Alexandria’s Waterfront Nets a New Wood-Fired Restaurant Next Year

Alexandria’s waterfront dining scene gets a boost early next year with the arrival of wood-fired restaurant Ada’s on the River.

The modern newcomer, which pays homage to 19th-century mathematician Ada Lovelace, comes from local hospitality titans Alexandria Restaurant Partners (Lola’s Dockside Grill, The Majestic).

The Potomac River perch in Robinson Landing (3 Pioneer Mill Way) will be helmed by chef and Maryland native Randall J. Matthews, whose culinary resume includes stints at The Four Seasons in D.C. and St. Anselm. The focal point of the 267-seat venue is a wood-burning oven, charged with cooking steaks, seafood, and vegetarian dishes.

The soaring setup, which sports 105 patio seats, will offer prime waterfront vistas via 15-foot floor-to-ceiling windows. Along with a pair of towering lemon trees framing the oven, artistic details will include images of Lovelace and her father and poet Lord Byron.

ARP is also gearing up to open Mediterranean-themed Barca Wine Bar & Pier at Robinson Landing next spring.

In other news...

• New York’s hit Detroit-style pizza joint Emmy Squared is en route to Old Town next year, reports WBJ. The trendy import that’s also famous for its burger will slide into the recently closed Pizza Paradiso space (124 King Street). Emmy Squared made its D.C. debut this year in Shaw.
• The Conche chef Santosh Tiptur will finally debut his anticipated La Prensa Tacos & Tapas in Sterling next month, reports Northern Virginia Magazine.
• Slim Chickens, a booming fast-casual chain founded in Arkansas in 2003, will plant its first flag in the D.C. area at 10800 Martin Luther King Jr. Highway in Bowie, reports Washington Business Journal.
• King Street Oyster Bar and Green Zone alum DJ Suan is the new beverage director at Dupont Circle’s members-only Patterson Mansion at Ampeer Residences.
• D.C. is one of 11 cities that will benefit from PepsiCo and National Urban League’s Black Restaurant Accelerator program, designed to provide Black restaurateurs access to capital, training, mentorship, and other support to stay afloat during the pandemic.
• Cindy Lou’s Fish House, a new seafood spot from Tony Foreman and acclaimed Charleston chef Cindy Wolf, will open Tuesday, October 27, at the new Canopy by Hilton Harbor Point Baltimore.