{Keeping you up to date on the absolute latest in restaurant openings in the DC Metro area.

VELOCITY BAR + KITCHEN

10697 Braddock Road, Fairfax, VA & 1020 E. Main Street, Purcellville, VA Thompson Restaurants has officially debuted, Velocity Bar + Kitchen,in both Fairfax and Purcellville, marking the next chapter of its long-standing Velocity Wings concept. The reimagined restaurants reflect the brand’s evolution into a more expansive, full-service dining experience while continuing to serve the signature wings guests know and love. While the beloved boneless, traditional, and Velocity wings remain a staple, diners can now enjoy a broader lineup including highlights such as Buttermilk Biscuits & Honey, Bang Bang Shrimp Lettuce Wraps, Alfredo Pasta, BBQ Baby Back Ribs, Warren’s Fine Fried Chicken & Waffles and Cowboy Burger.
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{What’s in that empty storefront? Which favorite chef is opening up where, and when? All those details and more in Coming Soon.

PIZZERIA PARADISO PRONTO

PROJECTED OPENING: Spring 2026 Water Park Crystal City, VA Pizzeria Paradiso Pronto, the fast casual take on Pizzeria Paradiso, will be opening at Water Park in Crystal City, Virginia this Spring. The new fast casual concept will deliver pizzas to guests “pronto”. The oven can make 9” pizzas in just 3-4 minutes. Also on the menu are fresh salads, craft beer, and more.
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All the food news that you can use.

Pool Daze

We here at TheListAreYouOnIt.com love the sun. It doesn’t take much. Give us one warm weekend, a little humidity, and suddenly we are digging out swimsuits and looking for the perfect luxe lounger situation.And lucky for us, the DMV has seriously stepped up its pool game. From rooftop hotel pools with skyline views and cocktail service to wellness-inspired day escapes there are plenty of ways to spend the summer pretending you are nowhere near your inbox.Here are some of our favorite pools around DC, Maryland, and Virginia where you can book a day pass, staycation, cabana, or full-on sun-drenched escape this summer:Hotel Zena: An art-driven boutique hotel celebrating women’s empowerment, Hotel Zena features a stylish rooftop pool with skyline views and a relaxed bar serving cocktails and light bites.The Ven at Embassy Row: The rooftop pool at The Ven is one of Dupont’s best summer hangs. Tag Rooftop Bar & Pool serves spritzes, frozen cocktails, and casual bites with Embassy Row views.Omni Shoreham Hotel: A true DC classic. The Omni Shoreham has one of the city’s largest resort-style outdoor pools surrounded by gardens and greenery near Rock Creek Park and the National Zoo.YOTEL Washington DC: Deck 11 at YOTEL leans fully into rooftop pool party energy with skyline views, cocktails, DJs, and loungers made for all-day summer hangs.Generator Washington DC: The rooftop pool at Generator brings more laid-back European boutique-hotel energy with cocktails, loungers, and a younger crowd near Dupont Circle.Washington Hilton: This longtime DC hotel has one of the largest pools in town plus a separate kids’ pool. Big resort energy in the middle of the city.Arlo Washington DC: Modern and polished, Arlo’s rooftop pool and wraparound terrace offer a more elevated downtown lounging experience.Viceroy Washington DC: The Viceroy’s Hush Rooftop Pool & Bar delivers a calmer rooftop experience with strong cocktails, stylish loungers, and less of the all-day party scene.Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf: Close to both the monuments and The Wharf, this rooftop pool is ideal if you want sightseeing and pool time in the same day.Hyatt Place Washington DC/National Mall: A convenient rooftop pool setup with easy access to museums and monuments for visitors trying to survive summer sightseeing season.Royal Sonesta Washington DC Dupont Circle: One of Dupont’s quieter pool scenes with plenty of seating and a more relaxed atmosphere for long summer afternoons.The Westin Georgetown: Tucked into a quieter courtyard setting near Georgetown and Foggy Bottom, this pool feels more peaceful retreat than party hotspot.InterContinental Washington D.C. at The Wharf: Luxury waterfront vibes with rooftop pool views overlooking The Wharf and the Washington Channel. Easy transition from pool lounger to waterfront dinner reservation.Rosewood Washington, D.C.: One of the city’s prettiest rooftop pool settings with Georgetown rooftops stretching around you and fireplaces adding ambiance once the sun goes down.Pendry Washington DC at The Wharf: The Pendry pool scene is polished and elevated with excellent cocktails, loungers, and major staycation energy.ROOST White House: Apartment-style accommodations plus a seasonal outdoor pool make ROOST a great option for quieter weekends downtown.Washington Plaza Hotel: One of the most iconic pools in downtown DC. The retro outdoor pool near Thomas Circle has been a local favorite for years and still feels very classic DC summer.Hyatt Place Washington DC/US Capitol: Near NoMa and Union Market, this rooftop pool gives you easy access to some of the city’s best dining while still getting your pool fix. Balian Springs: If your ideal summer pool day involves infinity pools, cabanas, cocktails, and fully pretending you have left the DMV entirely, Balian Springs is your move. The Alexandria destination has become one of the region’s buzziest luxury day escapes.MGM National Harbor: The pool complex at MGM National Harbor is true resort energy with cabanas, cocktails, loungers, and sweeping Potomac views.The Watergate Hotel: The rooftop pool at The Watergate is a polished luxury hotel pool scenes with sweeping cityThompson Washington D.C.: The rooftop pool at the Thompson in Navy Yard leans understated with a quiet luxury and excellent proximity to Nationals Park and The Yards.Penthouse Pool Club: One of the city’s few true pool club experiences. Expect rooftop daybeds, DJs, cocktails, cabanas, and all-day summer energy in Adams Morgan.Hyatt House Washington DC/The Wharf: Often overlooked but actually a great rooftop pool option with Wharf views and a convenient location for turning a pool day into a full waterfront evening.The Bethesdan Hotel: For anyone looking to skip downtown traffic, The Bethesdan offers a more low-key suburban resort-style pool day with plenty of space to lounge.Now excuse us while we aggressively reapply sunscreen, lean into Rosé All Day and pretend every pool day is technically a vacation.
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Where is Nycci? Here, there, and everywhere in media outlets across the city.

