By Alice Levitt December 27, 2024
How do you measure a year? For a dining critic, it’s not midnights or cups of coffee (as the musical Rent would suggest), but seatings in new restaurants. I’ve been through the good, bad, and forgettable this year, all to bring you a list of my favorite Northern Virginia restaurants of 2024. From vegan soups to dry-aged fish, these are the new restaurants that I’ve measured most favorably.
If you’ve missed any, there’s no better time to try them than in the New Year, when restaurant revenues are down after the holidays. Spread a little January cheer to these excellent eateries.
If this bustling restaurant were a movie, the first shot would be of the open kitchen, full of cooks preparing pasta from scratch. That would be followed by action sequences of the eponymous pasta dish being twirled in a table-side cheese wheel and the sauce and mozzarella being artfully slid onto a waiting crispy chicken breast. There’s not a dull moment or a less-than-satisfying plate here. 3865 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
I’ve spent time training as a whole-animal butcher — if anyone is bummed out by a meatless meal, it’s me. What a statement of Chay’s supremacy, then, that I’m a devotee of the vegan Vietnamese restaurant. Pick a favorite Vietnamese dish and this pastel-painted restaurant likely has a supremely appealing version of it. From shaking beef to bun bo Hue, even I don’t miss the meat. 6351 Columbia Pk., Ste. 201, Falls Church
What does a chef prepare when given free rein? It might not always be high-level techniques and esoteric ingredients, but give a man a tasting menu restaurant, and he will show you what he’s got. Luckily, that man is Jon Krinn, founding chef of Clarity and 2941. At his 28-seat prix-fixe destination, expect to see unusual dishes with flavors you won’t find anywhere else on the monthly bill of fare. 10824 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax
Named for the owners’ grandmothers, this homey spot from chef Nick Palermo and general manager Sam Schnoebelen offers diners comfort food that manages to excite as much as it pacifies. The menu changes nightly, so favorites might not last forever. Still, the restaurant in the former Bazin’s on Church space has already cemented some modern classics, including fresh pasta and a memorable burger. 111 Church St. NW, Vienna
This Korean American sports bar’s version of In-N-Out Burger’s secret menu option is even more impressive than at the chain. Get anything on the menu buried in cubes of pork belly, Korean fried chicken, and caramelized onions. It works especially well on executive chef Mark Chang’s juicy fried dumplings. 4316 Markham St., Ste. F, Annandale
Silver and gold everywhere from plates to walls makes every meal at this restaurant feel momentous, even a weekday brunch. After all, a make-your-own pani puri station is hardly quotidian. At dinner, creative cocktails and Champagne complement the crispy, deeply marinated chicken 65. Stellar service makes guests feel like part of the (royal) family. 1030 Elden St., Herndon
Tired of braving traffic to get to Nobu? Former Nobu DC chef Chico Dator has decamped to this modern new Tysons restaurant. He’s stepped up his arsenal of deliciousness to include dry-aged fish. The technique may be trendy, but it will make you rethink some of your favorite seafood. However, many of the menu highlights go beyond the ocean, including melting wagyu tacos. 1788 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean
Some of my greatest lifetime highs and lows were spent in Texas. But one of the things I used to miss the most is no longer a problem for me: sizzling fajitas. That’s because the versions at this two-story Tex-Mex behemoth are every bit as satisfying as my favorites in Houston. And it’s not just the fajitas that stand out — from chips to tres leches, the fare here is all worth many repeat visits. 1640 Capital One Dr. N., McLean
This modern Lebanese restaurant could, at first glance, be confused with a museum. But the elegantly eye-appealing space is just the setting for meals that are far from staid. Though chef Rabi Abi-Aad has a way with the grill, it’s a mistake not to lead up to kebabs with hummus that’s dotted with beef tenderloin and multidimensional mhammara. 160 Maple Ave. W., Vienna
What started as a trailer at a Vienna Shell station is now a counter-service restaurant. But what hasn’t changed much is the focused Palestinian-Jordanian menu or the intensely creamy garlic sauce. Get a freshly carved chicken shawarma wrap to try the spread, then order more to include in anything else you try. Don’t sleep on the baba ghanoush, either. 2946P Chain Bridge Rd., Oakton