Future retail space in the Marriott AC Hotel and Residence building at Reston Town Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Reston Town Center has booked another restaurant tenant for its expansion along Sunset Hills Road.
The Italian restaurant Grazie Nonna and the deli Grazie Grazie — which share an owner and are primarily based in D.C. — are both expected to open at the development known informally as RTC Next in spring 2026, a public relations representative for property owner BXP told FFXnow.
According to a site plan, the businesses appear to be sharing a 5,609-square-foot corner suite on the ground floor of the Marriott’s AC Hotel and Residence Inn, which opened in January and came with 34,000 square feet of separate retail space.
Initially reported by The Burn, Grazie Nonna’s planned Reston location will be its first venture outside of D.C. Owner Casey Patten and chef Gerald Addison styled the restaurant after neighborhood Italian-American eateries seen throughout the northeastern U.S., Washingtonian reported when it arrived at Midtown Center in September 2022.
The menu centers on pizza and pasta with some sandwiches for lunch and “large format” plates like chicken piccata and whole branzino for dinner, and breakfast-type dishes for brunch, including ricotta pancakes and steak and eggs. An item called “Eggs in Purgatory” involves Italian sausage, short rib, pomodoro sauce, parmesan and toasted Focaccia bread.
Grazie Grazie, meanwhile, expanded to Virginia for the first time this spring, opening a storefront in Ballston on April 18.
According to various media reports, Patten launched the sandwich shop at the Wharf in April 2019 as a second-chance bid after his controversial decision to participate in a small business roundtable with President Donald Trump — then in his first term — tanked sales at the Taylor Gourmet hoagie chain that he owned. Taylor Gourmet filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2018, though it has since reemerged under new owners.
Despite that uncertain beginning, Grazie Grazie has gained a supportive following, adding a second D.C. location on K Street in 2022. Washingtonian has called its 8+1 hoagie the D.C. area’s best beach hoagie, and the Washington Post praised its since-discontinued Russoniello in 2021 as one of the region’s 25 best sandwiches.
In addition to sandwiches, the Italian deli’s menu features “big” salads, cheesesteaks, fries and desserts, specifically cannolis and cookies.
It’s unclear whether the Reston location will combine Grazie Grazie and Grazie Nonna, or if they’ll operate as separate entities in the same space. The restaurants didn’t return a request for comment by press time.
Other retail coming to Reston Town Center
Either way, Grazie will join a slew of eateries and other retail tenants coming to both the original Reston Town Center and the expansion.
“We are excited about all of the retail activity at Reston Town Center,” the BXP representative said.
In the original town center, Shake Shack is set to open next Wednesday, July 16 in the space at 11922 Democracy Drive previously filled by The Counter. According to the BXP representative, Kusshi Sushi is also expected to open this summer, as is the boutique jewelry store Haus of Urbi (11962 Market Street), which is advertising a “mid-summer” opening for its flagship Reston store on its website.
MidnighTreats has begun construction on its new location at 1826 Discovery Street and remains “optimistic” that it’ll be able to welcome customers this summer, though an opening date hasn’t been confirmed, according to a representative. The cookie shop had hoped to open by the end of June after closing its Plaza America location in April.
Reston Town Center is also awaiting the arrivals of Indochen, Corsica Wine Bar and a snack shop called Abricott, which is taking a 600-square-foot space next to FedEx in Two Freedom Square (11921 Freedom Drive). A new concept, Abricott will sell “a range of premium nuts, dry fruits, candies, and other sweets” with “a vibrant fusion of American and Mediterranean influences,” the BXP representative says.
Corsica, the replacement for Mon Ami Gabi, is aiming for an August opening, according to The Burn.
In addition to Grazie, RTC Next has lined up several dining options, including a second location of Vienna’s Clarity, Paris Baguette, Toastique and Yunnan by Potomac Noodle House. For now, residents and hotel guests can grab food and drinks at the Marriott’s Seven Restaurant and SYN rooftop bar.
Molly’s Dog Care became the first retail tenant to officially open in the expansion last December. The first phase of the new development includes a total of 58,000 square feet of retail space, with suites still available for restaurants, a second-floor brewery, a specialty market and a wellness business.