If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Clifton, VA, then you’re in luck, because the charming historic town has a number of great options.
Whether you’re in the mood for great Italian food, mouthwatering French pastries or crepes, or Thai, you’ll find something to satisfy your craving!
Clifton is a small and beautiful historic gem in northern Virginia. The town features a lovely, walkable Main Street lined with boutique shops and restaurants.
When visiting Clifton, VA, make sure to check out some of my favorite sites nearby, including Paradise Springs Winery (one of the best wineries in Northern Virginia), and Hemlock Regional Park (one of the best hiking trails in Northern Virginia!)
(Top photo courtesy Trummer’s Restaurant)
8 Best Restaurants in Clifton, VA
Below are some of my top recommendations for the best restaurants in Clifton, VA.
1. Trummer’s Restaurant
Trummer’s Restaurant is a beautiful, bright, and modern restaurant located right on Main Street.
The American bistro features creative twists on popular dishes, like cucumber gazpacho, Steak Tartare (with black garlic aioli, pickled celery, and fried oyster), and Cajun Spiced Red Snapper (with sweet corn and English pea succotash, okra, and lardons.)
Trummer’s features daily specials like Duck Breast, Rack of Lamb, and Prime Rib.
And if you’re in the mood for pasta, you’ll be able to find several entrees, like the Tomato Water Risotto (with tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan.)
Trummer’s features an extensive cocktail list as well, with their signature Titanic cocktail, Main Street cocktail (bourbon, honey, cinnamon, and lime), and refreshing Sage cocktail (gin, sage, elderflower, and lime.)
And definitely save room for dessert, because Trummer’s makes some incredible dishes! Some of the mouthwatering items include the Chocolate Bar (with mango gel, macadamia nut tuile, brownie, spicy chocolate cremeux, and kiwi papaya sorbet); Strawberry & Cream Beignets (with lavender cream, local honey lemon strawberries); Bourbon Peach Pound Cake (with roasted peaches, oat streusel, KO Bare Knuckle bourbon, and vanilla ice cream); and S’Mores Cheesecake (with chocolate sable, chocolate ganache, homemade toasted marshmallows, and chocoloate peanut butter surprise ice cream.)
2. Trattoria Villagio
Trattoria Villagio is a great option if you’re in the mood for Italian food in Clifton.
The unique spot is actually designed like an Italian train station, which is very cool! They have a main dining area and a more casual trattoria with a raw bar, wine, and cheese.
The dinner menu includes Italian favorites like Fried Calamari, Burrata, Eggplant Parmesan, Lasagna, Lobster Ravioli, Shrimp Scampi, Chicken Parmesan, plus soups and salads.
You can also find a great selection of seafood and meat dishes, such as Sea Scallops, Salmon Piccata, Filet Mignon, and Grilled Ribeye.
The large dessert menu has Italian classics like Tiramisu, Cannoli, Gelato, and Chocolate Budino. And for a real indulgence, try the Seven Layer Chocolate Cake!
They also host special wine dinners that feature a four-course dinner with wine pairings.
Trattoria Villagio is also open for brunch on the weekends. They serve some mouthwatering twists on popular brunch dishes, like Tiramisu French Toast, Italian Baked Eggs (with baked eggs, spicy tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage and breakfast potatoes), and Breakfast Lasagna (French Toast layered with pancetta, Italian sausage, scrambled eggs, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, with maple syrup.)
3. Main Street Pub
Main Street Pub is another Main Street attraction in the heart of Clifton. They’re open for lunch, and dinner, as well as weekend brunch.
You can find all of your pub apps, including Bavarian Pretzels, Chicken Wings, Loaded Tots, and Chicken Quesadillas.
There is also a large selection of burgers, sandwiches, wraps, soups, and salad to choose from, including popular items like the Reuben Sandwich, Tuna Melt, BLT, Grilled Cheese, and the Southwest Chicken Wrap.
Main Street Pub also has a few entrees available, including Fish n’ Chips, Fish Tacos, and Blackened Salmon Filet.
Main Street Pub is also another great destination for weekend brunch on both Saturdays and Sundays. Their dishes are more traditional than Trattoria Villagio, featuring favorites like Eggs Benedict, French Toast, Avocado Toast, and the Pub Breakfast Wrap.
You’ll also want to stop by the historic Clifton General Store right next to the pub.
4. The Clifton Cafe
The Clifton Cafe is an adorable European-style cafe in downtown Clifton with a cute outdoor patio and indoor seating.
I especially recommend trying the crepes, which is a specialty at the Clifton Cafe! They have both savory and sweet crepes, depending on your mood.
Some of the delicious savory crepe flavors include Chicken Florentine (with chicken, spinach, mushroom, and Parmesan), Chorizo and Hash (topped with jalapeño sauce), and Chesapeake Crab BLT (with crab meat, spinach, bacon, and tomato.)
On the sweet side, you can find classic crepes (with Nutella, banana, and powdered sugar), and Berries and Blintz (with berries, blintz cheese, cinnamon, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and whipped cream.)
Whatever crepes you choose, you can’t go wrong!
And beyond crepes, The Clifton Cafe is open for breakfast and weekend brunch, with a full menu of popular classics like Belgian Waffle, Pancakes, French Toast, Avocado Toast, and Breakfast Sandwich.
You can also order salads, soups, and sandwiches like the Turkey & Havarti, Cuban, Classic BLT, and more.
For a caffeine boost, the cafe also serves up coffee, tea, and creative drinks like the Samoa (with coconut, caramel, and dark chocolate), Cinnamon Bun (with cinnamon, vanilla, and caramel), and Raspberry Mocha.
