photo by Zachary Westlake
As the flurry of openings continues at Mosaic District in Merrifield, Matchbox is set to be the first full-scale restaurant to join the area, opening in the same building as the Angelika Film Center.
“We’re hoping to open in the next week or two,” says Drew Kim, one of three owners of Matchbox. The Merrifield restaurant will be the sixth Matchbox location, and the first one in Virginia.
Although designed to look like the other Matchbox restaurants, the Merrifield location has its own unique parts, made with materials from the demolition when constructing the 14th Street location. “We took a little bit of everything from the other restaurants,” said Kim, referring to some of the inspiration behind the Merrifield design.
The restaurant will come to have its own unique menu and will change with the seasons, but to start chef Jacob Hunter will open using the 14th Street location’s spring and summer menu.
With this as the first location in Virginia, Matchbox had to tailor the drink menu to comply with Virginia ABC laws. “We have to get creative,” Kim said. “We have a mixologist fromTed’s Bulletin working with us. The drink menu will be a little different, ” noting that Virginia ABC laws do not allow the restaurant to make its bourbon infusion drinks sold at the DC locations. Along with 12 beers, the bar will also include red and white wines on tap and high end bourbons and tequila.
Separate from the main dining floor and bar area, Matchbox features a private dining area. Calling it the “barrel room,” the private space will be used for hosting events and parties as well as overflow dining room.
“It’s kind of our hidden gem,” Kim says.
With room for 60, the barrel room has tall arching ceilings, meant to mimic the inside of a barrel. The private room also features a fully functioning fireplace.
Along with the Matchbox opening in Merrifield, Kim and his partners are also opening another Ted’s Bulletin inReston in June. Kim says they have no other leases as of now, but does admit to “sniffing around a bit.”