My “Best of NoVA”| Fall 2026
I’ve tried a lot of restaurants around Arlington and the DMV over the years, but there are certain places I just keep going back to. Some have become part of the weekend routine, some are worth driving a little farther for, and some get bonus points for having a patio where Olive can come along.
This isn't meant to be a definitive list of the best restaurants in Northern Virginia. These are simply the places I find myself craving and recommending, from little neighborhood spots to a few chains I will happily defend.
I've included what I like to order and a few tips we've picked up along the way. Here are some of my favorites as of Fall 2026.
Best Brunch: Ruthie’s All-Day
Arlington, VA
Ruthie's All-Day has become one of our go-to brunch spots for a few reasons. It's dog-friendly, we can bring Olive and sit outside, and most importantly for me, I get to combine two of my favorite things: brunch and barbecue.
Brisket Hash with smoked brisket, roasted potatoes, vegetables, kale, a poached egg and mustard seed cream
I usually get the Brisket Hash, which has smoked brisket, roasted potatoes, vegetables, kale, a poached egg and mustard seed cream. The brisket is what makes it for me. I love barbecue, so being able to get smoked meat instead of the usual bacon or sausage with brunch is right up my alley. I'm also a sucker for anything involving crispy onions.
They have a good drink selection too. If I'm having a beer with brunch, I like a hazy IPA, but they also have some really good nonalcoholic options. The Garden Sipper is one of my favorites. It's made with cucumber, honey, mint, lemon and soda, and it's light and refreshing.
The patio is another big reason we come here. It's a nice space with heat lamps when the weather gets colder, and we've brought Olive with us plenty of times. Ruthie's gets busy, especially for weekend brunch, so this is one place where I'd recommend making a reservation rather than just showing up. You can request indoor or outdoor seating depending on the weather and whether you have a dog with you.
Ruthie's is open beyond brunch and has lunch and dinner menus too, including plenty of barbecue, sandwiches and other options. But brunch is still when I like coming here the most. Give me a patio table, Olive, a plate involving brisket and something good to drink, and I'm pretty happy.
Best Bagels: Brooklyn Bagel Bakery
Courthouse, Arlington
Brooklyn Bagel is a weekend staple for me. I've tried a lot of the popular bagel spots around the DMV, including Call Your Mother, Bethesda Bagels and Chesapeake Bagel Bakery, and this is still the one I compare all the others to. The bagels have the proper amount of chew that I want in a bagel, and with so many different flavors, I've yet to find one I don't like.
Onion bagel with scallion cream cheese, and a hot coffee
They make their bagels in-house and kettle boil them, which probably explains some of that texture. They also make their own flavored cream cheeses, with options like jalapeño, veggie, scallion and a handful of sweeter varieties. My go-to order used to be a jalapeño cheddar bagel with egg, onion and cheese, but lately I've switched to an onion bagel with scallion cream cheese. Both are very different orders, but equally good depending on what I'm in the mood for.
There's pretty much always a line on weekend mornings. You'll see people coming in after a workout alongside people who look like they may have stumbled out of bed after a late night in Clarendon. Despite the crowds, the line usually moves pretty quickly.
There are a few tables outside, which is where I'll sit if I have Olive with me, although they fill up fast on nice mornings. Luckily, Courthouse has plenty of benches and places to sit nearby if you want to grab your bagel and wander until you find a spot. If we're eating inside, I like grabbing one of the window seats, having a cup of their piping hot coffee and people-watching for a bit.
There's nothing particularly fancy about Brooklyn Bagel, and that's part of why I like it. It's an unassuming neighborhood bagel shop that makes really good bagels, has been there forever, and always seems to be packed on a weekend morning. At this point, a Brooklyn Bagel run feels like part of the weekend routine.
Best Coffee: Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii
Virginia Square, Arlington
I've been to a lot of coffee shops around Arlington, and while Bad Ass Coffee isn't necessarily the one I visit the most, it's probably my favorite when I want a good, casual cup of coffee. Part of that is the coffee itself, but I also have a soft spot for anything Hawaiian. My family has always loved Hawaii, I've been a few times, and Kona coffee is one of those things that immediately reminds me of being there.
