By the Gastronomes Dining Out….Or Not! Just like many of the other standard columns published in the OTC, this column has taken on a new personality since the pandemic hit the area. We no longer feel like we can single out any one particular restaurant to profile when they “all” need all of the extra […]

By the Gastronomes pic-nic /pik nik/ noun – an outing or occasion that involves taking a packed meal to be eaten outdoors While the restrictions on dining out in our favorite eateries are being lifted on a continual basis as the COVID numbers decrease, we believe there are still a fair number of people out […]

By the Gastronomes Curb-side Pick Up? Delivery? Dining at Home! It has been nearly eight weeks since we sat in our favorite restaurant or bar and watched the folks outside gaze in the windows to check out the action inside. Is the bar too crowded? Are there any seats available? Some even had their noses […]

By Bob Tagert Dining In! Wow, how things can change in thirty days. Last month we wrote about a new Irish restaurant for our March issue. At the beginning of March we had already been to our next restaurant, Sweetbay, in Leonardtown, Maryland, and then all hell broke loose. The Coronavirus came on the scene […]

By the Gastronomes McNamara’s Pub & Restaurant – A Touch of Ireland on 23rd Street March is a perfect time to visit an Irish Pub and embrace all that is Irish. This month we ventured out of Old Town to check out McNamara’s, the new Irish Pub and Restaurant in Arlington/Crystal City. The restaurant anchors […]

By the Gastronomes Michael’s Little Italy – One Part Fine Dining, One Part Pizzeria! Three years ago Michael Strutton left Nashville to come to Alexandria to be near his mother. He had formed a band and was playing at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub and would stop in at Trattoria da Franco after some performances. He […]

By the Gastronomes Fireside Dining Around Old Town We decided to step outside of the box going into the new year and instead of featuring the food and beverage from one local eatery we decided to impart some information to you all about the fireside dining that we have available in and close to Old […]

By The Gastronomes Landini Brothers Restaurant A Little Bit of Tuscany in Old Town for 40 Years This month Franco Landini, son Noe and staff celebrate 40 years of serving the folks of Northern Virginia as well as from around the world at their popular restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. The restaurant is, and has […]

By the Gastronomes Chop Shop Taco One of Alexandria’s newer kids on the block, Chop Shop Taco opened this spring in the Parker-Gray District of the city on Madison Street in the remaining space of a former auto body shop that also houses Grateful Kitchen and Zweet Sport Total Fitness. This cool new place added […]