Places to Eat That You Should Know About

203 S. Strand St. (between Prince and Duke streets), Alexandria, 703-836-4442; http://www.chadwick http://s http://restaurants.com.

Columbia Pike From South Walter Reed Drive To South George Mason Drive, Arlington

The parade of ethnic food along this densely populated stretch of Columbia Pike begins with the area's original Japanese restaurant, Matuba (2915 Columbia Pike, 703-521-2811; http://www.matuba-sushi.com) and the trendy Thai Bangkok 54 (2919 Columbia Pike, 703-521-4070; http://www.bangkok54restaurant.com). The next blocks include Thai stalwarts Thai Square Restaurant (3217 Columbia Pike, 703-685-7040; http://www.thaisquarerestaurant.com) and Rincome Thai Cuisine (3030 Columbia Pike, 703-979-0144; http://www.rincomethai.com). Closer to South George Mason Drive are Pike Pizza (a.k.a. El Pike, 4111 Columbia Pike, 703-521-3010), which doesn't sell pizza but does offer hearty Bolivian fare, and the Pan American Bakery next door (4113 Columbia Pike, 703-271-1113), which has great salteñas -- beef stew in a savory pie that is a Bolivian specialty.

Lee Highway From Lorcom Lane To Lexington Street, Arlington

This is another culinary smorgasbord, starting at the Lebanese Taverna Market (its actual address is 4400 Old Dominion Dr., 703-276-8681; http://www.lebanesetaverna.com) and Cassatt's, a New Zealand restaurant (4536 Lee Hwy., 703-527-3330; http://www.cassatts.com). Just up the hill is the best chocolate maker in town, Artisan Confections (4815-B Lee Hwy., 703-239-0616; http://www.artisanconfections.com). The small strip mall just before North George Mason Drive includes the new halal Bangladeshi restaurant, House of Biryani & Kabobs/Curries (5151 Lee Hwy., 703-532-4104), and the Caribbean Grill, which serves Cuban specialties (5183 Lee Hwy., 703-241-8947).

Next comes the Lee Harrison Shopping Center with Pie-tanza (2503-B N. Harrison St., 703-237-0200; http://www.pie-tanza.com) for great wood-burning oven pizzas, and Taqueria Poblano (2503-A N. Harrison St., 703-237-8250; http://www.taqueriapoblano.com) for tacos and Tex-Mex specialties. And just before Lexington Street is Restaurant Vero , a jewel box of a neighborhood restaurant and wine bar, dressed in comforting chocolate and merlot tones and serving a seasonal New American menu (5723 Lee Hwy., 703-538-4600; http://www.restaurantvero.com).

Van Dorn Station, Alexandria

The city's West End isn't known for upscale restaurants, but this tiny shopping center (next to a Giant, but their parking lots don't connect) on South Van Dorn Street near Edsall Road is another concise gathering of various ethnic restaurants. There is Japanese ( Akasaka,514-C S. Van Dorn St., 703-751-3133), Indonesian ( Satay Sarinah Restaurant,512-A S. Van Dorn St., 703-370-4313; http://www.sataysarinah.com), Salvadoran-Mexican ( El Paraiso Restaurant II,516 S. Van Dorn St., 703-212-9200) and Vietnamese ( Pho Viet Flare, 514-B S. Van Dorn St., 703-370-9279).

Also in the same shopping center is a halal Afghan restaurant ( Kabul Kabob House,514-A S. Van Dorn St., 703-751-1833), an Italian eatery ( Savio's Italian Restaurant and Bar ,516 S. Van Dorn St., 703-212-9651; http://www.saviosrestaurant.com) and a Thai place ( Thai Lemongrass,506-C and -D S. Van Dorn St., 703-751-4627).

Del Ray, Alexandria

Monroe's, an American Trattoria, (1603 Commonwealth Ave., 703-548-5792; http://www.monroesrestaurant.com) and Evening Star Cafe (2000 Mount Vernon Ave., 703-549-5051; http://www.eveningstarcafe.net) started the dining revolution in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood more than a decade ago, and you are apt to find a line at both places on any given night. Now, dining (and shopping) opportunities abound in the teeming commercial district that stretches from South Glebe Road to East Braddock Road.

Among the other favorites in the area are a sibling of Monroe's, Del Merei Grille (3106 Mount Vernon Ave., 703-739-4335; http://www.delmereigrille.com); the original Taqueria Poblano (2400-B Mount Vernon Ave., 703-548-8226); and Del Ray's own frozen custard place, the Dairy Godmother (2310 Mount Vernon Ave., 703-683-7767; http://www.thedairygodmother.com).

Shirlington, Arlington

This was one of the region's early shopping centers. Built in the 1940s when the adjacent Fairlington and Parkfairfax communities were built as housing for workers during World War II, the central shopping street had fallen into disrepair by the late 1980s when it was renovated to house a blend of restaurants and small shops. Today, restaurants fill most of the spaces along South 28th Street, and on warm summer evenings, the sidewalks are filled with diners.

The Carlyle (4000 S. 28th St., 703-931-0777; http://www.greatamericanrestaurants.com) is one of the original tenants of the revitalized area and one of the best restaurants. It's the most upscale of the Great American Restaurants group's New American restaurants in Northern Virginia. T.H.A.I. in Shirlington (4029 S. 28th St., 703-931-3203; http://www.thaiinshirlington.com) is a stylish space known for inexpensive lunch specials and lovely presentations of traditional Thai dishes.

Essential Ingredients

With Virginia's state control of alcoholic beverages, a good wine store, especially one that stocks cheese and other specialty foods, is a true find. Arrowine (4508 Lee Hwy., Arlington, 703-525-0990, http://www.arrowine.com) has an extensive wine inventory that goes far beyond the limited selections in most grocery stores, sells good bread and great cheeses, and is a local source for Fra'Mani sausage made by former Chez Panisse chef Paul Bertolli. There is also a large gourmet food section, as well as frequent wine tastings.

Planet Wine & Gourmet (2004 Mount Vernon Ave., 703-549-3444, http://www.planetwineshop.com) is owned by the same group that owns the adjacent Evening Star Cafe. Planet stocks a wide range of wine and a variety of quality cheeses. The Italian Store (3123 Lee Hwy., Arlington, 703-528-6266; http://www.italianstore.com) has a broad selection of hard-to-find Italian wines, cheese, pasta and a deli counter with lines stretching to the back of the store as shoppers wait for their favorite sandwiches and pizzas. There are also ready-to-heat main courses in the refrigerated cases.

If you have a favorite restaurant that you think deserves attention, please contact Nancy Lewis atlewisn@washpost.com.