Iced coffee with half and half & a Hot Monkey Mocha
If you're getting iced coffee, one of the best things they do is use coffee ice cubes instead of regular ice. It's such a small detail, but it means you can take your time drinking it without ending up with watered-down coffee at the bottom of the cup. I wish more coffee shops did this.
The shop itself is pretty laid-back and has a fun Hawaiian feel without going overboard. They have cute merch and bags of Hawaiian coffee inside, and it's a nice place to pop into if you're already around Virginia Square. There are also a couple of tables outside, so it's an easy coffee stop if you have your dog with you.
The breakfast sandwiches deserve a mention too. They're served on King's Hawaiian sweet rolls, which I've loved since I was a kid, and they're small but really flavorful. I usually get the bacon, egg and cheese, but they also have a version with pineapple and barbecue sauce that's really good if you want something a little different.
It's tucked away a bit in Virginia Square, and we've usually had pretty good luck finding street parking nearby. Between the Hawaiian coffee, the coffee ice cubes and the breakfast sandwiches, it's one of my favorite spots to stop when I want coffee that feels a little different from my usual Starbucks or Dunkin' run.
Best Burger: Elevation Burger
North Arlington
Anyone who knows me knows that burgers are a passion of mine. I eat way too many of them, and I'm not ashamed to say it. I've tried burgers at so many different places around the DMV, and while there are plenty of really good ones, the burger I keep going back to is from Elevation Burger.
Mushroom Swiss Burger with fries
Yes, it's a chain, but I don't care. The burgers are pretty simple, but there's something about the flavor that gets me every time. The beef almost has a buttery taste to it, and I've never quite figured out what makes it so good.
My order is always the Mushroom Swiss Burger, which comes with Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms and horseradish sauce. The horseradish is what makes it for me. It adds a little kick and gives the burger a flavor I don't usually get from a standard mushroom Swiss. I also ask for an extra side of the horseradish sauce for dipping my fries.
Speaking of the fries, they're another reason I like coming here. They're hand-cut from whole potatoes right in the restaurant and cooked in olive oil. If you happen to be there while they're making them, you can see the potatoes being pushed through the cutter before eventually becoming your fries. They don't get much fresher than that.
The Arlington location is in a busy little shopping center, but the outdoor seating is usually surprisingly quiet. We like sitting outside when we have Olive with us, especially when the weather is nice. There's also plenty of seating inside if you'd rather eat indoors.
There may be fancier burgers around town, but Elevation Burger is the one I crave and keep coming back to. Give me a Mushroom Swiss, fresh-cut fries and an extra cup of horseradish sauce, and I'm happy.
Best Pad Thai: Thai Square
Columbia Pike, Arlington
Pad Thai is usually my go-to when I'm trying a Thai restaurant for the first time, which also means I've had a lot of versions of it. It can be pretty hit or miss for me. Sometimes it's too tangy, sometimes the fish sauce is a little too strong, and sometimes it's fine but nothing I'm particularly excited to order again. Thai Square makes it exactly how I like it every time.
Spicy shrimp pad thai
The noodles here are a little thinner than what I've had at most other Thai restaurants, and I think that's part of why I like it so much. They hold onto the sauce really well, so everything feels evenly coated and flavorful without being overly saucy. I usually order mine spicy, and when Thai Square says spicy, they mean it. You can definitely order it mild, but if you like heat, their spicy version has the level of kick I'm looking for.
One of the biggest things for me is that the fish sauce never overpowers everything else. I've had Pad Thai where I liked it the first night, only to reheat the leftovers the next day and find that the fishy flavor had gotten much stronger. I've never had that problem here, which is important because the portions are generous and I almost always have leftovers.
I usually get mine with shrimp, although I've tried the beef too and really liked it. If we're getting an appetizer, I also love the Kanom Jeeb dumplings. I've eaten here in person and ordered it for takeout, and the Pad Thai holds up really well either way. It's become the version I compare all the others to.
Best Korean BBQ: 9292 Korean BBQ
Annandale, VA
I've been to quite a few Korean BBQ spots around the DMV, but 9292 is the one I keep coming back to. For me, it's the combination of the marinated meats and all of the sides. Their banchan is my favorite of any Korean BBQ I've tried in the area, and there is always a lot of it.
