Ready for discounts at your favorite local eateries, plus an excuse to try out the offerings at a few spots you’ve been wanting to check out? Good news: This winter brings double the deals. The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s Winter Restaurant Week runs Jan. 27 through Feb. 2 while Falls Church Restaurant Week runs almost simultaneously, from Jan. 31 to Feb. 9. (We would be remiss not to mention that Alexandria Restaurant Week is also happening Jan. 31 to Feb. 9.) Whatever you’re craving, chances are it’s an option. Here’s just a sampling of what’s cooking at a restaurant near you.
10 Pizza
Order two or more specialty pizzas (think Black Truffle Mushroom, Nashville Hot Chicken or the Mr. Gabriel, with roasted eggplant, sautéed spinach, mushrooms and ricotta cheese) and get a free cheese pizza when you mention Falls Church Restaurant Week. // 1051 W. Broad St., Falls Church
2941 Restaurant
This picturesque French-American restaurant will have a $65, three-course prix fixe menu that includes crab salad, Mafaldine Pasta “bourguignon” (cabernet-braised duck leg), grilled ribeye, vegetarian butternut squash raviolini, Thai tea pavlova and cranberry-vanilla cheesecake. // 2941 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church
Ambar Clarendon
Explore rich and savory fare from the Balkan Peninsula at Street Guys Hospitality’s second Ambar location, where the waitstaff will keep bringing plates until you say “stop.” The special expanded menu includes lamb paté, salmon tartare and slow cooked pork with kajmak mashed potatoes and cabbage slaw. Ambar will also be offering your choice beverage from a pre-selected menu that includes a Brazilian Smash and a selection of house wines. If you prefer takeout, a grab and go menu for $70 per couple includes a variety of spreads, soups, salads, vegetables and slow-cooked or grilled meats and seafood. // 2901 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
B Side
Meat lovers will want to take advantage of the brunch and dinner deals at this Mosaic District eatery. At brunch ($25), dig into beef fat fries, breakfast poutine with beef fat fries and fried egg, kimchi grilled cheese, a pancake burger (a smashed patty with American cheese and bacon between buttermilk pancakes) or ricotta doughnuts. The dinner menu ($40) offers Korean fried wings, charred carrots, pozole ramen with smoked brisket and a flourless brownie. // 8298 Glass Alley, Fairfax (Mosaic District)
Big Buns
The Ballston, Shirlington and McLean locations of Big Buns are offering a $25 lunch or $40 dinner deal. Dig into comfort foods such as an Angus beef or chicken burger, or opt for a veggie or Impossible patty with your choice of toppings. Don’t forget the fries and a shake! // 4401 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Ballston); 4251 Campbell Ave., Arlington (Shirlington); and 1330 Chain Bridge Road, McLean
Borek-G
This woman-owned Turkish café is offering a large cup of tea free with any breakfast purchase (think breakfast paninis with eggs and cheese), or get two pieces of baklava and a drink with any lunch or dinner order. The kitchen also turns out vegetarian dishes such as chickpeas on rice. You’ll find beef or chicken gyros on the later-day menu. // 315 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church
Cafe Zevian
A newcomer to The Little City, this Mediterranean restaurant is introducing itself with a Falls Church Restaurant Week meal. Get a small salad, doner kebab (seasoned meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie) with rice and a serving of halva mousse, plus Turkish coffee or tea for $30. // 700 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Circa
This Best of Arlington 2025 winner is offering $35 lunch deals and prix fixe dinners for $55 or $65 at its locations in Clarendon and The Boro in Tysons. Try temptations like tuna poke nachos with sesame-ginger marinade, wasabi-avocado cream and tobiko, or wild mushroom flatbread with arugula, pesto and truffle oil. // 3010 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon), and 1675 Silver Hill Drive, Tysons (The Boro)
Clare and Don’s Beach Shack
Catch some beach vibes with a blackened mahi sandwich served with four fried shrimp, homemade soup and a slice of key lime pie for $20.25 (see what they did there?). Bring the kids for a special deal, too: homemade mac and cheese with a kosher hot dog mixed in and a scoop of ice cream for $10. // 130 N. Washington St., Falls Church
Corso Italian
