Can you recommend interesting restaurants in the Springfield area, incl. Burke, Lorton, Annandale. Please do not list chain restaurants, such as Outback, Mike's, etc. Any cuisine. We moved to Springfield recently and have not had much luck. Do we have to head to Old Town Alexandria?

I have always had great food and service at Dolce Vita in Fairfax city. It is not too far of a drive from the springfield area and I have always found it worth the drive since I live in the same area. It is located on Rt 50 near Paul VI HS

Enjoy

This may help

http://dinesite.com/city/city-6634/??&t=0

Thanks for the recommendation. I've heard of Dolce Vita, and that it's pretty small. Do they take reservations? If so, that automatically puts them above the chains.

Also, does anyone know whether Vinnie's (the new one in Fairfax) is as good as the old Vinnie's in Kings Park USED to be? I'm referring to when Vinnie worked there (80s and early 90s), before it turned into a dive. We had several fine meals there in the late 80s and were shocked to see how far it had fallen when we re-visited it in 2005.

The restaurant that has taken its place--San Vito's--what's that like?

Paradiso Italian on Franconia Road near the intersection of Buhlea.

When I think of "fine dining" I don't think of Springfield. There is a ton of stuff in Old Town Alexandria. I would suggest you make the trip.

San Vitos is great, they are expanding quickly but with good reason, it's a great restaurant! So I guess they technically qualify as a chain (I think they have 4 or 5 locations) but the one I have been to has a small local feel. Definitely worth checking out.

In Springfield, I have enjoyed going to ZVictors Pizza Den for three decades now!

Good stuff, decent prices, and the one waitress remembered me for years.

It is at Rolling and OKM rd. in the Fresh Food shopping plaza.

I strongly agree with the above recommendations for San Vito and Victor's -- both are great. The Afghan Kabob restaurant at Rolling/OldKM is supposed to be excellent, too. If you like Thai, "House of Siam" on Spring Garden drive is fantastic. The neighborhood is horrible (lock your car!), and the restaurant looks like a seedy hole-in-the-wall, but the food is the best Thai I've had in years. King Street Blues in Kingstowne is another place I'd recommend. And in Old Town, the "Bilbo Baggins" restaurant does a great sunday brunch.

And, of course, since you requested "interesting" restaurants, try Generous George's in Alexandria. The service is appallingly bad, but any place that serves their pasta dishes on top of a pizza base has to be worth checking out, if only for novelty value...

The Afghan Kabob restaurant at Rolling/OldKM is supposed to be excellent, too.

If you're talking about the place next to Jaxx, yeah, it is pretty fuckin good. I haven't been there in a real long time but I'd still recommend it.

Wrinkle Wrote:
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> And, of course, since you requested "interesting"
> restaurants, try Generous George's in Alexandria.
> The service is appallingly bad, but any place that
> serves their pasta dishes on top of a pizza base
> has to be worth checking out, if only for novelty
> value...

______________________________________________________________

Generous Georges is a cool place! They have a Taco Cha=Cha pizza that is amazing. In fact, I may go eat that tomorrow!


Also, Malek's Pizza in Springfield (on OKM by Commerce St.) has an amazing spaghetti pizza. Yes, SPAGHETTI, baked on top of a pizza. Awesome stuff.

PTG Wrote:
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> Thanks for the recommendation. I've heard of
> Dolce Vita, and that it's pretty small. Do they
> take reservations? If so, that automatically puts
> them above the chains.
>
> Also, does anyone know whether Vinnie's (the new
> one in Fairfax) is as good as the old Vinnie's in
> Kings Park USED to be? I'm referring to when
> Vinnie worked there (80s and early 90s), before it
> turned into a dive. We had several fine meals
> there in the late 80s and were shocked to see how
> far it had fallen when we re-visited it in 2005.
>
> The restaurant that has taken its place--San
> Vito's--what's that like?

Nah, the "new" Vinnie's on Main is crap.

When Vinnie died, the place died with her.

> Also, Malek's Pizza in Springfield (on OKM by
> Commerce St.) has an amazing spaghetti pizza. Yes,
> SPAGHETTI, baked on top of a pizza. Awesome stuff.


Malek's is also one of the few places that stays open real late. If you work shift, it's good to know.

When I saw Maleks, I thought it odd a name for a pizza joint. Sorta like Sum-Yung-Cum's Fish & Chips.

PTG Wrote:
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> Please do not list chain restaurants

why, are you a dirty hippie or something?


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

I'd recommend the Fireside Grill on Lorton Station Blvd. There's a place across the street from it too. Can't tell you what they serve (I can't even remember the name) but it is always packed. Last time I went, there was a nice Ferrari parked outside.

Its not in springfield but close enough and that is Spartans in Burke. It is maybe 5 minutes from West Springfield HS off Burke Lake Road. The food is reasonably priced and good. They have specials almost every day.

That place is called Pane e Vino and it’s a lot better than Fireside Grill. Although Fireside's food is great I think they're overpriced. Also, their "filet mignon" for the Sunday brunch is just a slice of beef tenderloin.

Pane e Vino. Yes, that's it. Thanks.

Haven't had the Fireside brunch, but will be sure to check out PeV next time I'm down that way.

If you sit outside, you can watch the cops flying out of the local neighborhood to pull over people who run the stop sign on Lorton Station Blvd.

duh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PTG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Thanks for the recommendation. I've heard of
> > Dolce Vita, and that it's pretty small. Do
> they
> > take reservations? If so, that automatically
> puts
> > them above the chains.
> >
> > Also, does anyone know whether Vinnie's (the
> new
> > one in Fairfax) is as good as the old Vinnie's
> in
> > Kings Park USED to be? I'm referring to when
> > Vinnie worked there (80s and early 90s), before
> it
> > turned into a dive. We had several fine meals
> > there in the late 80s and were shocked to see
> how
> > far it had fallen when we re-visited it in
> 2005.
> >
> > The restaurant that has taken its place--San
> > Vito's--what's that like?
>
> Nah, the "new" Vinnie's on Main is crap.
>
> When Vinnie died, the place died with her.