Spicy pork belly on the grill
For the meats, we usually start with the spicy pork belly and short rib. The portions are pretty generous, which can make it hard to try several things without ending up with way too much food. One thing we learned after going a few times is that you can ask for half portions of the meats. It's a much better way to order if you want to try a few different ones.
One of my favorite parts is everything that comes with the meal. Around the outside of the grill, there's cheesy corn, egg, mushrooms and bean sprouts that cook alongside the meat. Then there are all the cold sides. I particularly love the pickled radish and the peanuts in sauce. There are so many different things on the table that every bite can be a little different depending on what you pair together.
The service has been a little hit or miss depending on the visit, but for the most part we've had really friendly, attentive servers. What keeps me coming back is the food. The marinades have a lot of flavor, the sides are really good, and I always leave very full.
They also used to bring out little melon ice cream bars at the end of the meal, which was always one of my favorite parts. They disappeared for a while, but recent reviews suggest the complimentary popsicles are back. I'll consider that one more reason I'm overdue for another visit.
Best Sushi: Kanji Sushi AYCE
Springfield, VA
I'm usually a little skeptical of all-you-can-eat sushi because somewhere along the way you tend to sacrifice either quality or variety. Kanji is the exception for me. It's a bit of a drive from Arlington, but we've made the trip plenty of times because the sushi is consistently fresh, flavorful and well made.
Honeymoon Roll: Spicy salmon inside topped with tuna, salmon, avocado, served with spicy mayo and wasabi sauce.
There's a conveyor belt running through the restaurant with different dishes you can grab as they pass, but you can also order directly from the menu. The selection is huge. There are tons of sushi rolls, nigiri and sashimi, plus hot and cold appetizers, soups, hibachi and even little desserts that make their way around the restaurant. I especially love the pepper tuna tataki and tend to gravitate toward rolls with shrimp and avocado, but I've tried a lot of different things here and rarely order exactly the same meal twice.
The rolls themselves are one of the reasons I like Kanji so much. They're tightly rolled and hold together when you pick them up, and the ingredients taste fresh. Even the sushi coming around on the conveyor belt has been consistently good when we've gone. For an all-you-can-eat restaurant, the quality feels much closer to what I'd expect ordering individual rolls à la carte.
One thing to know is that ordering is done through your server rather than an iPad at the table. My little trick is to look through the menu and keep a running list in my Notes app of everything we want. When the server comes by, I can hand them my phone and they can put the whole order in at once. It makes ordering multiple rounds a lot easier, and the servers have always seemed to appreciate it too.
Kanji has definitely caught on, so there can be a wait. For us, it's still worth the drive and the occasional wait. There are closer places to get sushi, but when we're in the mood to make a meal out of it and try a little bit of everything, this is where we go.
Best Kabob: Kabob Bazaar
Clarendon, Arlington
I've tried a lot of kabob around the DMV, but there is one specific dish at Kabob Bazaar that keeps me coming back. The Kabob Torsh is my order every single time we go. At this point, I've accepted that I'm probably never going to branch out.
Kabob torsh
The beef is marinated in a pomegranate, cilantro and walnut sauce, and it's always incredibly tender. It has a slightly sweet, tangy flavor from the pomegranate that makes it different from the more traditional kabobs I've had elsewhere. It comes with basmati rice, Salad Shirazi, zeytoon parvardeh, which are marinated olives, and a roasted tomato. The olives are especially good with the kabob and rice.
They also bring bread and radishes to the table. They used to bring out a plate of fresh herbs and green onions with it too, which I loved, but that hasn't come out the past few times we've visited. I definitely miss it and am holding out hope that it eventually makes a return.
Kabob Bazaar has also become one of our favorite places to sit outside with Olive. The staff is always so happy to see her, and they'll bring her a bowl of water while we eat. The patio is right along Wilson Boulevard in the middle of Clarendon, so there's always someone walking by and plenty of people-watching. On a Friday evening, I'll usually get a cold beer with my kabob and we're perfectly happy sitting there for a while.
If you somehow still have room afterward, the Persian ice cream is worth trying. It's flavored with saffron and rose water and has pistachios mixed in, and it's really good. I rarely have enough room left after finishing the Kabob Torsh, but when I'm in the mood for something sweet, that's what I'd get.
There are plenty of things on the menu I've told myself I should try, but I can't seem to get past the Kabob Torsh. When you find the thing you love, you stick with it.
