Eden Center and Annandale's Koreatown: A Northern Virginia Food Day

Eden Center: A Little Saigon in Falls Church

Eden Center sits near Seven Corners, where Wilson Boulevard meets Arlington Boulevard and Route 7. It grew as Vietnamese businesses that had first clustered in Arlington's Clarendon neighborhood moved west in the 1980s, and today it is home to well over a hundred restaurants, bakeries, grocers, jewelers and shops. The entrance features a clock tower modeled on the famous one at Saigon's Ben Thanh Market, and the center is a gathering place for the community as much as a place to shop.

The food is the main attraction: pho and noodle soups, banh mi, broken rice plates, grilled meats, bakeries with Vietnamese pastries and desserts, bubble tea and coffee shops. Much of the best eating is in the indoor arcades that run between the storefronts, where small counters and stalls are easy to miss if you only walk the outside. Wander first and pick a few places to try rather than settling into the first restaurant you see.

Annandale's Korean Corridor

Annandale's Koreatown is not a single shopping center but a corridor, centered on Little River Turnpike (Route 236) and the streets around it. Korean barbecue restaurants, tofu-stew specialists, fried chicken spots, bakeries, dessert cafes, karaoke rooms and markets are spread across a series of strip centers along the road, with more on the side streets.

Korean barbecue is the classic group meal here, and it rewards a larger table - more people means more dishes to share. Some of the most popular spots are open late, which makes Annandale a natural place to end the day. Because the businesses change over time, check current reviews and hours before you settle on a plan; we deliberately do not name specific restaurants in this guide for that reason.

The Parking Problem

Eden Center's parking lot is famous among locals for being tight, busy and chaotic, especially on weekend afternoons and evenings and around holidays such as Lunar New Year, when the center hosts celebrations and crowds swell. Cars circle looking for spaces, pedestrians cross in every direction, and getting in and out of the lot can take longer than the drive there.

Annandale's strip centers have their own version of the same problem. Lots are shared among many businesses, spaces are small, and the most popular restaurants fill them at dinner time. If your plan involves moving between several strip centers along Little River Turnpike, you may be parking - or failing to park - more than once.

That is the main argument for a driver. A chauffeur can drop your group at the entrance, wait nearby or circle back at an agreed time, and pick you up at the door. You spend the afternoon eating instead of parking, and nobody has to stop drinking the excellent coffee and tea to take the wheel.

When to Go

Weekday lunch and mid-afternoon are the quietest times at both destinations. Weekend lunch is busy, and weekend evenings are busiest of all. If you want to see Eden Center at its liveliest - with families shopping, groups of friends at the cafes and the arcades full - a weekend afternoon is the time, but expect crowds. For a more relaxed visit with easier ordering, aim for a weekday.

Holiday periods change the picture. Lunar New Year brings special foods, decorations and events to both Eden Center and Annandale, but also the biggest crowds of the year. Check the centers' social media or community calendars for event dates if you want to go during a celebration - or avoid one.

Putting the Day Together

Eden Center and Annandale are only about fifteen minutes apart in normal traffic, which makes them easy to pair. A natural sequence is to start at Eden Center for a late lunch, take time to walk the arcades, browse the bakeries and pick up groceries or pastries to take home, then head to Annandale for an early dinner of Korean barbecue and finish at a dessert cafe.

• Start light. At Eden Center, share several small dishes - banh mi, spring rolls, a bowl of pho - across a few places rather than one big meal.
• Bring cash as a backup. Some small vendors have card minimums or prefer cash.
• Pack a cooler bag if you plan to buy groceries, pastries or prepared foods to take home.
• Book ahead for larger groups at Korean barbecue restaurants, where table size and grill availability can be limited at peak times.
• Leave room for dessert. Both areas have bakeries and cafes that are destinations on their own.

Booking a Food Day by the Hour

An hourly booking suits a food day best, because the vehicle stays with your group as you move between Eden Center, the Annandale corridor and any other stops - a market, a cafe, a second dessert. Hourly service through our Northern Virginia hourly chauffeur service keeps the day flexible without separate rides for every stop.

• Two or three people: a Business Sedan or First Class Sedan seats three with room for two bags of shopping.
• Small groups: a Chevrolet Suburban seats five; a Lincoln Navigator seats six with room for five bags.
• Larger groups, family celebrations or office outings: a Mercedes Sprinter seats up to 13 and keeps everyone together between stops.

For Visitors and Business Travelers

If you are visiting Northern Virginia for work or staying near Dulles, a food day in Falls Church and Annandale is one of the best ways to see a side of the region that most visitors miss. Both are an easy drive from Tysons and the Dulles corridor, and the trip back to a hotel near the airport or to Dulles itself is straightforward outside rush hour.

We provide chauffeured transportation throughout Fairfax County, including Falls Church and Annandale, with a flat rate confirmed before you book. Tell us your group size and the stops you have in mind, and we will help you plan the day.