Tuck into modern Italian classics paired with Italian wines and cocktails. For $25 at lunch or $40 at dinner, find starters such as a traditional Caesar salad or and chanterelle arancini (mushroom risotto, mozzarella, pomodoro and Calabrian chili sauce.) House-made pastas on the menu include oxtail ravioli, white pesto rigatoni and lobster ravioli. Or, go for scallops risotto, Tuscan steak or porchetta (tender pork belly with cannellini beans, gremolata of parsley, garlic and lemon). For dessert, enjoy hazelnut chocolate cheesecake, fig leaf panna cotta or cannoli. Note that sister restaurant Cheesetique in Del Rey also has a Restaurant Week deal. // 4024 Campbell Ave., Arlington (Shirlington)
Dolan Uyghur
A relative newbie to the local dining scene, this Uyghur restaurant in the former Pizzeria Orso space is offering a free dessert or coffee when you spend $50, or a pack of Dolan Gul Chai tea products when you spend $100. // 400 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church
Ellie Bird
The $65, three-course prix fixe menu at Ellie Bird provides a taste of Chef Yuan Tang’s cooking, which earned the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s 2024 RAMMY Award for New Restaurant of the Year, as well as a spot on The New York Times’ Best Restaurant List and the Best of Arlington’s Best New Restaurant of 2024. Surefire menu pleasers include Vietnamese French onion soup with braised oxtail, Pork Presse Pozole (baby back ribs), Kimchi Bouillabaisse (cobia, shrimp, scallops, fennel and tofu), and Rachel’s Chocolate Cake with chai buttercream and vanilla ice cream. // 125 Founders Ave., Falls Church
Epic Smokehouse
A Pentagon City mainstay since 2012, this smokehouse offers a $25 brunch and a $35 three-course lunch. Start with an order of Kahlua Pig Rolls or Ancho Caesar Salad before moving on to mains such as Brisket Poutine (with hand-cut fries, brown butter gravy and melted cheese curds), the Epic Smokehouse Burger or a Pulled Pork Platter with Carolina slaw and a brioche bun. Wrap it up with a key lime pie or crème brulee with fresh fruit. At the dinner hour, a three-course meal for $65 features options such as smoked prime rib, roasted pork shank or seared sea scallops. Add on a wine special for $10. // 1330 S. Fern St., Arlington (National Landing)
The Falls
Pay $25 for a two-course lunch or $40 for a three-course dinner at this American eatery. Daytime options include roasted butternut squash salad, smoked brisket chili, a fried fish sandwich or The Falls Burger with two smashed patties and American cheese. In the evening, enjoy lobster and pea arancini, steak frites, short rib stew, and a butternut bourbon lava cake with cinnamon whipped cream and banana. Sister restaurants Lyon Hall and The Liberty Tavern are also participating in Winter Restaurant Week with deals at lunch and dinner. // 370 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Harvey’s
Chef Thomas Harvey will be dishing up three-course brunch and lunch menus for $25, as well as a $45, three-course dinner menu. Brunch options include deviled eggs, a double stack of buttermilk pancakes, and a Sgroppino (sorbet and sparkling wine slushy) or a root beer float if you’re under 21. For lunch, choose from house or Caesar salads, half sandwiches with fries or soup, and a brownie sundae. Dinner features a fire-roasted artichoke, duck fat confit chicken, lamb birria mac and cheese, and vegetarian mushroom “scallops.” // 513 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Immigrant Food
A relative newcomer to Ballston, Immigrant Food celebrates the story of immigrants with a vibrant array of globally influenced dishes. Try various street foods from around the world for $25 at lunch or $55 at dinner. Highlights include signature bowls such as West African Gumbo or the Mumbai Mariachi (falafel, spinach, assorted veggies, roasted potatoes and feta with smoky Chipotle dressing) and winter comforts like roasted mushroom soup. Dinner offerings include roasted branzino, chicken parm, and cauliflower florets with kimchi. // 4245 Fairfax Drive, Arlington (Ballston)
Joon
Indulge in Persian inspired dishes from Chef Chris Morgan at Joon. Special menus include a three-course lunch or brunch for $35, and three-course dinner for $65, with highlights such as Duck Fesenjoon (with pomegranate, walnuts, crispy onions and saffron steamed rice), a winter vegetable shish kabob, and braised lamb shoulder with pickled garlic and tomato honey, butternut squash, carrots, lamb jus and labne. // 8045 Leesburg Pike, Vienna (Tysons)
Kirby Club
This Eastern Mediterranean restaurant at Mosaic (situated underneath the big screen at Strawberry Park) has deals for brunch ($35), lunch ($25) and dinner ($40 or $55). Look for spreads like hummus and Olive Goodness (a spread of Kalamata olives and walnuts) served with homemade bread and salad or fries, plus chicken shish taouk and kofta, served on turmeric rice or couscous. Desserts include apricot cake with orange honey and pistachios or date soft-serve, made with vanilla oat milk and date molasses. // 2911 District Ave., Fairfax (Mosaic District)
