Ruthie's All-Day Eyes September Opening In Old Chocolate Factory

ARLINGTON, VA — Chef Matt Hill and partner Todd Salvadore are anticipating a September opening for their first solo restaurant venture, Ruthie's All Day.

“When we set out to open Ruthie’s All-Day, we had no idea the world would change as much as it has over the past four months," Hill said, in a release. "Although this may not be the most opportune time to open, we decided to move forward while following the CDC guidelines because our ultimate goal has always been to serve the greater local community. And I think now more than ever, we crave nourishment and a sense of comfort, and a little love from Ruthie’s All-Day may very well be what everyone needs right now. With hard work, tasty food, and hospitality, we plan to serve our guests in any and all ways we can."

Named for Salvadore's grandmother, who inspired him with homestyle cooking as a boy in North Carolina, Ruthie's All-Day will offer food all day long.

The morning menu will include breakfast biscuits and bowls, stone ground grits, house-made sausage, crispy fried chicken, and brisket, along with egg and cheese biscuits, and coffee from North Carolina.

At lunch, diners will enjoy a mix of fresh ground burgers, sandwiches, and entree salads with greens, sourced from local farmers and producers.

Ruthie's will shift to full-service in the evening, offering Hill's modern take on a meat and three, wood-smoked barbecue, and grilled meats. The restaurant will seat up to 110 inside, with two private dining rooms. Its spacious patio will seat nearly 70 customers.

Located on the corner of Glebe Road and Fifth Street South, Ruthie's All-Day occupies an historic building that was once home to a Sherman Williams store and, in the 1950's, Mr. W’s, a chocolate factory/ice cream shop. Hill and Salvadore worked with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the National Park Service to preserve and enhance the original design of the building.

“We were really excited to build a restaurant in a unique space in South Arlington’s Historic Arlington Heights neighborhood," Salvadore said. "We saw a vintage Mr. W’s advertisement selling frozen custard and handmade chocolate, and we thought, this is going to be really fun to re-activate the space."

Hill is a 2000 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He's worked at several distinguished restaurants, including Craft, Theo, Aureole, Charlie Palmer Steak, Range, and Liberty Tavern Group (Northside Social, Liberty BBQ, Liberty Tavern, Lyon Hall). Hill and his wife Jeanne Choi live in Arlington with their two sons, Calder and Harrison.

Salvadore developed his passion for the hospitality industry while studying computer engineering. Following college, he worked at his first Michelin Star restaurant, Captain at Alize, in Las Vegas. After working in management at Charlie Palmer Steak DC, Element 47, and The Little Nell in Aspen, he was most recently the general manager of Michelin Starred Siren by RW.

Hill and Salvadore perviously worked together at Charlie Palmer Steak DC.