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Dining in Reston Town Center


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15 minutes ago, Kev29 said:

Yes, that's what I meant. Thank you. 

Anywhere in Reston or Herndon or even Chantilly.

Chantilly is fertile ethnic territory, and an area I know well - I can help you there more than I can with Reston or Herndon. Here's a three-year-old post that isn't completely dated, although some additions have been made (check the Dining Guide). 

I have to admit, I *love* driving Westbound on Route 50, and seeing what I consider to be the "official entrance" to Chantilly (which I used to consider to be Total Wine) - The Burger Shack. It may not be the greatest food in the world, but they've really charmed up a historic building, and not in a gaudy way - it looks great when you're driving by.

Go to Taste @ Hong Kong and get the "Fried Pumpkin with Salty Egg Yolk" (read the post, and the one by Bob Wells which follows the three-year-old post above). There's also a "Taste of Korea" virtually next door to it.

If you don't mind calories, the P-Nut Power at Robek's (there's one in Reston) is an addicting smoothie, and super high in protein.

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1 hour ago, Kev29 said:

Hmm, 

Decent deli sandwiches
Noodles/ramen
Thai/Vietnamese/SE Asian
BBQ
Indian
A good burger

I'm not picky :) Thanks in advance

Decent deli sandwiches It is a shame that Reston doesn't really have a good deli. Just a quick drive down to Vienna and The Italian Gourmet makes good sandwiches. 

Noodles/Ramen Not really familiar with any noodles or ramen place in this area that are non chain. I would say Dumpling Queen in Chantilly is good. 

Thai In Herndon one of the oldest Thai restaurants still around and doing good business is Thai Luang. Also there is a new Thai place called Hibiscus Thai Cuisine but haven't gotten to it yet since we usually get our Thai fix from Elephant Jumps or Sisters Thai. 

BBQ Willard's just opened up in the shopping center near Home Depot between Reston and Herndon. 

Indian Madras Chopsticks or Masala Wok in Herndon. 

Burger In Reston itself I would say just Five Guys. But if you are the west side, I would say go to Melt in Leesburg. Definitely worth the trip. 

I've listed most non-chain restaurants since those are the harder ones to find. Otherwise the RTC has a bunch as do the strip malls in the area. For example there are 3 or 4 Noodles and Company in that geographic area. 

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On 5/16/2017 at 11:54 PM, lion said:

Decent deli sandwiches It is a shame that Reston doesn't really have a good deli. Just a quick drive down to Vienna and The Italian Gourmet makes good sandwiches. 

If you're going to hit Vienna, you may want to also consider Oakton and Chase the Submarine (again, I highly recommend looking at the Dining Guide for Oakton). There's Clarity Bistro, Pure Pasty Co. (try an "Original" Pasty on your first visit, then buy a few to take home and freeze), and several other worthwhile restaurants. Take Hunter Mill Rd., and it's not as far as you might think to Route 123. Don't forget, we have the new owner of Maple Ave. Restaurant active here as well.

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There is now a  decent pho, bahn mi and boba tea shop in Sterling adjacent to the NOVA campus. TeaBreak is at 46850 S Cottage Rd #100, Sterling, VA 20164.  The K-mart plaza (soon to be K-martless) in Herndon hosts Charcoal Kabob, and there are several Indian restaurants in the area, most of which offer buffets at lunch time.  The exception is in the K-mart plaza itself, where an order-at-the counter Indian place (I think it is Indian Baker, used to be Hot Breads) has a good selection of dosa.  

The Herndon area has a number of good Thai restaurants.  While there are others, I am fond of Thai by Thai and Thai Luong.  Thai by Thai is order at the counter and has a "not-so-secret" Thai menu with the more exciting dishes, while Thai Luong is a much fancier venue with an addictive the basil duck.  

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On ‎5‎/‎17‎/‎2017 at 8:32 AM, DonRocks said:

If you're going to hit Vienna, you may want to also consider Oakton and Chase the Submarine (again, I highly recommend looking at the Dining Guide for Oakton). There's Clarity Bistro, Pure Pasty Co. (try an "Original" Pasty on your first visit, then buy a few to take home and freeze), and several other worthwhile restaurants. Take Hunter Mill Rd., and it's not as far as you might think to Route 123. Don't forget, we have the new owner of Maple Ave. Restaurant active here as well.

Picking nits here a little, but the three places you mention here, as well as most of the places listed in the Vienna/Oakton Dining Guide, are more readily accessible if you take a left off of Hunter Mill Road onto Lawyers Road, which, as you approach 123 and turn left onto Church Street, will have Chase, Pure Pasty, and Clarity (in that order) all close by.  The Italian Gourmet would be a right on 123 (or some back roads).  The only place on the Dining Guide, as far as I can tell, that is more accessible by taking Hunter Mill Road all the way to 123 is Tigris.  And, yes, if you are on the east side of Reston, it is not really that far.

Right across 123 as you approach on Lawyers are Taco Bamba and Cava.

Red's Table is at the South Lakes shopping center in Reston, and is not awful.  They reportedly have a new chef.

