A spinoff of the posh Karma Modern Italian in D.C., Kismet offers a new take on Indian food: elevated dishes amid blue couches and booths, orb lights, and a mosaic-tiled bar. The menu follows the seasons, with favorites including red snapper peri-peri (hot sauce with red chilli peppers), lamb ghee roast, and tandoori pulled chicken with tartare sauce. On a warm-weather day, opt for the courtyard patio.
Set in the Virginia countryside, this sprawling restaurant serves the German-influenced cuisine of Alsace. The decor is romantic—a fireplace dominates the main dining room, and red-jacketed waiters courteously guide you through the all-inclusive six-course meal. Choucroute (sausage, duck, smoked pork, and foie gras served atop sauerkraut), and Le Chateaubriand de L'Auberge (beef served with fresh vegetables, béarnaise, and truffle sauce) are just two of the generously portioned entrées. You are asked in advance whether you'd like a soufflé. Say yes, unless the Alsatian plum tart is calling you instead. Make dinner reservations up to a month in advance.
At this local favorite, run by Jean François Chaufour and his wife, Françoise, for more than 40 years, lovingly prepared French country fare is served with beaucoup flavor. Popular selections include trout, bouillabaisse, garlicky rack of lamb, frogs' legs, and beef Wellington. Polish it all off with an order of profiteroles or crème brûlée.
Housed in a Romanesque-Revival building (1888), this restaurant was the Peoples National Bank for more than half a century. Restored to its original grandeur, the restaurant was named in honor of Francis Lightfoot Lee, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. One of the wine "cellars" is actually the bank's vault. The seasonal American cuisine, based on local ingredients, includes meat and seafood with a regional spin.
Brunch lovers unite over this lively Del Ray restaurant, serving French toast, eggs and waffles, and biscuits and gravy all day long. But there are plenty of other menu items as well, including lunchtime salads and sandwiches, and heartier comfort-fare dishes for dinner, including fried chicken and pork chops. Mimosas are de rigeur (though the “brunchy drink” menu has some interesting seasonal alternatives, including spiced pear mule and cassis spritz). Locals know chef Todd Miller as the originator of Ted’s pop tarts, a D.C. phenomenon.
Autographed photos of U.S. military and political leaders gaze down from the walls at this Vietnamese restaurant just a block off Wilson Boulevard. Soup and pho have a prominent place on the menu (the sweet-and-spicy salmon soup has many fans), as do salads and vermicelli bowls. Dine outside in good weather. Residents tend to fill up street parking; get here early to find a spot, or take the Metro.
A tiny gem, Nasime serves an exquisite seven-course tasting menu of both traditional and contemporary Japanese flavors. The selections change frequently based on the season and availability of products, but it always includes a wonderful blend of raw, grilled, fried, and baked dishes, plus dessert.
Drab walls and communal tables may seem cafeteria-style, but that's part of what makes Pho 75 one of the most authentic Vietnamese restaurants in the D.C. area. Customers come from across the region to line up at this no-frills joint for the high-quality traditional noodle soup. Choose your bowl size and then what kind of meat (and how many kinds of meat) you want to cook in the soup, including flank steak, brisket, tendon, tripe, and eye-of-round steak. Pay at the counter as you leave—and don't forget to bring cash as Pho 75 doesn't take credit cards.
One of the D.C. area’s most popular pizza spots sits unassumingly in strip mall territory near a gas station and a 7-11. Don’t let the off-Metro location deter you; this place cooks up fantastic Neapolitan-style pizza in a basic but lively dining room. It’s hard to get more authentic; the chef, the ingredients, and even the wood-fire oven come straight from Naples. Pizza’s the star here, but don’t skip the friggitoria menu of fried bites like arancini or fried calzone. On nice evenings, head to the homey back patio for al fresco dining. You can also order pies for take-out, but there’s no delivery service here. The parking lot fills up quickly.
