Illustration by Aldo Crusher
Best Asian Restaurant
Present Restaurant
6678 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, PresentRestaurantUSA.com, 703-531-1881
Chef Gene Nguyen’s mission is to spread Vietnamese cuisine all over the world, and he started with Present Restaurant in 2009. Present specializes in dishes served family style that are similar to dishes eaten in Vietnamese homes—what the restaurant calls “Vietnamese comfort food”—but lunch specials and specialty cocktails are also available.
second place: Peking Gourmet Inn, Falls Church, PekingGourmet.com, 703-671-8088
third place: Peter Chang, Arlington, PeterChangArlington.com, 703-538-6688
Best Bakery
Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe
2150 N. Culpeper St., Arlington, HeidelbergBakery.com, 703-527-8394
A locally owned German bakery, Heidelberg has been serving the Washington, D.C., area since 1975, when it was founded by Wolfgang Büchler. The eclairs and petit fours are always popular, and deli items are offered in addition to cookies, cakes, and pastries. The shop also makes wedding cakes using preservative-free ingredients.
second place: Pastries by Randolph, Arlington, PastriesByRandolph.com, 703-243-0070
third place: Best Buns Bread Company, Arlington, GreatAmericanRestaurants.com, 703-578-1500
Best Bar
Lake Anne Brew House
11424 Washington Plaza W, Reston, LakeAnneBrewhouse.com, 571-758-2739
Jason and Melissa Romano have owned and operated Lake Anne Brew House on Lake Anne Plaza in Reston since 2016. Melissa is an architect and designed the midcentury-modern-style taproom, while Jason, a longtime brewer, presides over the brewery. With styles available in everything from grisette to imperial stout, there is something for every beer lover. The Romanos have worked hard to fulfill their mission, “Brewing Beer, Building Community,” by creating a taproom where everyone feels welcome.
second place: Jimbo’s Grill, Gainesville, JimbosGrill.com, 571-248-0752
third place: Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern, Herndon, JimmysTavern.com, 703-435-5467
Best Barbecue Restaurant
The Bone
8045 Stonewall Shops Square, Gainesville, TheBoneBBQ.com, 703-753-5551
Everything at The Bone is made from scratch, from rubs to sides to desserts—the honey bourbon wings are a must-try. Founded in 2011 by a father and his sons and still family owned, The Bone also makes its own sausages, and there is always a creative, seasonal appetizer to enjoy.
second place: Mission BBQ, Gainesville, Mission-BBQ.com, 571-535-2503
third place: Monk’s BBQ, Purcellville, MonksQ.com, 540-751-9425
Best Breakfast Restaurant
Yorkshire Restaurant
7537 Centreville Road, Manassas, YorkshireRestaurantManassas.com, 703-368-4905
Family-owned and operated since 1958, this homestyle diner caters to families, some of which have been coming in for generations. Signature menu items include sausage gravy, chipped beef gravy, and the Top Hat, a ribeye sandwich topped with ham, bacon, and cheese and served on a bun. Breakfast is served all day.
second place: Ashton Family Restaurant, Manassas, AshtonFamilyRestaurant.com, 703-330-5151
third place: Virginia Kitchen, Herndon, VaKitchen.com, 703-471-0808
Best Brunch Restaurant
Lansdowne Resort & Spa
44050 Woodridge Pkwy., Leesburg, LansdowneResort.com, 703-729-8400
At Riverside Hearth, enjoy Sunday brunch while taking in views of Lansdowne Resort through the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows. Enjoy bottomless mimosas, made-to-order omelets, and waffles with a variety of toppings. Brunch is served buffet style every Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and is popular with golfers and Leesburg locals.
