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Mia’s Italian Kitchen to Serve Pizza and Pasta to the Masses

Look inside the new two-story Old Town Alexandria eatery opening this month

by Tierney Plumb
The pizza oven dominating the downstairs bar at Mia’s will produce whole and by-the-slice pizzas. A to-go window facing the street is in the works.
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC
Tierney Plumb is the editor of Eater DC, covering all things food and drink around the nation's capital.

Time-crunched Alexandria Restaurant Partners (ARP) is racing to put the finishing touches on new neighborhood eatery Mia’s Italian Kitchen ahead of a planned opening on Wednesday, April 18.

The latest addition to the ARP family of restaurants, which includes neighboring Vola’s Dockside Grill and Virtue Feed & Grain, plans to serve pastas and pizzas to Old Town Alexandria diners in a rustic-meets-modern setting accented by thick marble wraparound bars, plush neon-colored couches, and gigantic European-style doors.

Partner Dave Nicholas says he’s kept an eye on the two-story space (100 King Street) for a while now; he moved in quickly after U.K.-based chain Carluccio’s closed last summer. A few tweaks in the design process wound up delaying the revamped 180-seat restaurant until now.

“We wanted to bring the outside of Old Town to the inside of the building,” says Nicholas. The extensive renovation included adding brick wall interiors and soaring beams across the ceilings, as well as giving exterior doors a rustic red paint job.

Interior designer David Chenault, who’s also behind the look of ARP’s Majestic Cafe and Clarendon’s racy Spanish-themed Pamplona, added his signature funky and eclectic touches throughout Mia’s. Think: navy reptilian-patterned chairs, studded leather banquettes, and detailed black-and-white tiling. The in-demand designer is also busy wrapping up the Mediterranean-style La Vie restaurant at the Wharf.

Nicholas imagines that the downstairs bar, accented by a huge pizza oven, will see “lots of action and singles,” while the upstairs area should provide more of a relaxed lounge vibe.

The lengthy menu features hot and cold sandwiches, specials like eggplant parmesan and grilled branzino, as well as Sicilian-style, brick-oven pan pizzas. A family-style weekend brunch, priced at $24 per person, is expected to start right away, along with weekday happy hour deals including $4 sangrias and half-price appetizers.

Nicholas says mock service is scheduled to run all weekend.

Status: Currently scheduled to open on Wednesday, April 18. 100 King Street, Alexandria, Va.; website.

Scroll down to look inside the nearly finished restaurant:

A pricey meat slicer imported from Italy is part of Mia’s upstairs bar.
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

“It looks like there’s a lot left, but hopefully there’s not,” says Dave Nicholas, partner at Mia’s.
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

Modern pops of color are found throughout the upstairs space.
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

A soon-to-be stocked wine rack featuring bottles from across Italy on the second floor of forthcoming restaurant, Mia’s.
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

A moss green hue is spotted on the Mia’s walls and within ornate light fixtures.
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

Lots of textures and materials make up the seating arrangements at Mia’s.
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

The nearly complete exterior paint job at Mia’s. Management says an outdoor patio should accommodate 30 patrons.
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

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