Brown Bag at Plaza America in Reston has some decent sandwiches, but is a little pricey.  My understanding is that this is a retail location of a company in Reston that has been doing office catering for quite some time.

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3 hours ago, JBag57 said:

Picking nits here a little, but the three places you mention here, as well as most of the places listed in the Vienna/Oakton Dining Guide, are more readily accessible if you take a left off of Hunter Mill Road onto Lawyers Road, which, as you approach 123 and turn left onto Church Street, will have Chase, Pure Pasty, and Clarity (in that order) all close by.  The Italian Gourmet would be a right on 123 (or some back roads).  The only place on the Dining Guide, as far as I can tell, that is more accessible by taking Hunter Mill Road all the way to 123 is Tigris.  And, yes, if you are on the east side of Reston, it is not really that far.

Right across 123 as you approach on Lawyers are Taco Bamba and Cava.

Red's Table is at the South Lakes shopping center in Reston, and is not awful.  They reportedly have a new chef.

Brown Bag at Plaza America in Reston has some decent sandwiches, but is a little pricey.  My understanding is that this is a retail location of a company in Reston that has been doing office catering for quite some time.

Good to hear that Red's Table has a new chef. After multiple visits, we like the setting and the relaxed atmosphere of a neighborhood restaurant, however the quality of the food has been subpar. The bar does have a good selection of VA beers though. 

In some ways that reminds me of Brown Bag as well. Going there it seems like the food will taste better but inevitably its a disappointing. 

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On 5/16/2017 at 10:31 PM, Kev29 said:

Hmm, 

Decent deli sandwiches
Noodles/ramen
Thai/Vietnamese/SE Asian
BBQ
Indian
A good burger

I'm not picky :) Thanks in advance

The Deli - In the soon-to-be K-Mart less shopping center:  The Deli in K-Mart plaza

Second for Thai Luang, very short drive from RTC just over the line in Herndon: Thai Luang Herndon

     Big Bowl Reston - Noodle soups and other Asian dishes (have not been here in years, but place seems busy and has been there a very long time.

WIllards at Home Depot is solid, actually had lunch there today.

Cannot help you much with Indian but there are several places on Elden Street about 2-3 miles from RTC and they have all been there for some time.

     Supper Club

     Angeethii

     Paradise

The Counter (it is a chain) has a decent burger and is right at RTC: Counter Reston

Mortons at RTC also has a great burger for lunch and you can eat in the bar - in/out in 40 mins or so.

Mon Ami Gabi has two great burgers (lunch) as well see menu: Burgers at Mon Ami

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I live in Reston but avoid the town center now except for an occasional weekend visit. Barcelona and Bar Taco are pretty good.

Herndon has a number of under-appreciated places: Balaji Cafe and Amma's Kitchen serve reliably good vegetarian Indian food. Charcoal Kabob is very good, one of my fav kabob places in the region. Good selection of meat/kabob types, very good chickpeas, and reliably good naan. Try the veggie kabob, unique and tasty.

There's of course Aslin Beer Company in the same complex as Balaji, putting out some of the best beer in the region - especially if you like New England IPA juice bombs. They also do great sours and stouts.

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I'll be spending a Friday night at the Dulles Marriott in a couple of weeks to fly out early next morning.  I was thinking about Mon Ami Gabi for dinner after checking in, but reading about the parking fees and headaches at RTC is making me seek out a restaurant in Herndon instead.  Although my googling informs me that MAG will validate, it is only in one garage.  If it is full, I guess tough noogies.

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On 5/16/2017 at 10:31 PM, Kev29 said:

I used to work here more often, but I don't work out here, as much.  I miss the kabob place, I used to frequent it.  I tend to mainly only eat lunch here, at normally am looking for low cal options, so I am not very ambitious at lunch.  For instance my Indian in Reston is normally from the Whole Foods hot bar.  

Decent deli sandwiches
Noodles/ramen
Thai/Vietnamese/SE Asian
BBQ- I like the brisket sandwich at Sweet Heat, I don't love their sides, but I do like their mains, and you may like their sides, I just would prefer more traditional ones.
Indian- 
A good burger- the Counter, it's one of my favorite burgers.

I'm not picky :) Thanks in advance

 

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And parking isn't that expensive if you can't get it validated (which you easily can). If you're willing to pay Mon Ami Gabi dinner prices, then the extra $4-5 for parking doesn't seem like a deal breaker to me. 

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Good timing on that!  So now that parking is free in the evenings, will I have more of a problem parking there on Next Friday night for dinner at 7pm?  I guess it's my glass half-empty half-full question.  Thx!

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I think the rents commanded there dictate "chains" simply due to affordability and tolerance.  You have regionally-owned chains, like Clydes, Ted's and Jackson's, but it is hard to imagine a local one or two location restaurant faring well with the charges for commercial retail there.  This will likely become more apparent once the new retail starts coming in to replace stores as they turnover; whereas the regionals may even give up space to national chains.  il Fornio's venture East of the Mississippi worked for 10 years here, perhaps longer if they didn't have lease issues. 

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