second place: Carlyle, Arlington, GreatAmericanRestaurants.com/Carlyle, 703-931-0777
third place: Founding Farmers Tysons, McLean, WeAreFoundingFarmers.com, 703-442-8783
Best Burger Joint
Melt Gourmet Cheeseburgers
525 E. Market St., Leesburg, MeltGourmetCheeseburgers.com, 703-443-2105
While classics like cheeseburgers and fries are certainly available at Melt, there are also make-your-own burger options as well as a sizeable list of creative gourmet burgers, such as a Greek lamb “burger” and the Paris Burger, with melted brie, balsamic glazed onions, spinach, and Dijon mustard. Milkshakes, malts, root beer floats, beer, and wine are also available. Owners Steve and Debbie Hancotte also raise money for local animal charities.
second place: Foster’s Grille, Manassas, FostersGrille.com, 703-257-7272
third place: Holy Cow, Alexandria, HolyCowDelRay.com, 703-666-8616
Best Chocolatier
Chesapeake Chocolates, Wine, Gifts and More
11426 Washington Plaza W, Reston, ChesChoc.com, 703-620-0082
Founded by two sisters-in-law in 1998, the shop on Lake Anne in Reston features truffles and other confections made in house, plus a selection of gifts from local artisans and a variety of Virginia wines. In 2016 after the local post office closed, a Contract Postal Unit was opened inside the retail shop to further serve the needs of the community.
second place: Cocoa Vienna, CocoaVienna.com, 703-865-8881
third place: Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe, Arlington, HeidelbergBakery.com, 703-527-8394
Best Cidery
Mt. Defiance Cidery and Distillery
495 E. Washington St., Middleburg, MtDefiance.com, 540-883-3176
In addition to dry and sweet traditional ciders, Mt. Defiance makes pommeau—an apple cider blended with Mt. Defiance’s apple brandy that has been aged for a year in a used bourbon barrel—as well as sweet vermouth and other creative drinks, like Old Volstead’s Summer Shandy, a blend of Farmhouse Cider and lemonade. Founded in 2014, Mt. Defiance is owned by several friends who wanted to bring classic cider and spirits to Virginia.
second place: Cobbler Mountain Cellars, Delaplane, CobblerMountain.com, 540-364-2802
third place: Wild Hare Hard Cider, Leesburg, WildHareCider.com, 703-402-7956
Best Craft Brewery
Sinistral Brewing Company
9419 Main St., Manassas, SinistralBrewingCompany.com, 703-686-4575
Blane Perry founded Sinistral in 2017 after his home brewing hobby outgrew his garage. “My wife told me to get it out of the house,” he says. The brewery’s five flagship beers are named after Perry’s children, as well as the children of the brewery’s partners. Perry uses his culinary background to add savory flair to his beers, such as with pink Himalayan sea salt and lime zest in Jackson’s Fish Taco Lager.
second place: Lake Anne Brew House, Reston, LakeAnneBrewhouse.com, 571-758-2739
third place: Port City Brewing Company, Alexandria, PortCityBrewing.com, 703-797-2739
Best Craft Cocktails
MurLarkey Distilled Spirits
7961 Gainsford Court, Bristow, MurLarkey.com, 571-284-7961
Those looking for a place to relax over the weekend now have the tasting room at MurLarkey Distilled Spirits as an option on Sundays, due to recently expanded tasting room hours. Two new infused whiskeys have also been added to the lineup: Three Tea and Honey. Other infused whiskeys include coffee, cocoa, and lemon.
second place: Monza, Manassas, EatMonza.com, 703-368-5522
third place: Field & Main Restaurant, Marshall, FieldAndMainRestaurant.com, 540-364-8166
Best Dessert Menu
Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe
2150 N. Culpeper St., Arlington, HeidelbergBakery.com, 703-527-8394
This bakery has been satisfying sweet tooths since 1975. Inspired by founder Wolfgang Büchler’s roots, the shop makes traditional German pastries like bienenstich, a sweet yeasted dough filled with Bavarian cream and topped with almonds and honey, as well as American deli favorites like black and white cookies.