Makers Union
Head to Metropolitan Park in National Landing to sample a three-course $25 lunch or $40 dinner. Thompson Hospitality’s casual gastropub features live music and a menu chock full of American comfort foods, including lamb lollipop starters, butternut squash and scallop risotto, braised short rib, steak and fries and cinnamon-raisin bread pudding. // 1450 S. Eads St., Arlington (National Landing)
Matchbox
Three area locations of this casual eatery are participating, offering a $25 lunch deal or $40 dinner deal. Wood-fired pizzas, bistro fare and handcrafted signature cocktails are the specialty here, along with a selection of unique local brews. // 1100 S. Hayes St., Arlington (Westpost); 1340 Chain Bridge Road, McLean; and 2911 District Ave., Fairfax (Mosaic District)
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Midori Tea House
Enjoy 15% off your bill as this new café, where the offerings include super Instagrammable hot and cold specialty drinks and desserts with Japanese and French influences. Sip a sparkling water with green plum and sea salt, or a house-made matcha with milk. // 450 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Ometeo
This upscale Tex-Mex spot by the owners of The Salt Line (which, by the way, is also doing Restaurant Week if you want seafood) will have brunch and lunch deals for $35 and two dinner options, priced at $40 and $55. Sample appetizers such as pineapple aguachile (yellowfin tuna, pineapple, avocado and habanero) and vegetarian fried cauliflower. Then move on to mains such as chile relleno, enchiladas, beef cheek barbacoa or red snapper. Dessert options include tres leches cake and chocoflan. // 1640 Capital One Drive, Tysons
Plaka Grill
This neighborly Greek restaurant is offering a deal on beef stifado, slow-cooked beef stew in a tomato and red wine sauce. It comes with rice pilaf, warm pita and a salad for $17.50. // 1216 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Preservation Biscuit Co.
Order $25 worth of scrumptious biscuits with toppings such as egg, cheese, chicken strips, bacon, hot honey, fried apples or house-made jams and get a free Strawberry Shortie. The buttermilk biscuit dessert comes with macerated strawberries and whipped cream. (A vegan version is available, too.) // 102 E. Fairfax St., Falls Church
Ruthie’s All-Day
This Best of Arlington 2025 winner is serving up specials with Southern flair, including dinner for $40 or $55, and lunch for $25. Crowd-pleasers on chef Matt Hill’s menu include skillet cornbread, hushpuppies with shrimp and roasted jalapeno, pork or brisket sandwiches, and the RAD Double Burger with special sauce, bread and butter pickles and fries. For vegans, the black bean quinoa burger topped with vegan mayo, heirloom tomato, lettuce, onion and pickles is a welcome addition. And don’t skip dessert; the warm campfire cookies, butterscotch pudding and apple cobbler are worth the calories. // 3411 Fifth St. S., Arlington (Arlington Heights)
SER
Javier Candon’s Ballston neighborhood restaurant serves up authentic comfort foods from Spain in a casual environment. Stop in for a three-course $25 brunch or lunch, or a $40 dinner with appetizers such as crema de calabacin (zucchini cream with bread croutons) or a kale and arugula salad with grapes, cheese and yogurt dressing. The mains include a NY strip loin with mushrooms, wine sauce and mashed potatoes. Or go lean, with tuna loin in tomato sauce with dehydrated olives and green beans. Top it all off with a chocolate custard, flan or churros with melted chocolate. // 1110 N. Glebe Road, Arlington (Ballston)
Spice Kraft
Put a little spice in your life with a $40 dinner deal at this modern, chef-driven Indian bistro offering contemporary Indian fare, including vegan and gluten-free options, and colorful cocktails. Tuck into an order of mini samosas followed by lamb lentil curry, chicken tikka masala or eggplant curry. Round out the meal with a vegan chocolate pistachio mousse. For $13, enjoy a drink pairing such as the Tequila Watermelon Sharbat, made with silver tequila, orange liqueur, fresh watermelon, Indian spices, ginger, lime and mint. // 1135 N. Highland St., Arlington (Clarendon)
Thompson Italian
Katherine and Gabe Thompson’s beloved Italian restaurant will offer a $50, three-course dinner menu with an array of winter delights, including several satisfying pasta dishes that deliver on the restaurant’s “pasta power” tagline. Try croquettes with pancetta and pecorino, potato gnocchi with chicken ragu, agnolotti with mushroom pesto and truffle cream, and Katherine’s fan-favorite olive oil cake. // 124 N. Washington St., Falls Church