Vienna Hopes Residents Give Some Love to Local Restaurants Next Week

When Valentine’s Day arrives this Sunday, it will also usher in the Town of Vienna’s first-ever restaurant week.

Coming on the heels of the annual Metropolitan Washington Winter Restaurant Week, the inaugural Vienna VA Restaurant Week will be smaller in scale than that regional initiative, with 10 restaurants and eateries offering special Restaurant Week deals from Feb. 14-21.

While only a handful of venues are officially participating, the Town of Vienna will use the campaign to boost all of its restaurants and generally encourage the community to support local businesses, especially small, independent establishments.

“We know that throughout the winter months, it’s extremely difficult for restaurants,” Vienna Economic Development Manager Natalie Monkou said. “…It just seemed like a good fit to utilize Valentine’s Day as the kick-off, which is a love holiday, and to remind people that love their town and love their business community to support them.”

Here are the businesses that are participating in the Vienna VA Restaurant Week:

• Bazins on Church (111 Church St. NW)
• Caboose Tavern (520 Mill St. NE)
• Cafe Renaissance (163 Glyndon St. SE)
• Clarity (442 Maple Ave. E)
• Crepes & Karak Cafe (280 Cedar Lane)
• Maple Ave Restaurant (147 Maple Ave. W)
• Union Pie at Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E)
• Vienna Inn (120 Maple Ave. E)
• Viet Aroma (165 Glyndon St. SE)
• Zenola (132 Branch Rd. SE)

Details on what each restaurant or eatery is offering can be found through the official Vienna VA Restaurant Week website, which also highlights other food and beverage venues in town and encourages patrons to share their meals on social media with the hashtag #loveviennava.

Restaurant Week is the Town of Vienna’s latest effort to support local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to backing the Caboose Brewing Company’s Bundle Up campaign, the town organized a “Shop and Stroll” series in the fall to draw visitors to local shopping centers, and the Vienna Business Association put together a holiday guide in December for businesses to share their promotions.

Monkou says businesses in the Town of Vienna also collectively received at least $2.7 million in COVID-19 relief funds through Fairfax County’s RISE grant program, which ultimately issued $52.6 million to more than 4,800 businesses and nonprofits in the county.

While Vienna is putting a spotlight on the food service industry with Restaurant Week, the economic development office will follow this initiative with a broader marketing campaign about supporting local businesses that includes other sectors, from retail to dry cleaners and nail salons, according to Monkou.

“Small businesses, they’re truly vital to your local economy, and they bring a lot of vibrancy to your neighborhood and your community,” Monkou said. “I can’t imagine the Town of Vienna without them, especially our independent, local retailers.”

Image via Explore Vienna VA/Twitter