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McLean will hold its first restaurant week from April 12-19, bringing special menus, discounts and other promotions to nearly two dozen local establishments.
The McLean Revitalization Corp., a volunteer-led nonprofit, organized the event after similar campaigns found success in Vienna, Fairfax City and other communities.
Participating restaurants may offer prix-fixe menus, discounted dishes, complimentary appetizers or desserts, and other deals. Not every restaurant had announced its promotion as of press time.
“We encourage all McLean residents and visitors alike to come down to our McLean restaurants during Restaurant Week — and celebrate not only the great cuisine these restaurateurs offer, but also the tremendous commitment they have made to our community,” MRC Executive Vice President Peter Appel said.
The 23 participating restaurants are:
- ArTeA
- Big Buns Damn Good Burgers
- Cafe Levantine
- Cafe Tatti
- Capri Ristorante Italiano
- Chiang Mai Thai Cookhouse
- Divan Restaurant of McLean
- Essan Tumbar
- Fresh Baguette
- Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
- Kazan
- Listrani’s
- Masala Indian Cuisine
- Matchbox
- Munch and Match
- Neutral Ground Bar and Kitchen
- Pasa Thai
- Peter Chang McLean
- Pikoteo
- Rocco’s Italian
- Sho Sushi & Izakaya
- Sweet Leaf
- Town Bar and Kitchen
McLean’s dining scene, long associated with traditional steakhouses such as J. Gilbert’s and Fleming’s, has expanded to include a broader range of modern, chef-led restaurants, said resident Tricia Palaez-Anderson, who manages the 8,700-member McLean Foodies Facebook group.
Recent arrivals include Town Bar and Kitchen, which opened last December in the former Café Oggi location on Old Dominion Drive, along with Peter Chang, Sorn Thai and Sweetgreen.
More growth is expected. D.C.-based Mexican restaurant Surfside is scheduled to open a location at Chesterbrook Shopping Center this summer, according to property owner Federal Realty.
“What’s happening in McLean right now feels like a true restaurant renaissance,” Palaez-Anderson said. “The energy is real, and the community is showing up for it.”
McLean has approximately 53 restaurants, according to MRC, which features them alongside other local businesses in an online restaurant and retail guide.
The restaurant week is part of the organization’s broader campaign for a livelier, more walkable downtown. Its recent work has included reviving the McLean Winterfest Parade in 2024, holding a downtown business roundtable and supporting placemaking projects with Fairfax County.