Address: 13921 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy, Chantilly, VA 20151

Phone:(703) 378-1717

Website:  www.anitascorp.com

 

September 11th, 2002…the first anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon…the loss of the plane in Shanksville, PA.  A few fellow Emergency Management types (including me) gathered at the Anita’s in Chantilly.  The sun was warm on our skin and a year later there was still a surrealness surrounding that hideous day.  I had cheese enchiladas.  It’s funny how you remember little things like that.  The food was so homestyle and unpretentious that there was a unique comfort in it.  Exactly what we needed.  We ate.  We talked.  We commiserated.  We may or may not have had margaritas in the middle of a work day.  We promised we would gather on every future anniversary.

We broke that promise.  

In fact, over the past 12 years my visits to Anita’s have been countable on one hand.  Which is a shame because it really is one of those places you can go with friends and feel, if just for a moment, that food just might be able to make everything ok.  Especially when enjoyed with the right company.  In that way that a slightly divey place can do like no other.

 

When you start looking for dog friendly restaurants in the Fairfax area, the Anita’s in Chantilly consistently tops the list of recommendations.  So when my friend Yvonne thought I might be in need of some relaxing conversation and an ear to bend she called up and suggested Honor and I meet her there for drinks and a meal.

Patios can be crowded when the weather is nice – especially on a Friday night – and Anitas was sporting a pretty good crowd.  Nonetheless, we scored a table with a bit of space on the side, thereby keeping Honor’s wagging tail out of table shot of the other patrons.  Aunty Yvonne was determined to spoil Honor and I was determined not to stop her.  So she ordered him ice cream.  The Anita’s crew didn’t blink an eye.  Then she began pulling treats out of her Mary Poppin’s like bag.  It took about 30 minutes before the treat induced stupor kicked in but once it did Honor found the one spot on the entire patio that put him in the path of everyone else.  Then he stretch out his lanky shepherd body, closed his eyes, and refused to move.

Here is where the Anita’s wait staff turn out to be exceptional.  Even though I offered to try to move him, they told me not to bother and then nimbly navigated over and around him.  No dropped plates.  No dirty looks.  The patrons, apparently in sync with the laid back atmosphere, did the same.  

It wasn’t a long nap and before long my super sociable pup was up and excitedly making friends with children, adults, and even another dog.  Several of the wait staff also came over for a good pet and a snuggle (and then promptly washed their hands just in case anyone is worried.)  Between that and the margarita’s, it was a mini-party.

After we finished we took advantage of the beautiful evening and walked around the parking lot a bit.  Another plus for Anita’s in Chantilly is the green space around the parking area and the fact that despite being located on busy Route 50 there is very little traffic.  This means that Honor got a post restaurant walk in before we headed home.

Honorarium:  Ice cream.  Yum.  Fresh water refreshed often.  Excellent.  A patio full of dog lovers.  Awesome.  Not being allowed to eat the delicious people food?  Not cool people.  Not cool.  Because it smelled AMAZING.

 

Verdict:  Looking for a great evening spot with friends and your dog?  This is it.

 

Meanwhile, a special thanks to Aunty Yvonne.  Her impromptu invite was exactly what we both needed.