Nycci Nellis Honorary Producer for Carla...

Carla Hall, is at the top of her game. But getting there was no picnic. In this theatrical one-woman show, Carla Hall invites you to “strap in” for a wild, hilarious, and emotional ride as she reveals how she learned to embrace her own authenticity, “work her quirk” and finally step into her power. From her Tennessee roots as an awkward theater camp kid, to Howard University, to a stint on the runways of Paris, to her irreverent takes on the confusing expectations of Black excellence, crushing sexism, and the many attempts to erase her uniqueness, Carla has had to battle every step of the way to find her true voice – and wait till you hear it. In this insightful and inspiring World Premiere, Carla reveals the secret ingredients to her greatest creation: herself. This intimate exchange will leave audiences laughing, thinking, feeling and… maybe even discovering a little of their own power in simply being themselves.Carla Hall: Please Underestimate Me runs June 3 – July 12 in the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab at Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd, Olney, MD. Tickets are $47-$101 and available online or by calling the box office at 301.924.3400. Discounts are available for groups, seniors, teachers, active military, first responders, and students. Visit olneytheatre.org/discounts for details.Bridging the food and theatre worlds, Honorary Producers for the production include Chef Eric Adjepong of Food Network’s “Wildcard Kitchen,” author, restaurateur, and TV personality Chef Spike Mendelsohn, food and wine publisher Nycci Nellis, Emmy-nominated journalist and producer Erin Como, and Nina Oduro, Co-founder of Black Women in Food. 
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Tune in regularly to hear Nycci Nellis talk food trends and news on WTOP Radio.

Nycci Nellis Shares Memorial Day Weekend...

Nycci Nellis shared rainy weekend recommendations around the DMV as Memorial Day plans shifted indoors due to the weather. Nycci encouraged viewers to double check outdoor event updates before heading out and highlighted a variety of indoor activities including museum exhibits, theater productions, brunch destinations, and special dining experiences. From the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the Spy Museum to shows at Signature Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company, Nycci also shared restaurant pairings and insider dining tips for making the most of a rainy holiday weekend in DC.
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Take a deep dive into the Industry and beyond.

Industry Night: From 45,000 Miles On The Road...

Chefs Tiffani Ortiz and Andy Doubrava met at the French Culinary Institute in New York before reconnecting years later on a Malibu farm — living in a teepee, surrounded by wild parrots, discovering a shared obsession with agriculture, sustainability, and zero-waste cooking.But in this episode of Industry Night, the conversation goes far beyond the restaurant.We talk about how their nomadic culinary project Slow Burn — a traveling zero-waste pop-up that carried them through 42 states — shaped every dish now on the menu at The Catbird Seat. How two chefs with no tasting-menu experience took over one of Nashville's most iconic restaurants and earned a Michelin star doing it their way.We also dive into: life on the road vs. rooted restaurant life, fermentation and preservation as philosophy not just technique, building a kitchen culture around empathy and high standards, how to run a restaurant with your life partner without losing your mind, and why great fine dining should never feel stuffy.This is a conversation about restaurants, yes — but also about curiosity, resilience, and what happens when you build a career entirely on your own terms.Listen to the episode here, and watch it all, here.
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