second place: Campbells Frozen Custard, Woodbridge, CampbellsCustard.com, 571-285-1711
third place: Magnolia Dessert Bar and Coffee, Vienna, MagnoliaOfVienna.com, 703-268-5481
Best Distillery
MurLarkey Distilled Spirits
7961 Gainsford Court, Bristol, MurLarkey.com, 571-284-7961
MurLarkey has aimed to be a “farm to flask” distillery since its founding in 2016, and not content to sell its spirits solely on site and at boutique shops, has worked hard to expand distribution to more than 100 Virginia ABC stores as well as a number of restaurants in the region. The distillery is known for its Divine Clarity vodka as well as a line of infused whiskeys.
second place: KO Distilling, Manassas, KODistilling.com, 571-292-1115
third place: Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, Purcellville, CatoctinCreekDistilling.com, 540-751-8404
Best Farmers’ Market
Fairfax County Park Authority’s RestonFarmers’ Market
1609-A Washington Plaza N, Reston, FairfaxCounty.gov, 703-642-0128
Market managers John and Fran Lovaas and Keith Strange manage the volunteers who keep the Fairfax County farmers’ market going. All products are strictly producer-only; vendors may only sell what they raise or make from scratch. These truly local vendors travel an average of just 50 miles to the market.
second place: Manassas Farmers’ Market, VisitManassas.org, 703-361-6599
third place: Falls Church Farmers’ Market, FallsChurchVa.gov, 703-248-5024
Best Food Truck
The Bone
8045 Stonewall Shops Square, Gainesville, TheBoneBBQ.com, 703-753-5551
In addition to its restaurant, The Bone operates a food truck serving its signature “no frills” barbecue. Everything is made from scratch, down to the dressings and desserts. The truck covers Prince William and Fairfax counties at various breweries, wineries, and events, and can be booked for private parties, corporate events, or fundraisers.
second place: Bacon Weakling, Manassas, BaconWeakling.com, 703-966-7849
third place: Dave’s Dogs, Woodbridge, Facebook.com/DavesDogsVa, 470-333-8750
Best Grocery Store
Wegmans
8297 Stonewall Shops Square, Gainesville, Wegmans.com, 571-222-2300
Wegmans strives to help people live better, healthier lives through food and prides itself on its prepared food selection. The Gainesville location opened in 2008, and the chain is scheduled to open a Virginia Beach location in April 2019. Pizza, sushi, and a floral department are also available.
second place: Whole Foods Market, Fairfax, WholeFoodsMarket.com, 703-222-2058
third place: MOM’s Organic Market, Herndon, MomsOrganicMarket.com, 703-483-6740
Best Indian Food
Rangoli Indian Restaurant
10223 Nokesville Road, Manassas, RangoliRestaurant.com, 703-938-7440
Owner Kumar Iyer holds a culinary degree from the Institute of Hotel Management in India and brings that hospitality training to his restaurant in Manassas. Butter chicken, gulab jumun, and the Bombay burger, made from a spicy potato patty, are a few of the star menu items. Catering for weddings and other events is also available.
second place: Bollywood Bistro, Fairfax, BollywoodBistro.com, 703-273-0031
third place: Haandi Indian Cuisine, Falls Church, Haandi.com, 703-533-3501
Best Italian Restaurant
Ciao Wood Fired Pizza and Osteria
14115 St. Germain Drive, Centreville, Ciao-Osteria.com, 703-543-8955
With Neapolitan pizza certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the goal at Ciao is to be as authentic as possible. The chef even handpicks up to 80 percent of the produce used from a nearby farm in the mornings. In addition to wood-fired pizza, seasonal specials, such as a pasta dish that’s tossed in a wheel of Parmesan, are also popular.
second place: Pazzo Pomodoro, Vienna, PazzoPomodoro.com, 703-281-7777
third place: Tony’s New York Pizza, Haymarket, TonysNewYorkPizza.com, 571-248-6290
Best Local Gourmet Food Store
Arrowine and Cheese
4508 Lee Hwy., Arlington, Arrowine.com, 703-525-0990
With five cheesemongers on site, Arrowine encourages customers to ask questions about their large cheese selection. Nothing is sold precut, so you get exactly what and how much you want, and the ever-changing wine selection is the perfect accompaniment. Other gourmet items are available as well. The store hosts free tastings of selections from the cheese case on Fridays and Saturdays.
