Merrifield used to be a sleepy corner of Fairfax County, but that all changed with the arrival of the 31-acre mixed-use Mosaic District, a high-end shopping and dining hub that’s now home to more than 30 restaurants, bars and fast-casual takeout counters. Development around the nearby Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station has added even more more eating and imbibing options than ever before. Here are some places to try for a quick bite, a group hang or a fancy date night.
B Side
Every butcher shop could use a hip bar next door. That’s the situation with Red Apron and its adjoining watering hole, B Side. The talents of chef/butcher Nathan Anda, beer expert Greg Engert and wine director Erin Dudley add up to a low-key destination for tough-to-find brews, creative cocktails and vino paired with fun dishes like birria ramen, loaded tots with hatch chile queso, and smashburgers served alongside beef fat fries. //8298 Glass Alley, Fairfax (Mosaic District)
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Caboose Commons
There’s plenty of room for big groups at this three-level microbrewery, which serves triple duty as a coffee shop by day, a restaurant serving lunch and dinner, and a beer garden equipped with a breezy, dog-friendly patio and outdoor games like corn hole. Kick back with an IPA, red ale or Vienna-style lager. If you’re hungry, add a salad, buddha bowl, burger, avo toast or an order of made-in-house doughnut holes. The menu offers plenty of snacks for sharing too, like nachos, fried pickle chips and crab hush puppies. //2918 Eskridge Road, Fairfax. (Mosaic District)
The Casual Pint of Dunn Loring
Beer geeks will rejoice at the selection at this “craft beerstro” near the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro, where the long list of brews on tap includes equally lengthy tasting notes for each pale ale, porter, gose and sour. The bar program sources from local DMV breweries and beyond, and the kitchen serves comfort food like brats, grilled cheese, loaded fries and wings to go along with your preferred pint. //2676 Avenir Place, Vienna (Dunn Loring)
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Colada Shop
This “cafecito” from Daniella Senior‘s tropical DMV chainlet is tucked inside Bloomie’s, a boutique spin-off of department store Bloomingdale’s. Take a break from shopping for a caffeine pick-me-up in the form of a Cafe Cubano with whipped espresso sugar—or sit down for Caribbean eats such as Cuban sandwiches, bechamel-based croquetas or an avocado breakfast tostada. Sidewalk tables offer a fun spot for people-watching and day drinking quenchers such as passion fruit mimosas, guava leaf negronis and pina colada slushies. //2920 District Ave., Fairfax (Mosaic District)
District Taco
If you’re a regular at this homegrown taqueria, you know what which toppings are included in the “Mexican Way” (just cilantro and white onion) versus the “American Way” (shredded cheese, pico de gallo, and lettuce) or the “Jefe Way” (throw in sour cream and grilled veggies, too). This popular eatery’s metro-adjacent storefront is a go-to for tacos, burritos, bowls, salads and quesadillas. //2676 Avenir Place, Vienna (Dunn Loring)
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Elephant Jumps
This tiny Thai restaurant with a quirky name has been scooping up critical acclaim ever since it opened in 2010. Not sure what to order? Zero in on Chef Songtham Pinyolaksana’s “authentic Thai” menu (the “Cow Soy Duck” featuring roast duck over curry egg noodles is a showstopper), and be sure to start your meal with the zippy, shrimp-studded banana-blossom salad. //8110 A Arlington Blvd., Falls Church (Merrifield)
Gyu Shige
This Tokyo import with more than 160 locations worldwide serves Japanese barbecue, including wagyu ribeye. Everything from duck breast to garlic chicken to veggies can be grilled tableside. The menu also includes sushi and a lengthy sake list. //2980 District Ave., Fairfax (Mosaic District)
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Inca Social
Before Inca Social branched out with its whimsical location in Rosslyn, the Peruvian restaurant opened its smaller flagship restaurant in Merrifield in 2019. The menu here is a little smaller than the one at its Arlington counterpart, but it still takes diners through the highlights of Peruvian Nikkei cuisine, from sushi, ceviche and causa to stir-fry and chicken stew. The lengthy cocktail list includes five different takes on a pisco sour, including one made with homemade chicha morada. //2670 Avenir Place, Vienna (Dunn Loring)
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Kirby Club
In 2022, Rose Previte, the restaurateur behind Michelin-starred Maydān and its sister restaurant Compass Rose, both in D.C., ventured into the suburbs to launch kebab-focused Kirby Club in the Mosaic District. The entire vision here is colorful, from the rosy-hued dining room to brightly colored dips made with walnuts and pomegranate. Order za’atar-spiced martinis and then go all out with a “shindig” feast—a massive platter of kebabs, veggies, salad, flatbread and sides like turmeric rice. //2911 District Ave., Fairfax (Mosaic District
Open Road
This laid-back bar and restaurant from the folks behind Circa and Salt snagged a RAMMY award in 2019 as a “favorite gathering place,” which sums up the attitude of Open Road. A long beer list is divided into categories like “malt & roast” or “fruit & spice,” while the food menu includes sandwiches, pizza and chicken wings with your choice of rubs and sauces (think Old Bay rub or hickory honey mustard). Catch a game here or listen to a set from a local musician. //8100 Lee Highway, Falls Church (Merrifield)
Our Mom Eugenia
You might feel the heat at this family-owned Greek restaurant whenever an order of saganaki—fried cheese, set aflame with brandy—passes by your table. The lively spot devoted to spanakopita, stuffed grape leaves, lamb skewers, grilled octopus and other classic Greek dishes got its start in Great Falls and then branched out with locations in the Mosaic District and Shirlington. The name is literal: Eugenia Hobson, the restaurant’s Greek-born mom and chef, runs the place with her two sons. //2985 District Avenue, Fairfax (Mosaic District)
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Parc de Ville
Settle into a banquette at Parc de Ville, a bustling brasserie from the team behind Arlington’s Cafe Colline and Georgetown favorite Chez Billy Sud. Wild mushroom risotto, French onion soup, duck confit, and steak-frites are among the French favorites on the menu here (as are the crepes with crème fraîche and strawberries, offered during the brunch/lunch served six days a week). Look up, because the swanky roof deck above the restaurant is a popular spot for cocktails, trivia and live entertainment like DJ parties. //8196 Glass Alley, Fairfax (Mosaic District)
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Pupatella
This beloved local Neapolitan pizza chain is from founder Enzo Algarme, who hails from Naples and went to the trouble of getting his pizza certified as legit from the Assozione Verace Pizza Napoletana. Pupatella has grown from a food cart to nearly ten locations in Virginia and D.C., and the Mosaic District location serves up either white or red pizzas topped with the likes of burrata, pine nuts and basil or prosciutto di parma with fresh mozzarella. Street snacks like zucchini fries or fried potato croquettes and a dessert Nutella pizza round out the menu. //2980 District Ave., Suite 140, Fairfax
Rasa
One of the DMV’s rapidly expanding fast-casual chains, neon-accented Rasa serves up customizable bowls with Indian flavors like chicken tikka, turmeric ginger shrimp and tandoori paneer. Build your own bowl or order one off the menu, then add a side of mini samosas or garlic naan, plus chai chocolate chip cookies for dessert. //2905 District Ave., Fairfax (Mosaic District)
Silver Diner
With coin-operated tabletop jukeboxes and strawberry milkshakes on the kids’ menu, Silver Diner is a no-brainer for a family meal out. The local chain known for its retro decor and inventive menu offers plates of all the expected diner fare (tuna melts, omelets and buttermilk pancakes), plus healthy newfangled options like Thai cauliflower quinoa pasta, huevos rancheros with lean bison and breakfast shakshuka. //8150 Porter Road, Falls Church (Merrifield)
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Trio Grill
A bit more formal than sister restaurants Circa and Open Road, this urbane outpost is known for live piano music on Fridays and has its own separate cigar lounge. The vibe feels like a classic steakhouse, with dark wood paneling, leather seating and comfy booths, plus a menu that invites diners to add blue cheese, crispy fried onions or a crab cake to their boneless ribeye. //8100 Lee Highway, Falls Church (Merrifield)