Best Restaurants 2012

Best Restaurants cover

To understand the restaurant landscape in a region as diverse as Northern Virginia is to appreciate the beauty of dichotomy.

Dinner in farm country possesses all the sophistication as a meal inside the Beltway and a restaurant in Arlington deliberately creates a farmhouse aesthetic.

Wherever the highway unfolds, food rules.

Restaurants on this list put forth dishes that are, of course, wonderful and in line with the tenets of modern dining: seasonal and ingredient-focused.

Value and atmosphere also contributed to rank. But it still came down to the food.

Here’s our list for the most worthy meals in NoVA.

 

 

RESTAURANT NAME
NEIGHBORHOOD
CUISINE
2941 Restaurant

2941 Fairview Park Drive
Falls Church VA 22042
703-270-1501
website
International
Fusion
Ashby Inn

692 Federal St.
Paris VA 20130
540-592-3900
website
International
Modern American
Bastille

1201 N. Royal St.
Alexandria VA 22314
703-519-3776
website
French
BRABO

1600 King St.
Alexandria VA 22314
703-894-3440
website
Belgian
International
Modern American
Curry Mantra

9984 Main St.
Fairfax VA 22031
703-218-8128
website
Indian
Buffet
Evening Star Cafe

2000 Mount Vernon Ave.
Alexandria VA 22301
703-549-5051
website
Wine Bar
International
Modern American
Farrah Olivia

2250-B Crystal Drive
Arlington VA 22202
703-445-6571
website
Modern American
Ford's Fish Shack

44260 Ice Rink Plaza #101
Ashburn VA 20147
571-918-4092
website
Comfort Food
American
Seafood
Girasole

4244 Loudoun Ave.
The Plains VA 20198
540-253-5501
website
Italian
Goodstone Inn & Estate

36205 Snake Hill Road
Middleburg VA 20117
540-687-4645
website
International
Southern
Modern American
Grandale Restaurant

14001 Harpers Ferry Road
Neersville VA 20132
540-668-6000
website
Modern American
Green Pig Bistro

1025 N. Fillmore St.
Arlington VA 22201
703-888-1920
website
Barbecue
American
French
Hank's Oyster Bar

1026 King St.
Alexandria VA 22314
703-739-4265
website
Seafood
American
International
Hooked

46240 Potomac Run Plaza
Sterling VA 20164
703-421-0404
website
Seafood
Sushi
International
Härth

7920 Jones Branch Drive
McLean VA 22102
703-847-5000
website
Modern American
Iron Bridge Wine Company

29 Main St.
Warrenton VA 20186
540-349-9339
website
Modern American
International
Wine Bar
Jaleo

2250-A Crystal Drive
Arlington VA 22202
703-413-8181
website
Spanish/Tapas
Fusion
L'Auberge Chez Francois

332 Springvale Road
Great Falls VA 22066
703-759-3800
website
French
La Bergerie

218 N. Lee St.
Alexandria VA 22314
703-683-1007
website
French
La Strada

1905 Mount Vernon Ave.
Alexandria VA 22301
703-548-2592
website
Italian
Lyon Hall

3100 Washington Blvd.
Arlington VA 22201
703-741-7636
Beer Joints
Modern American
French
Magnolia's at the Mill

198 N. 21st St.
Purcellville VA 20132
540-338-9800
website
Modern American
Southern
Mala Tang

3434 Washington Blvd.
Arlington VA 22201
703-243-2381
website
Chinese
Maple Ave

147 W. Maple Ave.
Vienna VA 22180
703-319-2177
website
International
Modern American
Market Table Bistro

13 E. Broad Way
Lovettsville VA 20180
540-822-3008
website
Modern American
Me Jana

2300 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington VA 22201
703-465-4440
website
Lebanese
Middle Eastern
Meaza

5700 Columbia Pike
Falls Church VA 22041
703-820-2870
website
Ethiopian
Vegetarian/Vegan
Mokomandy

20789 Great Falls Plaza, #176
Sterling VA 20165
571-313-0505
website
Cajun/Creole
Korean
Fusion
Nostos

8100 Boone Blvd
Vienna VA 22182
703-760-0690
website
Greek/Mediterranean
PassionFish

11960 Democracy Drive
Reston VA 20190
703-230-3474
website
Modern American
Seafood
Sushi
Patowmack Farm

42461 Lovettsville Road
Lovettsville VA 20180
540-822-9017
website
Modern American
Pizzeria Orso

400 S Maple Ave.
Falls Church VA 22046
703-226-3460
website
Italian
Pizza
Poppy Hill

1000 Charles Street
Fredericksburg VA 22401
540-373-2035
website
Italian
Present

6678 Arlington Blvd.
Falls Church VA 22042
703-531-1881
website
Vietnamese
Vegetarian/Vegan
Ray's to the Third

1650 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington VA 22209
703-974-7171
website
Burgers
American
Restaurant Eve

110 S. Pitt St.
Alexandria VA 22314
703-706-0450
website
Irish/Welsh
Modern American
International
Rice Paper

6775 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington VA 22044
703-538-3888
website
Vietnamese
Rustico

827 Slaters Lane
Alexandria VA 22314
703-224-5051
website
Modern American
Beer Joints
Bar/Pub Grub
Sea Pearl

8191 Strawberry Lane, Suite 2
Falls Church VA 22042
703-372-5161
website
American
Society Fair

277 S. Washington St.
Alexandria VA 22314
703-683-3247
website
American
Tachibana

6715 Lowell Ave.
McLean VA 22101
703-847-1771
Japanese
Sushi
Tallula

2761 Washington Blvd.
Arlington VA 22201
703-778-5051
website
Modern American
Bar/Pub Grub
Wine Bar
The Curious Grape

2900 South Quincy St.
Arlington VA 22206
703-671-8700
website
Modern American
Wine Bar
The Majestic

911 King St.
Alexandria VA 22314
703-837-9117
website
Modern American
Comfort Food
Sweets
The Wine Kitchen

7 S. King St.
Leesburg VA 20175
703-777-9463
website
International
Wine Bar
Modern American
Trummer's on Main

7134 Main St.
Clifton VA 20124
703-266-1623
website
Modern American
International
Wine Bar
Tuscarora Mill

203 Harrison St. SE
Leesburg VA 20175
703-771-9300
website
Modern American
Bar/Pub Grub
Vermilion

1120 King St.
Alexandria VA 22314
703-684-9669
website
Modern American
Bar/Pub Grub
Wine Bar
Vinifera

11750 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston VA 20191
703-234-3550
website
Wine Bar
Modern American
Willow

4301 N. Fairfax Drive
Arlington VA 22203
703-465-8800
website
Modern American
International

Restaurant Scout