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First Watch will open its new Idylwood Plaza cafe on Tuesday, Feb. 18, expanding the daytime dining chain’s presence in Northern Virginia.

Customers who dine in and order a meal from opening day through Friday, Feb. 21, will receive a free cup of Project Sunrise coffee. A separate friends-and-family event offering complimentary meals on Feb. 16 and 17 quickly reached capacity.

Located at 7501 Leesburg Pike, the 4,000-square-foot restaurant will accommodate more than 160 guests. It will feature a covered patio and an indoor-outdoor juice bar.

The cafe will operate daily from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Its menu includes omelets, avocado toast, Farmhouse Hash, lemon ricotta pancakes, Million Dollar Bacon, sandwiches and salads. Employees will also juice fresh fruits and vegetables each morning.

First Watch plans to introduce its rotating seasonal menu at the Idylwood restaurant in spring 2025. The company changes that menu five times annually to feature seasonally available ingredients.

Founded in Pacific Grove, California, in 1983 and now based in Bradenton, Florida, First Watch has more than 500 restaurants nationwide. The Idylwood cafe will be its sixth in the Fairfax area, joining locations in Franconia, Fair Lakes, Bailey’s Crossroads, Chantilly and Fairfax City.

Two more Northern Virginia restaurants remain scheduled to open this spring. The Reston location will occupy a former Carrabba’s Italian Grill near RTC West, while the Groveton cafe will replace a Boston Market at Beacon Center.

The Idylwood restaurant is expected to employ about 30 people, with staff working a single daytime shift and no evening hours.