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Fairfax has bee ranked the third-best place to live well in the USA, and with many fantastic restaurants it is not hard to see why. The city, formerly known as Providence, has one of the best selection of restaurants in northern Virginia. From NoVa (North Virginian) seafood to fresh Indian food, Fairfax has it all.

703 Bar and Kitchen

Billing themselves as ‘NoVa inspired + locally sourced’, 703 Bar and Kitchen serves the best of Chesapeake cuisine. Recommended dishes include the signature Virginia ham flatbreads (perfect with a glass of wine) or their craft beer flight where you can try the best of local microbreweries with some delicious seafood, all in front of their roaring fireplace.
Courtesy of 703 Bar and Kitchen

Bellissimo Restaurant

This is one of the best places to visit in Fairfax for those looking to celebrate a special occasion. From the sign informing visitors to dress formally for this Italian restaurant, to the waiting staff prepared to go the extra mile, Bellissimo is perfect for an evening that feels extravagant. Rich, tasty and heartily portioned food, great pasta and the waiting staff really making this a restaurant that lives up to its name.

Coastal Flats

A local favorite, this beach house-themed restaurant serves coastal classics, bringing the best of a beach vacation right to its Tyson’s Corner Center shopping quarter location. Quirky fish sculptures hang from the ceiling, bringing a fun sea vibe perfectly aligned with the seafood on the menu, including all the classics such as crab cakes, clam chowder and lobster roll.

Curry Mantra

It might initially seem that there are not two places more different than western India and northern Virginia, and yet Curry Mantra manages to bring the former to the latter:try the chicken chettinand served with banana leaves. The food in general is often as delicious and as brightly colored as the restaurant’s pleasant decor.

Nostos

Situated just outside of Fairfax in nearby Vienna, Nostos offers Greek food a million miles away from the oily and underwhelming dishes offered by so many other Greek restaurants in the US. Nostos offers vegetables that are close to perfection accompanying its tasty meats and fishes, with the whole brazino a particular recommendation, expertly carved as it is right in front of you.

Ozzie’s Good Eats

Ozzie’s serves Italian food of an Italian-American bent – think New York rather than Naples. The owners did their research in the US’s great Italian-American cities, and this has clearly inspired this large, lively and friendly restaurant. Inspired red meat dishes, such as their beef short ribs, have made this restaurant extremely popular with those who like their food rich and generously portioned.

Artie’s

Artie’s is a nautically-themed restaurant (think yacht club and model boats) serving legendary prime rib and lobster bisque that make this spot a must. Artie’s is famed for its superb service.

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About the author

Samuel is a London-based freelance writer who studied English Literature at King’s College London. In his work, he combines highbrow and lowbrow culture, which has seen him writing about everything from Michelangelo to Madonna (and sometimes both at the same time) for publications including NME, The Telegraph and Penguin Books. At The Culture Trip, he mostly writes about museums and restaurants, but his wide ranging interests have seen him discussing (amongst others) kung fu films, Cambodian temple-robbing and Norman Wisdom.

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