A Greek restaurant is planning to take over formerly Italian territory at the Mosaic District in Merrifield.
Our Mom Eugenia will nearly double the size of its space at 2985 District Avenue, Suite 185, by expanding into the neighboring Suite 190 that was vacated earlier this year by The Italian Place, according to Fairfax County permit records.
The expansion is necessary “to meet growing demand” at Our Mom Eugenia, which regularly fills up in the evenings and on weekends, co-owners Alexander and Philip Hobson told FFXnow.
“The new space will also be able to accommodate larger private events, cordoned off from the rest of our restaurant,” they said by email. “When it opens, we will be the only restaurant in Mosaic District with a private dining room for corporate events and family occasions.”
Originally started by Alexander, Philip and chef Eugenia Hobson, their mother, in Great Falls in 2016, Our Mom Eugenia began serving lamburgers, pastitsio and other traditional Greek dishes at the Mosaic District on Aug. 3, 2020. The family added a third location in Shirlington in March 2023.
At 3,370 square feet, the expanded Merrifield restaurant will accommodate an additional 48 patrons indoors, along with 36 more outdoor seats.
“We aim to have the space ready before Thanksgiving of this year,” Alexander and Philip said.
Our Mom Eugenia’s Mosaic District and Shirlington locations are open seven days a week, except on major holidays, while the Great Falls restaurant closes on Mondays.
The Italian Place opened at the Mosaic District in August 2021, but Yelp reviews indicate that it closed without notice this past May. The original Alexandria location, which was founded by Adriana Penachio-Sifakis in 2016, is still going strong.
Mosaic District residents and visitors craving Italian cuisine can get their fix at Alta Strada and the pizza chains Pupatella and Matchbox.
Other changes in the neighborhood include the addition of the boba tea chain Te’Amo Tea Bar in August and the impending arrival of The Salty, a donut shop expected to open in late 2024. The Asian street food chain Hawkers confirmed to FFXnow last year that it’s planning a new location in the Mosaic District, replacing Four Sisters, but a permit for the buildout is still under review by the county.
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