Best Barbecue: Sloppy Mama’s BBQ
North Arlington
We've tried pretty much every barbecue place around the DMV at some point in our ongoing search for the best ribs, and Sloppy Mama's is the one we keep going back to. We've eaten there in person and picked it up plenty of times, and even after the drive home, everything holds up really well.
Texas Trinity: brisket, a half rack of ribs, two different sausages and three sides.
We almost always get the Texas Trinity, which is basically a little bit of everything I want from a barbecue place. It comes with brisket, a half rack of ribs, two different sausages and three sides. My favorite part is probably the brisket. It's incredibly tender and practically falls apart when you pick it up. For sides, I always want the mac and cheese and baked beans, and then we usually switch up the third.
There's also a sauce bar with several different barbecue sauces, so you can try different ones with each of the meats. I like grabbing a few and figuring out which combinations I like best. You can also stock up on pickles and pickled red onions, plus bread if you want it.
The Texas Trinity is around $60 when we get it for the two of us, but it's a ton of food and we almost always have leftovers. That's also why Sloppy Mama's has become such a good takeout option for us. Nothing feels like it suffers from the ride home, and there's usually enough left for another meal.
If you're eating there, the restaurant itself is pretty big with plenty of seating, and we've rarely found it overwhelmingly crowded. After trying our way through a lot of the DMV barbecue options, this is the one we keep coming back to.
Best Fried Chicken: Bonchon
North Arlington
This one might be a little controversial because, yes, Bonchon is a chain. But I've tried plenty of Korean fried chicken spots around the DMV, along with more traditional wing places, and when I'm craving boneless wings, Bonchon is still the one I want.
Spicy boneless wings, soy garlic chicken strips, and pickled radish
The chicken is double-fried, which gives it this incredibly crispy exterior without making the chicken itself feel overly heavy. It's also hand-brushed with sauce rather than completely drenched in it, which is something I really like. You still get plenty of flavor, but the chicken stays crispy and you don't end up with a puddle of sauce at the bottom of the basket.
I usually get the boneless chicken, although their chicken strips are really good too. There are several sauces to choose from, including Soy Garlic and Spicy, plus Bonchon Gold Dust if you'd rather go with a dry seasoning. I like switching between them, although a warning if you're ordering Spicy: it is legitimately spicy.
The pickled radish is a must for me. It's cold, crunchy and a little sweet and tangy, which is so good in between bites of fried chicken. It's such a simple meal when you think about it, just crispy chicken and pickled radish, but I don't really need anything else.
They have a much bigger menu with Korean dishes and appetizers if you want to branch out, but I almost always come here for the chicken. I've tried enough other versions at this point to know what I like, and for crispy boneless Korean fried chicken, Bonchon is in a league of its own for me.
Best Gelato: Dolcezza
Mosaic District, Fairfax
Dolcezza is a little farther than we'd normally go for dessert, but anytime we find ourselves in Mosaic and want something sweet, this is usually where we end up. I've had a lot of gelato around the DMV, and Dolcezza stands out for how creamy it is and how much flavor they manage to pack into every scoop.
I don't even have a usual order here because I tend to get something different every time. Their flavors change throughout the year based on what's in season, so there's usually something new to try. I tend to gravitate toward anything chocolatey or nutty, but they always have fruitier gelato and sorbetto options too.
The shop itself is pretty small, with only a few window seats inside, and there's usually a line when we go. It can look crowded when you first walk up, but in my experience the line moves pretty quickly. It's also a little on the pricey side for gelato, but the quality and flavors are why I keep coming back.
There are benches right outside, or you can wander around Mosaic with your gelato and find somewhere to sit around the square. It's a good excuse to walk around, people-watch and see what's going on in the neighborhood.
For me, the texture is what really sets Dolcezza apart. It's incredibly creamy, the flavors are interesting without feeling overly complicated, and because the menu changes, I rarely end up ordering the same thing twice.
I'm sure this list will keep changing as we try new places, but for now, these are the spots we find ourselves going back to again and again. Some are close enough to walk to, some require getting in the car, and some get bonus points because Olive can come along. If you try one, I hope you find something you love too. And if there's a spot around Arlington or the DMV that you think deserves a place on this list, I'm always looking for an excuse to try somewhere new.
