Updated Sept. 22, 2021:
A Bob & Edith's Diner t-shirt hangs in the window of a former restaurant on King Street — and behind the scenes, work is progressing on construction for the diner.
The diner will take the place of Ernie's Original Crab House, which closed in April, at 1743 King St. just a few hundred feet from the King Street Metro station.
“My dad became an integral part of the Arlington community when he opened our original location, and my family has continued that tradition as we’ve continued to expand the Bob & Edith’s Diner brand,” Greg Bolton, owner of Bob & Edith’s Diner, said in the press release. “My family and dedicated staff are in our restaurants every day, and we can’t wait to become a part of the Old Town Alexandria community when we open our doors later this year.”
Bob & Edith's got its start in the late 1960s when Robert L. Bolton (Bob) and his wife, Edith, purchased "Gary's Donut Dinette" and changed it to Bob & Edith's Diner.
There are now five locations — three in Arlington, one in Springfield and one in the Huntington neighborhood. The same family still owns the operation and some of the locations are open 24 hours. The King Street restaurant will be the company's sixth when it opens later this year.
The extensive menu includes all sorts of breakfast, lunch and dinner options, pies and other desserts. In pre-COVID times, it was common to wait for a counter seat or booth to open, particularly on weekend mornings.
