1. In the historic town of Clifton, 25 miles from Washington, Trummer’s on Main opened in July. The trilevel eatery serves a menu of creative American cuisine in four distinct areas: a 16-seat wine tasting room, the 50-seat main dining room with two fireplaces, the glass-enclosed 90-seat Winter Garden, and the 50-seat gallery room, often used for private dining. Co-owner and celebrated mixologist Stefan Trummer creates seasonal cocktails. The venue is available for full buyout.
2. Just outside D.C. in Crystal City, sibling chefs Morou and Amadou Ouattara opened the 6,900-square-foot Kora in August. The bright venue has soaring glass walls and a color scheme of purple and gray with white accents. The menu highlights Italian trattoria fare with an emphasis on house-made pastas and pizzas. A private dining room seats 45.
3. Over in Old Town Alexandria, the 7,300-square-foot Columbia Firehouse opened in July and serves American bistro fare with a focus on modern comfort food. Event spaces in the 126-year-old structure include a 70-seat atrium with a canopy glass roof, a 20-seat dining room with a working fireplace, and a gated patio that holds 40. Upstairs, the second floor contains an 80-seat dining room, the 25-seat Wannamaker Room, and a bar that holds 20.
4. The nearby Tysons Corner shopping center debuted the 200-seat Chef Geoff’s Tysons Corner in June. Decor includes ebony floors, burgundy carpets, and walls of black louvered panels. Two 50-seat semiprivate dining rooms can be booked for events; a 14-seat private dining room is equipped with a 52-inch flat-screen TV and a gas fireplace; a terrace seats 80.
5. Noted chef Robert Wiedmaier crossed the Potomac to open fine-dining venue Brabo in the Lorien Hotel and Spa in Alexandria in February 2009. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the 105-seat venue features Belgian-inspired cuisine with ingredients and products from eco-friendly Virginia farms. A 10-seat chef’s table occupies the center of the dining room. A few steps away, Brabo Tasting Room offers a more casual dining experience, with 45 seats and a wood-burning oven.