second place: The Italian Store, Arlington, ItalianStore.com, 703-528-6266
third place: Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe, Arlington, HeidelbergBakery.com, 703-527-8394
Best Local Ice Cream Shop
Nathan’s Dairy Bar
8948 Mathis Ave., Manassas, NathansDairyBar.com, 703-335-9051
A seasonal ice cream shop, Nathan’s opens in early March and closes on the day of the Manassas Christmas Parade. Enjoy seasonal specialties like pumpkin ice cream pie for Thanksgiving or desserts featuring seasonal fruit. Nathan’s specializes in soft serve, but sherbet and hand-dipped ice cream are available as well. Check the Facebook page for an ever-changing list of flavors.
second place: Campbells Frozen Custard, Woodbridge, CampbellsCustard.com, 571-285-1711
third place: The Dairy Godmother, Alexandria, TheDairyGodmother.com, 703-683-7767
Best Local Sandwich Shop
The Italian Store
3123 Lee Hwy., Arlington, ItalianStore.com, 703-528-6266
Founded in 1980 and now owned by the founders’ son, Rob Tramonte, The Italian Store is a neighborhood institution. It’s known for the Milano sub, loaded with Italian cold cuts and a special dressing. Products are imported from Italy or brought in from New York. Catering is available, and there is a wine tasting every Saturday.
second place: Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe, Arlington, HeidelbergBakery.com, 703-527-8394
third place: The Sandwich Shop, Vienna, Facebook.com/TheSandwichShopVa, 703-865-5545
Best Locally Owned Coffee Shop
Caffè Amouri
107 Church St. NE, Vienna, CaffeAmouri.com, 703-938-1623
One of only 42 coffee shops that are certified as a Specialty Coffee Association Premier Campus, Caffè Amouri is dedicated to serving quality coffee from a staff of highly trained and educated baristas all certified by the SCA. The small-batch roaster and shop, opened in 2010 by Michael Amouri, has also received awards for its green initiatives and hosts community fundraisers.
second place: Lake Anne Coffee House & Wine Bar, Reston, LakeAnneCoffeeHouse.com, 703-481-9766
third place: Jirani Coffeehouse, Manassas, JiraniCoffeeHouse.com, 571-535-2442
Best Mexican Restaurant
Zandra’s Taqueria
9114 Center St., Manassas, ZandrasTacos.com, 571-359-6767
Founded in 2014 by a husband and wife team, Zandra’s specializes in tacos with adventurous fillings like bison and beef tongue. But the skillet queso and seasonal specialties aren’t to be missed! Live music can be enjoyed on Saturdays, and there is a selection of beers on tap.
second place: El Tio Tex-Mex Grill, Gainesville, ElTioGrill.com, 703-753-0826
third place: Taqueria el Poblano, Alexandria, TaqueriaPoblano.com, 703-548-8226
Best Outdoor Dining
Kalypso’s Sports Tavern
1617 Washington Plaza N, Reston, KalypsosSportsTavern.com, 703-707-0660
Kalypso’s opened in 2010, but owners Vicky and George Hadjikyriakou have been working in restaurants since they were teenagers. Their menu includes Greek, Italian, and American dishes, and the spanakopita and Greek-style grilled lamb chops are some of the most popular items. Keep an eye out for new dishes that are on the lighter, healthier side for spring and summer.
second place: Monza, Manassas, EatMonza.com, 703-368-5522
third place: Potomac Point Winery & Vineyard, Stafford, PotomacPointWinery.com, 540-446-2266
Best Oysters
Hank’s Oyster Bar
1026 King St., Alexandria, HanksOysterBar.com, 703-739-4265
Hank’s has been cultivating relationships with its oyster vendors since the Old Town location opened in 2007. Although it is known for oysters, the restaurant also offers other seafood items, such as seared scallops and mahi mahi. Brunch is served Friday through Sunday.
