Vienna, VA one of best places to live accdg. to Money magazine

[Movingwesttoeast]

Vienna has gotten much more interesting in the last few years, with many more unique/independent shops and restaurants...Cafe Amouri, Maple Ave Restaurant, Elevation Burger, Crepe Love, Pazzo Pomodoro, Alegria (a bar, kind of :-) new chocolate shop, Pure Pasty, Sweet Leaf, plus the old stand-bys like Bazins, Sushi Yosi, Sweet Ginger, Bonarotti, Silva's bakery, Cenan bakery, Church Street Pizza, and more. I think Vienna gets better all the time, and it is much more interesting that streets lined with Chili's and TGIFs. I have lived from coast to coast and in between, and Vienna is my favorite community. There are stressors with the DC area, but the small town feel of Vienna with its walkable town, close knit neighbors, community events like Holiday Stroll etc. help to make it seem much more homey, even when it is not my home. I am all for an Irish Pub though...Vienna needs a new pub (and I have spoken with town council members who are all in favor of someone opening a pub). Anyone looking for a business opportunity?

[tysonsengineer]

In fairness Elevation Burger is a franchise, but its a home grown franchise started in Falls Church

I like Alegrias patio and their drinks are really good

Sweet leaf also a franchise, not local I dont believe.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

In fairness Elevation Burger is a franchise, but its a home grown franchise started in Falls Church

I like Alegrias patio and their drinks are really good

Sweet leaf also a franchise, not local I dont believe.

Sweet Leaf is not a franchise. The first one was in McLean and the owners, local residents, opened another one in Vienna (now if only Rose Kabob will expand from Vienna to McLean). They may be in Arlington now, too.

I think you are confusing it with Sweet Green, which offers similar fare and has more stores along the East Coast.

[Movingwesttoeast]

Sweet Leaf is owned by siblings from McLean - definitely not a franchise and definitely local. Have you been there? Great place! The did just open a third location in Arlington. Elevation Burger is a franchise from the local area - (but has expanded) but it is unique among burger joints (I did clarify unique/independent :-) We need another Alegria type place.

[hokiematt]

Originally Posted by Movingwesttoeast

Vienna has gotten much more interesting in the last few years, with many more unique/independent shops and restaurants...Cafe Amouri, Maple Ave Restaurant, Elevation Burger, Crepe Love, Pazzo Pomodoro, Alegria (a bar, kind of :-) new chocolate shop, Pure Pasty, Sweet Leaf, plus the old stand-bys like Bazins, Sushi Yosi, Sweet Ginger, Bonarotti, Silva's bakery, Cenan bakery, Church Street Pizza, and more. I think Vienna gets better all the time, and it is much more interesting that streets lined with Chili's and TGIFs. I have lived from coast to coast and in between, and Vienna is my favorite community. There are stressors with the DC area, but the small town feel of Vienna with its walkable town, close knit neighbors, community events like Holiday Stroll etc. help to make it seem much more homey, even when it is not my home. I am all for an Irish Pub though...Vienna needs a new pub (and I have spoken with town council members who are all in favor of someone opening a pub). Anyone looking for a business opportunity?

Love Cafe Amouri, Pure Pastry and Silva's! I think the restaurant scene could be better though -- they are decent local restaurants but nothing to rave about, IMO.

Where is the new chocolate shop?

[Movingwesttoeast]

I lived in Portland, Oregon, a food mecca, so I agree that restaurants are not as top notch as some areas, but believe me, there are many worse options too! Maple Ave is my favorite Vienna eatery - I would love it if they got at better space.
The chocolate shop is across from Cafe Amouri.

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by Movingwesttoeast

Sweet Leaf is owned by siblings from McLean - definitely not a franchise and definitely local. Have you been there? Great place! The did just open a third location in Arlington. Elevation Burger is a franchise from the local area - (but has expanded) but it is unique among burger joints (I did clarify unique/independent :-) We need another Alegria type place.

They personally own each location? Cause I have seen 3 or 4 pop up recently... seemed to me to be franchising. Didn't realize it was local owned, thats always good to see.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

They personally own each location? Cause I have seen 3 or 4 pop up recently... seemed to me to be franchising. Didn't realize it was local owned, thats always good to see.

Since there are only three stores, and the first one opened in 2009, I don't think you could have seen "3 or 4 pop up recently." If you prefer to patronize locally owned stores, you should make a point of going to Sweet Leaf, rather than to a Sweet Green. I try to go to Cafe Amouri when I'm back in Vienna rather than to one of the Starbucks on Maple, even though some of the employees need more training.

[JustinCaseIII]

A bit more information on Vienna, CNN names best small towns in America, Vienna VA ranked third! - The Bull Elephant Sounds like a good place to live, except it's expensive and bad traffic. But even with bad traffic it can't take that long to get into DC, can it?

If traffic is that bad, you could always take a break for a chili dog at the Vienna Inn.

[tysonsengineer]

OOPS! JEB77, theres the mistake I got the two confused. I believe I am referring to Sweet Green's popping up. Is that the one thats at Mosaic?