I was very saddened to hear that Vinnie had died. We used to go to Vinnie's all the time in the late 80's and through the 90's. Does anybody know how and when she died? Or how her husband, Whitey (who was the cook), is?

Saratoga Pizzeria off Rolling Road it's a great little mom and pop place that does a very good lunch business. I have yet to eat a bad meal there.

I LIKE J W AND FRIENDS ON BACKLICK ROAD NEXT FIVE GUYS. GOOD FOOD AND A GOOD LOCALS CROWD. EVERYONE IS VERY FRIENDLY

I live in springfield, I wish I had something to recommend but I dont. Northern Virgina seems to LOVE their generic, bland chain resturants, and thats all you are really going to find here unfourtunaly. Maleks is nothing special, its good though if you want something other than fast food late at night, other than that its nothing special really. Everything about this area is generic, we really live in the most boring place in the country...haha

Colin Wrote:
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>
> If you sit outside, you can watch the cops flying
> out of the local neighborhood to pull over people
> who run the stop sign on Lorton Station Blvd.



haha, ^---- I rest my case, most boring place in the country, godd I hate NOVA.

Colin Wrote:
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> I'd recommend the Fireside Grill on Lorton Station
> Blvd. There's a place across the street from it
> too. Can't tell you what they serve (I can't even
> remember the name) but it is always packed. Last
> time I went, there was a nice Ferrari parked
> outside.


______________________________________________________

Reading the Wash. Post last week, I discovered that the Fireside Grille is owned by the same guy that owns Hopsfrog Tavern in Burke Centre (on BCP).

They have an awesome Sunday Brunch and I have been going to H/F Tavern since it opened in 1997 - Good stuff! Esp. their sampler appetizer! The sesame wings are great and their potato skins are generously portioned!

We tried Pan e Vino and loved the fried calamari! The main courses were tasty too. Beware: the portions are dinner-size; we probably should have asked for half-portions.

Glad you enjoyed it. Not too many places with great calamari. Ever tried the calamari at Coastal Flats?

I also recommend Victor's and Spartans. There is also Angie's in Twinbrook shopping center. Milano's off Rolling and Bauer isn't bad either. Kate's Irish Pub next to Fischer's in springfield is pretty good as well and they have live music regularly. Paradiso on Franconia has gotten excellent reviews and I've heard a lot of raves, but I haven't actually gotten around to going.

4 provinces are good. There is a hole in the wall chinese place on Main street in FX city on the corner of Main and 29/50 etc. Between the piano store and 7-11

Green Olives Backlick Rd south of Old Keane in Springfield

Dauphine's Steak House. An excellent place to bring the family. -§

§ Wrote:
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> Dauphine's Steak House. An excellent place to
> bring the family. -§

LOL.

Hey, I hate to tell you....but the last few times I drove past Dauphine's, it looked like it was closed. Did they move?

Villa Bella in Burke (left "arm" in the WalMart shopping center.
Polo Grille on Rte. 1 in Lorton,
a little Mexican restaurant (can't remember the name) on the same "arm" as Quizmo's and Glory Days in the strip mall on the corner of OKM and Lee Chapel.

Mcdonalds ! They are on every corner.

duh Wrote:
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> § Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Dauphine's Steak House. An excellent place to
> > bring the family. -§
>
> LOL.
>
> Hey, I hate to tell you....but the last few times
> I drove past Dauphine's, it looked like it was
> closed. Did they move?

I heard that too from someone that lives nearby. I've never been personally, but I understand there was some serious entertainment over there. That place looked shady as anything from the outside. -§

§ Wrote:
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>
>
> I heard that too from someone that lives nearby.
> I've never been personally, but I understand there
> was some serious entertainment over there. That
> place looked shady as anything from the outside.
> -§

There was a fire in that building and I don't think they ever opened back up. I went once, it was shitty.

Asian Grill--best Chinese, best preparation, attention to detail, healthful
Carlos O'Kellys (yes, a chain; however, the best Mexican--salsa is incredible)
Coastal Flats--every thing's good--lobster bisque, cod fingers, a real treat
Delia's--good sandwiches, great Peruvian-cooked chicken
Hopsfrog Grille--very tasty, best hamburgers (design your own)
Milano's--best fried zucchini strips, onion rings, and great sandwiches
Sakoontra--best Tom Yum and other delights like shredded duck salad

Carlos O'Kellys (yes, a chain; however, the best Mexican--salsa is incredible)

I ate there a few months ago and was sorta disappointed, it wasn't as good as I remembered. My chimichanga tasted like it was microwaved. The service was pretty slow too. Maybe I was just there on a bad day.

Coastal Flats--every thing's good--lobster bisque, cod fingers, a real treat

Ate there last Sunday- excellent. That Sauteed Shrimp & Creamy Grit Cakes fuckin rocks, I might actually go there again tomorrow just to get that. Good call.

Must have been a "bad" day at Carlos O'Kellys. I have found that their food is pretty consistent, especially the tacos and enchilada plates--their Prairie Fire Steak is very good, also. For a real treat at Coastal Flats order the Yucatan Shrimp Cocktail.

The food was okay, but the service was really bad. They really should work on customer service. Others hae reviewed their service as pretty bad, to include their delivery. Delia Pizza has a problem with its staff. I know service in the food industry has been gone down, but you'd think a place like this would try to do better.