second place: King Street Oyster Bar, Middleburg, KingStreetOysterBar.com, 540-883-3156
third place: CJ Finz Raw Bar & Grille, Manassas, CJFinz.com, 571-292-1742
Best Pizzeria
Pupatella
5104 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Pupatella.com, 571 312-7230
Pupatella started as a pizza cart in 2007 and now serves traditional, wood-fired, Neapolitan pizza at its main location in Arlington. The Fig and Pig white pizza with brie, California figs, prosciutto di Parma, and balsamic glaze will be featured this summer. Customers who order two or more pizzas receive a $10 discount on a bottle of wine.
second place: Tony’s New York Pizza, Manassas, TonysNewYorkPizza.com, 703-330-8109
third place: Ciao Wood Fired Pizza and Osteria, Centreville, Ciao-Osteria.com, 703-543-8955
Best Restaurant
Present Restaurant
6678 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, PresentRestaurantUSA.com, 703-531-1881
Chef Gene Nguyen has brought authentic Vietnamese food to Falls Church since 2009. Most dishes here are served family-style as they would be in Vietnam, even soups. Entrees include caramelized pork ribs cooked in a clay pot and Fish on the Steamboat, a whole rockfish steamed with scallions and ginger.
second place: Ciao Wood Fired Pizza and Osteria, Centreville, Ciao-Osteria.com, 703-543-8955
third place: Field & Main Restaurant, Marshall, FieldAndMainRestaurant.com, 540-364-8166
Best Seafood Restaurant
Blue Ridge Seafood Restaurant
15704 Lee Hwy., Gainesville, BlueRidgeSeafood.com, 703-754-9852
Founded by owners Mike and Donna Donovan’s grandparents in 1979, Blue Ridge Seafood offers a wide variety of seafood and makes cocktail sauce fresh daily. Shrimp and grits were just added to the menu, as well as an option for customers to choose from a list of seafood items and create their own combination. There is a dining room, a more relaxed TV room with paper-covered tables, and a seasonal outside area with a tiki bar and live music on weekends.
second place: CJ Finz Raw Bar & Grille, Manassas, CJFinz.com, 571-292-1742
third place: Ford’s Fish Shack, Ashburn, FordsFishShack.com, 571-918-4092
Best Steakhouse
Ray’s the Steaks
2300 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, RaysTheSteaks.com, 703-841-7297
Beef butchered in-house and decadent sides don’t need pomp and circumstance. Ray’s opened in 2002 to bring high-quality steak into a low-key atmosphere. For the full experience, try the 60-day-aged cote-de-boeuf (also known as a standing rib roast) and the creamed spinach.
second place: DC Prime Steaks, Ashburn, DCPrimeSteaks.com, 703-840-2099
third place: Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Arlington, RuthsChris.com, 703-979-7275
Best Wine Shop
Arrowine and Cheese
4508 Lee Hwy., Arlington, Arrowine.com, 703-525-0990
Owner Doug Rosen visits independent winemakers throughout Europe to bring his customers quality wines without the name-brand markup. Arrowine’s staff does the talking, as there are no signs describing the wines on the shelves, encouraging customers to ask questions. There is an extensive selection of cheeses with five cheesemongers on staff to cut just the right piece to order.
second place: Oakton Wine Shop & Bistro, OaktonWineShop.com, 703-255-5425
third place: Vienna Vintner, ViennaVintner.com, 703-242-9463
Best Winery
The Winery at Bull Run
15950 Lee Hwy., Centreville, WineryAtBullRun.com, 703-815-2233
Adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park and next door to an equestrian farm, the Winery at Bull Run allows guests to learn about Civil War history as they sip. With two barns that represent two different eras in Virginia history and an elevated stage made from the old stone foundation of the Hillwood Mansion, Bull Run hosts weddings and events. The winery is working toward becoming a full estate winery, with everything grown and made on the property.
second place: Paradise Springs Winery, Clifton, ParadiseSpringsWinery.com, 703-830-9463
third place: Barrel Oak Winery, Delaplane, BarrelOak.com, 540-364-6402
Winners were determined by our Best of Virginia Readers’ Survey in January and published in our Best of Virginia 2019 issue.