5. Motier French pastry & cuisine
For a little taste of Paris in the heart of Clifton, make sure to stop by Motier French pastry & cuisine!
As the name implies, the restaurant serves delectable French pastries and cakes, including crème brûlée, eclairs, fruit tarts, macarons, lemon meringue, and much more.
You will also of course find croissants, pain au chocolat, and baguettes.
Motier serves Parisian favorites as part of their lunch service. You can order Croque Monsieur, Croque Madam, French Onion Soup, Omelette Gruyeres with Vinaigrette Salad, Quiche Lorraine, and more.
For a fancy evening treat, you can book a reservation for their Thursday Prix Fixe dinner.
6. Rosemary’s Thyme Bistro
Rosemary’s Thyme Bistro has been specializing in Mediterranean cuisine in Clifton since 1995.
Some of the dishes include Vegetarian, Meat, and Seafood Mezes, plus Kebabs. You can also find many pasta dishes like Spinach Ravioli, Chicken Alfredo, and Pasta Bolognese, as well as an assortment of pizzas like the BBQ Chicken Pizza, Artichoke Mushroom Pizza, and Quattro Formaggio Pizza.
Rosemary’s also features a wide selection of salads, such as the Mixed Salad, Caesar Salad, Spinach Salad, Quinoa & Arugula Salad, and Mediterranean Salad.
The bistro is also open for Sunday Brunch with a large selection of all of your favorites, including Huevos Rancheros, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, Pancakes, French Toast, Omelettes, and more.
7. Sakoonthai
If you’re in the mood for Thai food, then Sakoonthai is the place to be. The interior is modern, fun, and colorful, with oversized furniture and bold light fixtures and decorations.
Their menu includes appetizers like Spring Rolls, Fried Tofu, and Satay. For larger appetites, indulge in Yum Watercress, Papaya Salad, Duck Curry, Green Curry, Cashew Stir Fried, and Stir Fried Eggplant.
Their signature dishes feature Sakoonthai Duck, Tamarind Shrimp, Panang Crispy Duck, and Pattaya Salad.
For dessert, I recommend one of my favorite Thai dishes: Sticky Rice with Mango! You can also order Fried Banana with Ice Cream, Coconut Custard with Sticky Rice, or Taro Creme Brulee with Sticky Rice.
8. District Eatz
District Eatz is one of the newest eateries in Clifton. They began in Washington, D.C. in 2020, and soon expanded to a location in Clifton.
The fun eatery in downtown Clifton is a great place to find healthy bowls and smoothies, as well as more filling burgers, sandwiches, quesadillas, and tacos.
District Eatz is another great breakfast option in Clifton. They serve Avocado Toast; Breakfast Burritos; a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Croissant; and Omeletes.
My sweet tooth absolutely loves the mouthwatering creative waffles that they make, such as the PB & Bacon Waffle (with banana, bacon, peanut butter, and honey); and the Rocky Road Waffle (with chocolate ice cream, marshmallows, chocolate sauce, and peanut butter.)
District Eatz also serves up a number of healthy bowls, like the Chia Berry Bowl (with granola, chia seeds, strawberry, and honey); Coco Nana Bowl, (granola, banana, coconut flakes, chia seeds, and honey); and the Mango Tango Bowl (with granola, mango, pineapple, and honey.)
For a hearty meal, try one of the many burgers, sandwiches, quesadillas, salads, or tacos, including the Classic Cheeseburger, Bacon Cheeseburger, Buffalo Chicken Melt, Tomato Mozzarella Caprese, Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich, and much more.
District Eatz also has many smoothies and milkshakes to choose from, including the Clean Green Smoothie (with kale, pineapple, and banana) and the Pina Berry (with strawberry, pineapple, and coconut flakes).
Breakfast Restaurants Near Clifton, VA
The historic town of Clifton, VA may be small, but it’s home to some amazing breakfast and brunch destinations!
Below are some of my top recommendations for breakfast restaurants near Clifton, VA:
✅ Trattoria Villagio: They feature creative twists on breakfast favorites, like Tiramisu French Toast, Italian Baked Eggs (with baked eggs, spicy tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage and breakfast potatoes), and Breakfast Lasagna.
✅ The Clifton Cafe: This is a great destination for delicious crepes, including savory crepes like the Chicken Florentine, as well as sweet crepes like the Berries and Blintz. You can also order creative coffee drinks like the Cinnamon Bun and Raspberry Mocha.
✅ Rosemary’s Thyme Bistro: The bistro is open for Sunday Brunch, where you can find all of your favorite dishes, like Huevos Rancheros, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, Pancakes, French Toast, Omelettes, and more.
✅ Main Street Pub: The Main Street Pub is open for weekend brunch on both Saturdays and Sundays. Their dishes feature favorites like Eggs Benedict, French Toast, Avocado Toast, and the Pub Breakfast Wrap.
✅ District Eatz: This is another great breakfast option in Clifton, featuring Avocado Toast; Breakfast Burritos; Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Croissant; and Omelets. You can also find incredible waffles for a sweet breakfast.
Conclusion: 8 Best Restaurants in Clifton, VA
As you can see, historic downtown Clifton, VA is a great place to find some of the best restaurants in northern Virginia. In particular, you’ll find some excellent destinations for breakfast and brunch.
I also recommend having a delicious crepe at The Clifton Cafe, and then a great dinner at Trattoria Villagio, Trummer’s Restaurant, or Sakoonthai.
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