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Reviews and approves every story published on NoVA WTF before it goes live. 28 stories.
Some of the most stunning highballs around, says Northern Virginia Magazine, plus binchotan skewers, torched sushi and the Tornado Omelet Fried Rice, the most popular dish on the menu: the best way to order at Genki Izakaya in Fairfax, VA, one round at a time.
Genki Izakaya is owned by IVEA Concepts, which also publishes NoVA WTF.
A Tokyo street indoors with the most impressive themed rooms in Northern Virginia, from a samurai den to a yakitori room, plus Dassai sake and Japanese pub food at 13882 Metrotech Dr. in Chantilly, VA: what to order and the best room for your group.
Izakaya Nana is owned by IVEA Concepts, which also publishes NoVA WTF.
Maylos Cafe, a Cambodian restaurant opening by the end of 2026 in Manassas at 8021 Centreville Road, will introduce regional Khmer cuisine to Northern Virginia. Owner Ryna Mayorga plans to serve family recipes alongside Cambodian coffee and boba tea.
Gangnam AYCE Buffet brings all-you-can-eat Asian cuisine to Chantilly in the former Hibachi Buffet & Grill space. The restaurant serves hibachi-style grilled meats and seafood, sushi, vegetables and other pan-Asian dishes.
Singha Thai opened September 15 in the Williamsburg Shopping Center in Arlington, serving classic Thai dishes and house specials in a compact 639-square-foot space at 2900 N. Sycamore Street.
Shibuya Sushi & Bar is opening at 101 South King Street in downtown Leesburg, taking over the former Ebisu Sushi & Thai location.
Truong Tien, Lighthouse Tofu, Mama Chang and Chef Tan made the Washington Post's 2026 list of the D.C. area's 40 best restaurants, the first by critic Elazar Sontag.
Kanpai BBQ & Hotpot sits on the first floor of The Shops at Congressional Village at 1701 Rockville Pike in Rockville, MD. Here is what Northern Virginia diners need to plan the trip.
Kanpai BBQ is owned by IVEA Concepts, which also publishes NoVA WTF.
Northern Virginia Magazine called them the region's only authentic soufflé pancakes, and Chef Junzo Miyajima perfected the recipe. Here are all the flavors at Okaeri Japanese Cafe in Centreville, VA, why they take about 20 minutes, and the best things to order while you wait.
Okaeri Japanese Cafe is owned by IVEA Concepts, which also publishes NoVA WTF.
H Pot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot in Herndon Centre will renovate starting around the new year and reopen as Iron Flame Korean BBQ & Hot Pot with an upgraded menu.
Twosome Place, a South Korean coffee and cake chain with more than 1,750 stores in Korea, opened its first US location at 404 King Street in Old Town Alexandria on October 17, 2026.
Three newer places at Eden Center in Falls Church, the sit-down TamTam Brunch & Dinner, the Pop-Up District food hall and Bánh Mì Oi, add new options to the long-running Vietnamese shopping center.
Umi Buffet, a growing franchise specializing in seafood, hot pot, and ramen, opened September 12 in Alexandria on King Street at Beauregard Street. Lunch runs $25.99 weekdays; dinner is $39.99.
Mama Chang, a Fairfax City Chinese restaurant celebrated for its home-style cooking and scallion bubble pancakes, was named to Eater DC's fall 2026 list of 38 best restaurants in the Washington area.
Yume Sushi, at 2121 N. Westmoreland Street in East Falls Church, is No. 8 on Northern Virginia Magazine's new list of the region's best restaurants.
Gyusan in Ballston grills Wagyu from a menu by Chef Junzo Miyajima. The best value is the $28 weekday all-you-can-eat lunch, and the most indulgent is the $98 Diamond dinner with A5 striploin and lobster tail. Here is how to pick in Arlington, VA.
Gyusan is owned by IVEA Concepts, which also publishes NoVA WTF.
Marbling Korean Steak House is opening at 24630 Southpoint Drive in Gum Spring Village Center in Loudoun County, taking over the space where The Qui Korean BBQ & Bar operated before closing in early 2024.
Chef Seng Luangrath, who runs several Lao restaurants in D.C., has opened a takeout-focused snack window called Khao Nom at the Arlington Ridge location of Padaek. The concept serves affordable small bites, rice bowls, sandwiches and milk tea on Saturdays and Sundays.
Northern Virginia knows Chef Junzo Miyajima from Fairfax, Tysons and Centreville. In Rockville he led two of the most talked-about food festivals in the DMV: BiteMe for the Maryland Food Bank in 2025 and Tomodachi Food Fest, with its anime stage and cosplay runway, in 2026.
Khan Korean Grill & Bar, a Korean BBQ restaurant with table grills, opened on October 17, 2026 at Countryside Marketplace in Sterling, Loudoun County, following a three-and-a-half-year wait since the project was first announced.
BHC Chicken, a South Korean fried chicken chain, is opening its second Northern Virginia location at 13960 Metrotech Drive in Chantilly, taking over the former Sirok space. The chain's first region location opened in Arlington earlier in 2026.
Six seats, twelve courses and fish from Tokyo's Toyosu Market: MUI Supper Club, an IVEA restaurant at Pike & Rose, starts its soft opening October 28. What Northern Virginia diners should know before making the trip, from the omakase counter to the A5 wagyu.
MUI Supper Club is owned by IVEA Concepts, which also publishes NoVA WTF.
Hot Pot Legend, a Chinese hot pot restaurant at One Loudoun in Ashburn, has permanently closed after more than five years in business. The 5,300-square-foot space is now available for lease.
Ian Sushi, a new Japanese restaurant with Korean-inspired dishes, is opening at 112 S. West Street in Falls Church's Modera apartment complex. The restaurant features flame-seared sushi, specialty rolls, and entrees with movie-themed names.
From Mosaic District yakiniku to Tysons churrasco: a guide to the five Northern Virginia restaurants Chef Junzo Miyajima designed, set up or relaunched, what each is best for, and the dish to order.
A bubble tea shop listed as Boba Bear Tea is coming to Dulles Town Center in Sterling, with milk teas, fruit teas and smoothies. No opening date has been announced.
Chef Peter Chang opened Peter Chang 3.0 at 6224 North Kings Highway in Alexandria on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, with shareable "Chinese tapas," QR-code ordering and halal meats.
The first U.S. Gyu Shige, a Tokyo yakiniku name founded in 1988, grills from a menu by Chef Junzo Miyajima. Here are the best cuts to order in the Mosaic District, from a $58 taste of Miyazaki A5 Wagyu up to the most luxurious Kobe beef in Fairfax, VA.
Gyushige is owned by IVEA Concepts, which also publishes NoVA WTF.