Let the feasting begin! Winter Restaurant Week runs Jan. 15-21, offering a chance to experience some of the area’s top restaurants—including more than 50 in Northern Virginia—at an affordable price, with special discounted menus and drinks. So book a spot at that new place you’ve been wanting to try, grab take-out at a neighborhood favorite, or stop in for a mid-week lunch with friends. Here’s a taste of what’s cooking:
2941 Restaurant
Embark on a decadent dining journey at 2941, which is offering an exclusive 3-course menu for $65. Kick off the dining extravaganza with a choice of shrimp tempura, salmon tartare or butternut squash veloute (with lemongrass, apple compote and kaffir lime-coconut foam.) For a main course, the madeira-mushroom ravioli with Oregon black trumpet mushrooms looks delectable, as does the braised lamb osso bucco. And be sure to save space for dessert, with options including a pecan tartlet or a chocolate religieuse (chocolate choux and chocolate cremeux accompanied by a white chocolate gelato.) The dining fun goes on an additional four days, Jan. 23-26, with a special Chef’s Tasting Menu ($ 120 for 5 courses) by executive chef Bertrand Chemel.
Buena Vida Gastrolounge
At Street Guys Hospitality’s revamped Mexican restaurant, authentic tasting-menu experiences are the focus. Lunch ($25) and dinner ($40) deals feature unlimited small plates and seasonal specials. Menu standouts include calamari frito with lemon cilantro aioli, jalapeño and dust chile arbol; branzino with arugula salad; Buffalo shrimp tacos; and chicken enchiladas. Happy hour drink specials ($6 to $9) will keep the margs flowing. Buena Vida is also offering a grab-and-go takeout menu ($70 per person) that includes guacamole, chips and salsa, a choice of two appetizers, two tacos or entrees and a dessert. Try the corn ribs with Mexican sour cream, a mushroom quesadilla, and the Al Pastor pork tacos topped with zesty pico de pineapple salsa.//2900 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
Ellie Bird
If you’ve heard the buzz about this Falls Church newcomer, which had our dining critic singing its praises, and have been meaning to check it out, here’s your chance. Owners Yuan and Carey Tang, the duo behind Michelin-starred Rooster & Owl in D.C., are offering a 3-course, prix-fixe dinner menu ($55) at their congenial perch in Founders Row, recently named Best New Restaurant by Arlington Magazine readers. The Restaurant Week temptations include dishes like salmon ceviche with purple radish and leche de tigre; duck confit with chorizo; a vegetarian Tuscan kale spaghetti with porcini and shiitake mushrooms; pumpkin pudding; and chocolate cake with Chai buttercream. //125 Founders Ave., Falls Church
Joon
Our dining critic also had good things to say about Joon, the upscale Persian concept by chefs Chris Morgan and Najmieh Batmanglij that opened in Tysons over the summer, where you can sample a taste of Iranian cooking with a three-course brunch ($35), lunch ($25) or dinner ($55). During the evening hours, tuck in to an aromatic dish of barramundi cooked with dates, coriander onion, garlic and lime. Or opt for one of the signature kabobs, such as ground beef flavored with pepper, butter and saffron; or chicken, cooked in yogurt, lime and saffron. For a sweet finish, treat yourself to chef Najmieh’s baklava with cardamom, Persian raisins and toffee ice cream. //8045 Leesburg Pike, Suite 120, Tysons
Lyon Hall
Alsatian-inspired fare is the specialty at this fan-favorite bistro in Clarendon. Think French onion soup, cheese boards, house-made charcuterie, escargots and steak or tuna tartare. And that’s just to start. During Restaurant Week, Lyon Hall has one of the most extensive deals around, allowing diners to peruse the entire menu to build their own three-course dinner for $55 (a few dishes have modest upcharges). Save space for steaming pot of mussels, available three different ways. If you’re more interested in turf than surf, the options also include filet medallions, hangar steak frites or braised short rib with mashed potatoes, asparagus and baby carrots. Sister restaurant The Liberty Tavern offers a similar menu-wide deal. //3100 N. Washington Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
Makers Union
