Photo by Mary Ann Barton
Jill Erber, owner of Cheesetique
Cheesetique owner Jill Erber had some good news and some bad news when she found out CVS was moving into Shirlington. She was going to have to move, but she'd be moving into a larger space just a few doors down.
Her new space, at 4024 Campbell Ave., opens Thursday and is completely renovated, including new unisex bathrooms, additional space which can be used for private party rooms and a beautiful display case which sits at the center of the reception area.
The new restaurant will offer double the amount of seating as the previous Shirlington location, Erber said this week. The new location was previously home to Luna Grill and is next door to Guapo's.
The new location will offer seating for about 85 throughout the eatery — at the bar, tables for two, tables for four along the window and two dining areas that can be closed off for private gatherings or classes. During the warmer months, there will also be seating for about 20 outdoors.
The private room spaces feature large-screen TVs that can play photos for birthday parties and other special occasions. (You might not realize the TVs are even TVs — they display art when they aren't in use.) Behind the bar, you'll see two large chalkboards with information about wine and cheeses. The chalkboards slide away to reveal big-screen TVs, which will likely only be on when there is a "must see" event similar to the World Series games, Erber said.
Erber has spent the last 15 years building up her business, which also includes locations in Del
Ray and the Mosaic District in Fairfax County. The restaurant offers lunch, dinner and brunch on the weekends. See the menus here.
In other restaurant news in Shirlington:
- Hula Girl Bar + Grill closed its doors Sept. 21, after being in business at the location for the past four years. “All I really wanted to do was to bring Hawaiian food to this area. And I did, for close to 10 years, from the food truck to restaurant,” Chef Brennan said in a statement. “I am just so very proud that I took this chance and I will always be thankful for the opportunity that I was given. Connecting to a community is always so very important – and I thank our community for the support for the past 4 years.”
- Hula Girl neighbor, Aroma Indian Restaurant, recently moved into the Hula Girl space, after being displaced by CVS.
- The new CVS store will be located in the space previously occupied by Charlie Chiang's, Cheesetique and Aroma.
- A new restaurant, Taco and Piña, from Chef Graham Bartlett, will offer up a "Mexican fast casual meets scratch cooking, with roots in the traditional and an eye towards the modern present." The "piña" refers to pineapple margaritas that will be on the menu. The eatery at 4041 Campbell Ave., next door to Palette 22, will take the place of Lotus Vietnamese Grill & Noodles, which has closed.
