The days are longer and warmer, which can mean only one thing: It’s cherry blossom season. Area restaurants are celebrating the sakura with all manner of pink and fruity specials—but get them soon. They, like their namesake flowers, will be gone in a month.
Ambar
Find seasonal specials at this Balkan restaurant in two of the best parts of your meal: cocktails and dessert. Sit beneath a blanket of blossoms while sipping the Cherried & Spiced, a fruity concoction made with gin, pear rakia, cherry-cardamom syrup and lime juice. Cap off brunch, lunch or dinner with a Hot Chocolate Brownie topped with red tart cherry compote, vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and hazelnuts. // 2901 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken
They’re bringing cherry back at this Shirlington restaurant. The popular Cherry Blossom Doughnuts (featuring tart red cherry jam filling with a cream cheese glaze) are available now through April 13 for pre-order online or in limited quantities on site. The Cherry Blossom Mini Boxes (pre-order only) are also back with 12 mini versions of the seasonal doughnut. // 4005 Campbell Ave., Arlington (Shirlington)
Caboose Commons
The combo brewery, restaurant and coffeehouse on the edge of Mosaic is going blush with a limited-edition Cherry Blossom Matcha latte. Served hot or iced, it’s made with cherry blossom and matcha green tea powders. If it’s beer o’clock, try a pour of the Cherry Maibock. Both beverages are available through April 13. // 2918 Eskridge Road, Fairfax (Mosaic District)
Cheesetique
Jill Erber’s cheese-centric Del Ray cafe is celebrating cherry blossom season now through April 13 with an Umami Cheeseboard spread featuring Fresh Chèvre, Triple Crème Brie, Blue Cheese, preserved mussels, nori, rice crackers, pickled green beans, pickled ginger and sour cherry compote. Other seasonal specials include a Bloomy Bliss Grilled Cheese (brie with sour cherry compote and toasted walnuts on sourdough) and cheesecakes in two limited-time flavors—Cherry Cloud and Matcha Delight. // 2411 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria (Del Ray)
Immigrant Food
In collaboration with National Cherry Blossom Festival, the gastroadvocacy restaurant is offering on-theme specials now through April 20. Temptations courtesy of Japanese-American chef Ben Murray include a Sakura Sour cocktail (Japanese whiskey, raspberry shrub, Japanese yuzu bitters and egg white) and a Cherry Blossom Tres Leches dessert with freeze-dried strawberries. // 4245 Fairfax Drive, Arlington (Ballston)
Jinya Ramen Bar
Ramen isn’t the only draw at this popular DMV noodle joint. Say cheers to the Sakura Spring cocktail, made with Roku gin, yuzu, cherry syrup, hibiscus tea and fee foam (a vegan alternative to egg whites). // 4238 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Ballston), and 2911 District Ave., Fairfax (Mosaic District)
Joon
James Beard semifinalists Chris Morgan and Najmieh Batmanglij are serving a Sour Cherry Rice with Tahdig during cherry blossom season at their upscale Persian restaurant in Tysons. Made with tahdig crispy rice, sour cherries and walnuts, the dish pairs quite nicely with the Delroba, a refreshing quencher blending vodka, sour cherry, lime and soda. // 8045 Leesburg Pike, Tysons
Kusshi Sushi
Visit this Westpost sushi spot for a limited-time Cherry Blossom Roll featuring tuna, yellowtail, salmon, avocado, masago, seaweed salad and wasabi aioli. From the bar, try a Blossom Spritz (white wine, cherry blossom syrup and tonic water). // 1201 S. Joyce St., Arlington (Westpost)
Mala Tang
The recently opened Virginia Square restaurant known for dishes made with mala—a spicy and numbing Sichuan peppercorn seasoning—has a sweet cherry blossom special: Sakura Cloud Donuts. These crispy, fried Chinese sweets are filled with sakura cream. // 3434 Washington Blvd., Arlington
NiHao
Chef Peter Chang’s Sichuan small-plates restaurant is serving several cherry blossom-inspired specials now through April 20. The sultry Eat Drink Man Woman cocktail blends Sakura Blossom Shochu, Sloe Gin, Tutti Fruitti, Plum Cordial, Peychaud’s bitters and lemon. From the food menu, munch on fried prawns in sakura powder, or the Sakura Cherry Swiss Roll, a cake roll filled with cherry jam and sakura powder. // 1550 Crystal Drive, Arlington (National Landing)
Wren
Perched atop The Watermark Hotel in Tysons, this upscale izakaya is celebrating the sakura with a special menu by Executive Chef Yo Matsuzaki, available through April 6, featuring dishes such as futomaki, a traditional Japanese sushi roll with unagi, tamago and sakura denbu, and Sakura milk pudding. Guests visiting March 25 and 26 and April 1 and 2 can partake in the Highball Cart Experience, which offers classic Japanese whisky highballs and cherry blossom-themed cocktails such as the gin-based Yoshino, named after one of the celebrated cherry tree varieties in D.C.