After a many-year wait, London-based noodle chain Wagamama is finally opening in Washington. The 5,100 square foot, full-service restaurant will debut at 2950 Clarendon Boulevard in Arlington this summer, in the space last occupied by Oz, the Australian spot from Real Housewives of Potomac personalities Ashley and Michael Darby.
The chain, a trendy British phenom that launched in London in 1992, now has over 200 locations around the world. It’s been toying with the DC market since 2008, when it announced plans to open in Penn Quarter. In 2012—just as local chefs were pioneering DC’s ramen boom at places like Toki Underground—it finally announced it was backing off.
According to Wagamama representatives, the Clarendon restaurant will serve lunch and dinner daily—as well as happy hour—both indoors and on a patio. The menu will be similar to other locations, with noodle dishes, ramen, and share plates inspired by Japanese, Chinese, and Korean traditions. To drink: plenty of sakes, fresh juices, cocktails, and Asian beers.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
