What's New in Arlington for Meeting Attendees and Group Travelers?

Life Alive Organic Cafe

Life Alive Organic Cafe in Ballston offers invigorating food that tastes as good as it makes you feel—energized, uplifted and fully alive! From warm grain bowls and soups to vibrant acai bowls, smoothies, and salads, you can count on Life Alive to serve up scratch-made, wholesome favorites that'll keep you on track with your nutrition goals.

El Mercat Bar de Tapas

With an original location in Rockville, Maryland, El Mercat Bar de Tapas recently celebrated the opening of their second location right here in Arlington in Westpost at National Landing. This restaurant represents the essence of Spanish cultural diversity, and is a concept of simple and delicious food, serving shareable, seasonal, and house-made dishes ranging from a variety of tapas to paellas and other platos principales.

Daydrift Cafe

Calling all booklovers! You can now shop for books while enjoying a cup of coffee and a wholesome meal at Daydrift Books & Cafe in Crystal City. From toast and sandwiches to yogurt parfaits and smoothies, they offer as wide a variety of food as the selection of books on their shelves.

Pi BBQ and Bar

Also located in Crystal City, Pi BBQ and Bar offers an extensive menu featuring premium cuts of meat, fresh seafood, and a variety of traditional Korean dishes. Each table is equipped with a state-of-the-art grill, allowing you to cook your selections to perfection right at your seat in their vibrant dining atmosphere!

Maman

Set within Arlington's Courthouse neighborhood, Maman offers a calm retreat from the bustle outside; a place to sip, snack, and settle in among baked-fresh aromas and touches of Maman’s familiar charm. From pastries and quiches to salads and soups, as well as handcrafted coffee shop favorites, if cozy and chic is what you're seeking, this is the spot!

Pink Saffron

Over in Pentagon City, Pink Saffron is a contemporary Indian restaurant founded by Ankush Kumar and Chef Shashank Chhatrapati, bringing the rich flavors of India to the heart of Arlington. Every dish at Pink Saffron is crafted to balance tradition and innovation - from classic curries and tandoor-grilled specialties to creative small plates and signature cocktails. This restaurant’s warm, elegant atmosphere makes it perfect for casual dining, date nights, or special gatherings!

Gwenie's/Lapu Lapu

Gwenie's Pastries and Lapu Lapu brings two beloved Maryland-born culinary concepts together under one inviting roof in National Landing. Here you'll find doughnuts, coffee, sandwiches, lumpia, and more!

Neko Panchi (in UPSIDE on Moore)

Owners of popular East Falls Church restaurant, Yume Sushi, have opened their newest concept, Neko Panchi, in Rosslyn's UPSIDE on Moore food hall. Neko Panchi is a modern Japanese shop that celebrates the art of casual, flavorful eating through hand-crafting rolls and street style snacks. Designed to bring the vibrant energy of Tokyo's food stalls to a local setting, the restaurant offers a curated menu of fresh maki rolls, onigiri rice balls, crispy tempura bites, skewers and seasonal Japanese inspired small plates.

Hilton Arlington Rosslyn The Key

The Hilton Arlington Rosslyn The Key is Arlington's newest addition to our portfolio of hotel properties. With breathtaking views of the Potomac River and Washington, D.C.'s skyline, this Rosslyn hotel will have your group staying in style. This property is home to two new restaurants: Locket and Scott's Coffee Shop & Mart. Locket has a two-story dining room on the lobby level that can fit about 200 guests, with a private dining room that connects to the hotel’s exterior patio, perfect for group dining. The property also offers exceptional meeting spaces with ample room for your next event, conference, or meeting.

This hotel is now open and accepting reservations here.

AC Hotel Arlington/National Landing

The AC Hotel Arlington National Landing also recently opened in July of 2025 and is the largest AC Hotel in North America with 355 European-inspired guest rooms. Formerly the Crystal City Marriott, this AC Hotel features a sophisticated AC Kitchen & Lounge, a brand-new lobby and AC Library, 8,800 square feet of completely refreshed meetings and events space, a reimagined exterior façade, and a 4,000-square-foot state-of-the-art fitness center in the middle of the vibrant and innovative National Landing neighborhood of Arlington.

This hotel is now open and accepting reservations here.

Concorde Elevated Meetings and Events

Arlington's newest meetings and events space, Concorde, in Crystal City, is set to open in early 2026. Concorde will set a new standard in corporate hospitality in the region, combining exceptional service, culinary excellence, and state-of-the-art conference and event facilities in a prime location next to the Pentagon, Amazon’s National Landing headquarters, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Anchored by the Johnson Forum—a spacious presentation hall accommodating up to 300 seated guests—and complemented by five additional rooms supporting big and small programs, Concorde offers a total event capacity that surpasses 470. Additionally, key spaces feature modern signage solutions for showcasing your brand and providing guests with event information.

This venue will be open soon and is accepting booking inquiries here.

Fuse at Mason Square

More than just a building, Fuse is a public-private partnership between George Mason University (GMU) and industry that brings both community and economic vitality to the region. This visionary space is built for innovation and impact. Fuse not only provides additional meeting and event space on GMU's Mason Square campus, but a pivotal central hub where researchers, entrepreneurial partners, students, and faculty can combine their talents and answer the call of the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative, creating bold solutions for a changing world.

Mason Square offers flexible, modern venues and a convenient, Metro-accessible location. The campus hosts events for academic departments, businesses, government agencies, community groups, non-profit organizations, and more. Event facilities in Van Metre Hall and Fuse include Multipurpose rooms that can be divided into two distinct event spaces, auditorium with seating for 300 and adjacent art gallery, breakout rooms and classrooms for smaller groups, Global Connections Studio, featuring advanced audiovisual technology to enhance interaction and participation for both in-person and remote audiences, The Exchange, an engagement space perfect for demonstrations and public-facing dialogue, Fuse Podcast Studio, offering a dedicated, professional-grade space for audio recording, content creation, and digital storytelling, and more!

Make a scheduling request here.

NOW Pop-Up Park

Designed and brought to life by the Rosslyn BID and its partners, the NOW—named for its location at Nash, Oak, and Wilson—is a temporary pop-up park that bridges today and tomorrow, transforming a once-passive terrace into a vibrant outdoor destination for community and visitor activity. Here you'll find a scenic terrace with comfortable seating, an interactive urban garden, and an area for our furry friends.

Arlington's Public Art Walking Tour

Arlington Arts recently created a self-guided public art walking tour around Arlington's neighborhoods! If your group is interested in the arts or simply looking to get outside in the nice weather, this tour could be a great fit. Click here to view the PDF map.

Lucky Strike

Arlington's Bowlero location in Crystal City has recently rebranded as Lucky Strike. This change reflects the company’s evolution and commitment to offering a broader range of entertainment experiences, expanding beyond traditional bowling and positioning Lucky Strike Entertainment as a premier entertainment destination. Lucky Strike is a great choice for groups looking for afterhours activities and is also a great way to keep students and children entertained while visiting the area.