A Walk Through Virginia's First Matchbox

Grid View

• Matchbox’s Executive Chef Jacob Hunter will helm the kitchen for Matchbox Merrifield’s launch.
• A 10-seat bar overlooks the pizza ovens, which were built brick by brick by Matchbox’s oven consultant Pat Manley. The ovens are always the first item to be constructed at any Matchbox restaurant.
• The Barrel Room will seat 60 to 80 diners and offers a catering menu for private parties.
• Accents in the Barrel Room include handcut bricks, reclaimed wood, and wine coolers.
• The bar will spotlight Virginia breweries and feature wine on tap.
• The last two booths will feature a prime view of the semi-open kitchen.
• The signature Matchbox dining cube, in construction.
• Take-out orders will have their own designated to-go area near the bar.

Time now to check in on the progress over at Matchbox in Merrifield's Mosaic District. Eater got a first look of how things are shaping up at the chain's first Virginia outpost, where the Matchbox Food Group team is working on the restaurant's finishing touches for an early April opening. The 250-seat restaurant's design is sort of a "best of" amalgamation of all the Matchbox restaurants, incorporating reclaimed wood and rough timbers left over from the 14th Street Matchbox buildout, a "Barrel Room" private dining dining space similar to the one at Matchbox in Rockville, and of course, Matchbox's signature dining cube. The restaurant will be the first full-service dining establishment to open at Mosaic District, and will be open for dinner only at the launch, with lunch and brunch to be added soon after.

So what's new and unique at the Virginia Matchbox? The restaurant's sprawling bar includes a communal table with chairs on both sides for groups, and will prominently feature Virginia brewers, as well as wine on tap. A 10-seat pizza bar overlooks the restaurant's two brick pizza ovens, and guests will be able to get a look at food preparation thanks to a semi-open kitchen.

Expect the menu to be similar to the 14th Street Matchbox for the launch, with a few special menu items from Matchbox Food Group's Executive Chef Jacob Hunter, like a crispy half chicken with bacon-braised collard greens and garlic mashed potatoes. Another feature unique to this Matchbox is the restaurant's proximity to Mosaic District landmark, the Angelika Film Center: diners on the 40-seat patio will have a view of the theatre's outdoor screen for al fresco movie watching, with mini burgers and wood-fired pizza.
—Adele Chapin
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