Crispy Brussels sprouts with Fresno chili, hot honey and roasted peanuts. A seafood diablo of Maine lobster, jumbo shrimp and mussels. Braised short rib in a red wine demi-glace. These are just some of the temptations on the three-course lunch ($25) or dinner ($40) menus at this neighborly gastropub, which opened in December in Amazon’s Metropolitan Park and stages live music three nights a week. Catch a game on TV while you dine at the 360-degree bar in the casual, 3,000-foot space, and pair your food order with one of the signature craft cocktails or a pint of the house IPA. //1450 S. Eads St. Suite 65, Arlington (National Landing)
Nue Elegantly Vietnamese
If you ask our dining critic, the seafood cha gio (crispy rice paper-wrapped spring rolls stuffed with crab, shrimp, pork and taro) alone is worth the trip alone to this dreamy Falls Church eatery, where a three-course meal for two ($55-$65 per person) also includes choices such as hamachi crudo with passionfruit nuoc cham; coconut curry risotto with Hokkaido scallops; pappardelle with braised short ribs; and crispy whole fish with fresh herbs. Try one of the bar’s clever and perfectly balanced cocktails for an additional $14. If Viet-Cajun fare is more your jam, adjoining sister restaurant Chasin’ Tails is also offering a $55 dinner deal with options like charbroiled oysters, seafood and sausage boils, and beignets for dessert. //944 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Ruthie’s All Day
Ever since its 2020 arrival in Arlington Heights, Ruthie’s has been dishing up a menu centered on the Southern concept of a “meat and three,” prompting diners to choose a protein and three sides. The mouth-watering meats at chef Matt Hill’s Best of Arlington-winning establishment are cooked on a custom-built wood-burning hearth and two smokers out back. You can’t go wrong with the smoked pulled pork shoulder or smoked brisket with house pickles and milk bread. If you’re in the mood for lighter fare, the yellowfin tuna tartare with avocado, radish, lime and white soy ponzu is divine. For sides, choose options such as buttermilk biscuits, braised greens with smoked tomato or creamy dill potato salad. //3411 Fifth St. S., Arlington (Arlington Heights)
Sabores Tapas Bar
This bright eatery on the Pike—from industry veterans Alex López, Carlos Olarte and Ernesto Valenzuela—is offering a three-course lunch ($25) that combines the richness of traditional and modern cuisine from Spain and Latin America. Think apple salad with jicama and Spanish manchego, Moorish chicken skewers and seared salmon served over sauteed veggies. The $40 dinner menu includes five courses of tapas, including a dessert. Thirsty? The bar has plenty of beer, wine and cocktail options. // 2401 Columbia Pike, Arlington (Penrose)
The Salt Line
New England classics and seafood (yes, there are lobster rolls) are the stars of the Restaurant Week menu at this nautical seafood house with a covered, heated patio. The Salt Line is offering a two-course lunch ($25) and a three-course dinner ($55). Warm up with a bowl of hearty clam chowder or a plate of hot coddies (salt cod and potato croquettes). If seafood’s not your thing, the menu also offers a North Shore roast beef in a horseradish cream sauce and a New England smash burger. At dinnertime, find grilled, smoked swordfish, or a waterman’s platter featuring fried fish, oysters, shrimp and scallops. Say cheers with a wine-by-the-bottle special. //4040 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Ballston)
SER
Don’t have time to make it out before Jan. 21? Or perhaps you’re just craving an extra helping of fun? No problem! SER is extending its special menu deals for an extra week—through Jan. 28. This bright, hospitable, family-owned spot serves up comfort foods from Spain in a stylish environment. Enjoy a three-course lunch ($25) or dinner ($40) with your choice of appetizer, main course and dessert, and add a wine pairing for an additional $25. Treat your taste buds to dishes such as grilled trout with sauteed mushrooms, hangar steak with chimichurri sauce, or grilled quail with mojo verde and honey alioli. //1110 N. Glebe Road, Arlington (Ballston)
Yume Sushi
Sushi, by nature of its premium ingredients, ain’t cheap—which makes Restaurant Week an optimal time to eat your fill of maki, nigiri and sashimi. At Yume Sushi in East Falls Church, chef Saran Kannasute serves creative Japanese fare in a swanky, moody setting, where you can watch the house’s signature “Yume roll” (spicy tuna and avocado topped with seared tuna, jalapeno, spicy mayo, eel sauce and tempura bits) being made with artful precision behind the bar. Yume is offering a limited-time brunch and lunch menu ($35), plus three dinner options priced at $40, $55 and $65. //2121 N. Westmoreland St., Arlington (East Falls Church)