An Irish chef serving Asian family-style food in a colonial home with whimsical decor; Restaurant Eve is all about bringing unexpected elements together. And it works. Diners can choose from an a la carte menu of seafood and meat, or opt for the chef’s tasting menus. Some of the produce comes from the restaurant’s garden, other ingredients come from nearby farms and waters. The dining room is intimate and romantic and the service is impeccable without feeling stuffy. Dinner here is best for a special occasion or date night; for something more casual try the $15 Lickety Split lunch.
A modern take on Southern dining, Ruthie’s offers meat-and-three (or two), meaning diners pick a meat dish and their choice of sides. Most of the meats—running from brisket to salmon to strip loin—are prepared on a smoker or wood grill, while the crisp-topped macaroni and cheese is the most popular side. But be sure to read the menu, because options change seasonally. The herbs are grown at the restaurant’s community garden plot. The green-and-white diner-style interior is a little sterile; the patio is the perfect place to be on a pleasant day.
A popular choice for locals, this barbecue joint is known for brisket, daily specials, and some of the best happy hour deals in town. If you're visiting for lunch, get there either on the earlier or later side to avoid the business crowds. When the weather is fine, enjoy a cocktail on their pup-friendly sidewalk patio.
Whitewashed stucco walls and colorful macramé tapestries bring a bit of the Mediterranean to the center of Old Town. The menu takes diners on a trip around Greece—each dish identifies its region of origin, and the whole country is represented. Favorites include exohikon (lamb baked in a pastry shell) and fish sautéed with artichokes. Thursday evenings bring live music, and if you are so moved, plates for breaking are free for the asking—opa! A buffet brunch is served on Sunday.
This popular neighborhood restaurant with funky decor is known for its weekend brunches and freshly squeezed margaritas. Tacos are a mix of traditional like carnitas and al pastor, as well as fun, such as fried chicken and cauliflower. The complimentary chips and salsa are surprisingly delightful.
Out in Del Ray, this Wisconsin-style frozen custard shop was a local family favorite long before President Obama came in with his daughters for a Father's Day treat. The Dairy Godmother features daily flavors of custard and sorbet like maple walnut or strawberry balsamico, as well as sweets like homemade marshmallows and cool treats for dogs.
This place consistently wins praise for its upscale American menu and bustling neighborhood vibe. The restored brick building stands out from other more contemporary neighborhood eateries, with two levels of dining tables and a large bar on the ground floor. The sophisticated menu includes charred octopus and roasted duck breast, though the real standouts are the classic burgers and pizza. Liberty Tavern is also one of the neighborhood’s most popular brunch spots. Try to snag one of the sidewalk tables that line Wilson Boulevard—it’s a great place to sit and people-watch the Clarendon comings and goings.
Situated in Old Town Alexandria, the casual yet elegant Warehouse specializes in prime aged steaks and seafood. The historic building that houses it features caricatures of the local gentry on the wall and an antique mahogany bar that's a great place to enjoy a drink.
Loudoun County food and wine are celebrated at this cozy neighborhood eatery on downtown Leesburg’s main drag. The menu here changes as fresh ingredients are available—in fact, it’s not unlikely for diners to see farmers carting in produce straight from the fields----but expect twists on comfort food. The wine list includes a flight of local varietals. There are two other locations in Purcellville, VA and Frederick, MD.
Housed in what was once a feed house in the 1800s (now beautifully restored with reclaimed wood, antique bricks, and glass panes), this lively American tavern serves an all-day menu and weekend brunch, and has a club-like feel on weekend nights. You can sample a wide variety of selections with a seasonal bent, from red wine–braised short ribs and pasta puttanesca to a grilled chicken BLT or a quinoa salad. Make reservations, especially on weekends, because the large space gets packed quickly!
While the interior is sophisticated, the atmosphere is casual. The menu boasts, naturally, an impressive selection of whiskeys and oysters. When in season, diners can enjoy both Maine and classic lobster rolls, crabs, and more. Heartier dishes include seafood gumbo, lobster mac and cheese, and bourbon shrimp 'n' grits. The large, dog-friendly patio is ideal for a relaxed evening out.
Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:
There are no results for {{ strDestName}} Restaurants in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions: