Best Restaurants in Shirlington

The village at Shirlington lives up to its nickname, “Arlington’s Arts and Entertainment District,” even when it comes to dining out. The home of beloved playhouse Signature Theatre features a pretty main street lined with locally-owned places to drink and dine, from long-running neighborhood favorites to outposts of popular, chef-driven D.C. concepts. Here’s where to go for Neapolitan pizzas, pad Thai, half-smokes, fried chicken and even meals out for you and your pup.  

Astro Beer Hall

With fried chicken, doughnuts, coffee, beer, arcade games and the biggest patio in Shirlington, Astro is basically a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. The highly anticipated beer hall opened in 2023, occupying two floors and including a full-service coffee shop serving up drinks like Vietnamese Nitro Lattes. The doughnuts here come in flavors like banana pudding and strawberry shortcake, while the fried chicken options range from chicken fingers to fried chicken sandwiches dusted with Old Bay. Events like drag brunches and game watches add to the fun vibe. // 4001 Campbell Ave., Arlington

Big Buns Damn Good Burgers

Busboys & Poets

Andy Shallal’s D.C.-based chain is known as much for its bookstore, open mic nights and poetry slams as it is for homey dishes like panini sandwiches or shrimp and grits. The Shirlington location, a neighborhood fixture since 2007, hosts a monthly book club in addition to being a favorite spot for remote workers. Social justice is a guiding principle here, and no surprise, Busboys & Poets offers plenty of plant-based dishes for vegetarians and vegans—think pasta with vegan “sausage,” tempeh paninis or vegan “tuna” salad with chickpeas. // 4251 S. Campbell Ave., Arlington

Carlyle

Today, Great American Restaurants is a local empire with eateries across Northern Virginia, but Carlyle in Shirlington is among the company’s OGs. It’s been a fixture in Shirlington ever since 1986, when it opened in a former women’s clothing store, a two-story building now done up in classy Art Deco style. The menu hits on American favorites, from rib eye and fish tacos to sesame-crusted tuna salad, and the contents of the bread basket (including those addictive Ozzie rolls) are all baked at GAR’s Best Buns Bread Co. bakery and cafe next door. // 4000 Campbell Ave., Arlington

ChiKo

Chinese and Korean cuisine meld into one menu at ChiKo, the brainchild of chefs Scott Drewno and Danny Lee, where fan favorites include dishes like “Orange-ish chicken” and bulgogi tater tots. The hip fast-casual restaurant has grown over the years from its original Capitol Hill location to include a Shirlington outpost. Look for unique specials like duck rangoon, crab fat noodles or firecracker shrimp spring rolls. // 4040 Campbell Ave., Arlington.

Copperwood Tavern

Dudley’s Sports Bar owner Reese Gardner owned this cozy, American pub for years before it changed hands earlier in 2024. Copperwood Tavern still serves hearty fare like prime rib, braised short rib grilled cheese and brown ale roasted chicken. And its love of dogs continues, with a Dog of the Month contest on social media and special attention for pups on the patio, with bowls of water and even a grilled chicken or steak dinner. // 4021 Campbell Ave., Arlington

Corso Italian 

After a 20-year run in Shirlington, Cheesetique owner and self-described “cheese lady” Jill Erber recently transformed her cheese shop/restaurant into an Italian trattoria. The restaurant makes its own pasta—a process that’s often visible through the front window—and serves dishes like artichoke agnolotti, fettuccine carbonara and bone-in veal Milanese. But don’t worry Cheesetique fans: cheese still figures prominently in frequent wine and cheese tastings highlighting fine imports like Pecorino Toscano. Meanwhile, the bar centers around Italian cocktails, from Hugo spritzes to espresso martinis, with an entirely Italian wine list. // 4024 Campbell Ave., Arlington

Dudley’s Sport and Ale

Get some sun with a grapefruit crush in hand on the rooftop at Dudley’s, a sprawling sports bar that welcomes fans of all ilks. The bar is equipped with more than 40 televisions for game watches, and the food menu includes plenty of wings, pizzas and shareable snacks like steak-and-cheese eggrolls. Weekday happy hour deals like $15 pitchers or $10 pizzas and $10 wings make this party-ready spot a popular choice for groups. // 2766 S. Arlington Mill Drive, Arlington

Our Mom Eugenia

Martinis made with ouzo, stuffed grape leaves and whole branzino drizzled with lemon transport Shirlington diners to the Greek isles, if only for one meal. The Greek mom in the name is chef Eugenia Hobson, who owns the DMV chainlet with her two sons. (The Shirlington restaurant, which opened in 2023, follows on the heels of the original in Great Falls and a second outpost in the Mosaic District.) A surefire starter is the vegetarian platter featuring delicacies like spanakopita, as well as roasted eggplant with feta, raisins and pine nuts. // 4044 Campbell Ave., Arlington

Palette 22

Brunch runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays at Palette 22, where diners can order dishes inspired by cuisines from around the world, from Szechuan sausage biscuits and dan dan noodles to brioche French toast sticks. Alexandria Restaurant Partners designed the space to look like an art gallery, complete with rotating art by local artists and even studio space for artists to work on site. The global street food menu of small plates, available until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, is also a good bet for happy hour or late night. // 4053 Campbell Ave., Arlington

Snouts & Stouts

The former 11,000-square-foot New District Brewing warehouse on South Oakland St. has gone to the dogs in the form of Snouts & Stouts, a massive indoor dog park with a bar attached. The venue sells memberships for dog owners, but day passes are available, too, if you and your pup want to check out Cooper’s Cafe, which serves beer, cocktails, wine and non-alcoholic brews alongside human food like all-day breakfast, Caesar salad, burgers, tacos and wings—and a doggy menu with fare like chicken and rice bowls. // 2709 S. Oakland St., Arlington

Stellina Pizzeria

The Italian founders of “neo-Neapolitan” Stellina Pizzeria chose Shirlington for their first restaurant outside of D.C., opening with a splash—and a larger-than-life mural of Sophia Loren—in 2021. Pizza here is a must, including pies topped with anchovies and burrata or wild mushrooms and homemade sausage. But Stellina is just as prized for fried appetizers like calamari, artichokes and Brussels sprouts, plus its very Italian cocktail list, which includes the obligatory spritzes and negronis. A takeout counter offers fresh pastas and sauces to take home. // 2800 S Randolph St., Suite 130, Arlington

T.H.A.I.

Now going on 30 years in business, this long-running local go-to specializes in Thai favorites like papaya salad, green curry chicken, pineapple fried rice and kapow tofu. Chef Aulie Bunyarataphan learned her craft from her grandmother in Thailand, who specialized in from-scratch cooking with a bit of French technique thrown into her family meals. At T.H.A.I, the chef gets similarly creative with the “Not Your Ordinary Thai” section of the menu, featuring the likes of lemongrass-crusted salmon. // 4029 Campbell Ave., Arlington

Weenie Beenie 

Who needs a time machine when the Weenie Beenie still exists? This hot dog stand appears unchanged by time, and still prepares its half-smokes just like it did back on opening day in 1954. Seventy years later, the Weenie Beenie is still serving up breakfast all day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Line up for affordable eats like breakfast sandwiches, Philly cheesesteaks, onion rings, fries and its famous half-smoke, loaded with toppings like chili, relish, onions, sauerkraut and mustard. // 2680 Shirlington Road, Arlington