The end of the summer is always bittersweet. We’re looking forward to the fall real estate market, but feeling a little sad as we return home from vacations. We’re excited to wear the jeans that we just got at TSALT during last weekend's Sidewalk Sale, but not quite ready for the days to get shorter. We’re preparing for pumpkin spice…key word “preparing.” We are still not ready for the onslaught of Pumpkin Spice Everything that we’re already seeing. (Has anyone been by Wegman’s lately? Their fall display is aggressive!)There are two things that absolutely make the return of August more bearable. The first is the aforementioned Sidewalk Sale, and if you missed it, mark your calendars for next year; our favorite boutiques offer seriously significant discounts on summer merchandise. The second, which starts this Friday and runs through the 26th, is Alexandria Restaurant Week, one of the best times to enjoy Alexandria’s expansive culinary scene. We’ve scoured the menus and selected some of our favorites. Luckily, we didn’t see any pumpkin spice on the menu. We still have a few weeks left of summer, after all. 

Café 44

Lunch and brunch for $22/personOur pick: Potomac peach salad (at lunch), short rib melt with Gruyère (at brunch)

 

Brabo

Dinner for $35/personOur pick: Cucumber and sweet onion gazpacho, seared branzino with okra and corn succotash

 

Vola’s

Lunch for $15/person and dinner for $35/personOur pick: Firecracker shrimp tacos (at dinner), mango crème brûlée (lunch or dinner)

 

Sonoma Cellar

Dinner for $35/person and brunch for $15/personOur pick: Ahi tuna poke with wonton crisps (at dinner), mole fettuccine chicken (at dinner), tater tot waffle (at brunch)

 

Society Fair

Dinner for $35/personOur pick: Watermelon salad, Society Fair Super Food Plate, chocolate hazelnut tart

 

Vermilion

Lunch for $15/person, brunch for $22/person, and dinner for $35/personOur pick: Chilled corn soup, ricotta fritters

 

Virtue Feed & Grain

Lunch for $15/person and dinner for $35/personOur pick: Old Town crab dip (at lunch), blackened rockfish with key lime butter sauce (at dinner), peanut butter and chocolate icebox pie (at dinner)

 

Mia’s

Lunch for $15/person and dinner for $35/personOur pick: Eggplant and porcini “polpetta” (at dinner), bistecca alla fiorentina (at dinner)

 

La Trattoria

Dinner for $35/personOur pick: Risotto carbonara, Sicilian-style salmon, lemon mascarpone cake

 Peruse all of the Alexandria Restaurant Week menus by clicking here or on the image below.