Dining

With hundreds of restaurants, most offering one-of-a-kind ethnic cuisine, Arlington has become a mecca for exciting traditional and nouvelle cuisine.

Need a few ideas?
Check out these Arlington favorites:

Courthouse

Me Jana serves Lebanese cuisine in a warm, upscale contemporary space. The name, Me Jana, originates from an old Lebanese folk ballad sung to welcome friends and family and to share happy times, and the restaurant serves up exactly what its name promises. The interior is warm, welcoming and beautifully appointed with rich colors and gentle lighting. In the kitchen, the former chef of Penn Quarter's Zaytinya, Ghassan Jarroui, prepares delicious mezas (small plates) and dinners with a Lebanese flavor. From the traditional (hommus, chicken shawarma) to more modern dishes (mozzarella salad with figs and basil, thyme fries) there is something familiar and something new to discover. Me Jana is located in the Navy League Building at 2300 Wilson Blvd. (at the corner of Adams St. and Clarendon Blvd.).

Clarendon

From the owners who brought us Whitlows on Wilson, Restaurant 3 is the third dining creation from the Cahill/Williams' family. The beautiful space is located at 2950 Clarendon Blvd., and offers three spacious dining rooms. Each dining space is uniquely appointed with great attention to detail, incorporating a stone fireplace, art deco bar, a hand-painted mural of local history, and ample views of Clarendon's urban streetscape. While the setting is certainly unique and stylish, the menu is also incredibly creative and adventurous. Restaurant 3 features regionally accented American cuisine and, whenever possible, uses locally sourced produce from Virginia farms. Start with the tuna lollipops, blue-on-blue cheese chips, or duck wraps. Follow with one of the many creative salads, and then take your pick of entrees, including a number of vegetarian dishes, plus meat-lovers' favorites like the cowboy cut rib-eye and filet mignon, or fish specialties such as southern fried catfish and grouper.

Shirlington

Look who's crossed the Potomac! Two popular D.C. imports have opened their doors in Shirlington: the bookstore, restaurant and performance space, Busboys and Poets, and the sweet sensation, CakeLove.

Busboys and Poets continues to focus on what it does best - serving great food in a casual environment and bringing people together in a space that welcomes dialogue and discussion about important community issues. The space has already had a number of book-related and community events and "open mic poetry" nights, since they opened in late August. And the calendar is filled with much more to come in the weeks ahead. Experience Busboys and Poets firsthand in Shirlington (4251 S. Campbell Ave.).

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