Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
Elaine's opens Thursday in Alexandria at the former Bilbo Baggins location.
Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
Elaine's menu
Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
A book-filled wall upstairs at Elaine's which hopes to host literary events.
Elaine's Modern Mediterranean opened its doors for a soft opening for dinner on Monday, March 27 at 208 Queen St., the building formerly home to Bilbo Baggins, which closed when its owners retired in 2020.
Elaine's will open for regular hours starting Thursday, March 30.
Some of the standout grill items on the menu include beef and lamb kofta skewers; steak shisk kebob; chicken shish tawook tzatziki; Alexandrian grilled whole branzino and New York Strip Steak.
Desserts include creme caramel; baklava and chocolate cake with maraschino cherries. (See the full menu at right.)
Elaine’s modern Mediterranean cuisine is based on food found in Alexandria, Egypt. The unique style is best described by the owners as Middle Eastern with French, Greek, and Italian influences.
Elaine’s is named after the owner’s grandmother, according to the restaurant's website. Here's more about the new eatery, from the site: "When the owner was 12 years old in Cairo, Egypt, she promised her grandmother that one day she would own a restaurant and name it after her. The owner is proud to share her family’s recipes with the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area."
Hours going forward will be:
- Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
- Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. to midnight
- Sundays: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (brunch ends at 3 p.m.)
Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
The bar at Elaine's in Alexandria, opening Thursday, March 30.
The building has undergone extensive renovations and has a sleek design throughout with a cozy book-lined wall in one of its upstair nooks, where it hopes to host book parties and other literary events.
Elaine’s is located in a building that dates to 1880 according to its website; the building is the previous home of Bilbo Baggins, which was in business for 38 years. Elaine's has been completely renovated with a new look and feel.
