Stracci Pizza Seeks Continued Parking Lot Dining, Trailer Use

ALEXANDRIA, VA — After Labor Day weekend, City of Alexandria meetings will start to resume in September. First up is an Alexandria Planning Commission meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday with one notable Del Ray proposal.

With Alexandria's temporary COVID-19 outdoor dining program set to end on Sept. 30, businesses seeking outdoor dining in parking spaces or parking lots need new approvals on a permanent basis. Stracci Pizza, a restaurant at 106 Hume Avenue that opened and grew during the COVID-19 pandemic, is seeking continued use of 46 outdoor dining seats and a trailer used as a temporary kitchen.

Stracci Pizza opened in 2020, utilizing the former Nectar Coffee and Wine Bistro parking lot. In 2021, it secured approval from the city to operate in the former Nectar Coffee and Wine Bistro building. The restaurant specializes in Roman-style pizza from Chef Thomas Cardarelli, who has worked for Michelin star-rated restaurants and is a former executive chef at Vermilion.

Beyond the temporary outdoor dining program, Stacci Pizza will seek continued use of outdoor dining in its parking lot. There are 18 outdoor dining seats directly in front of the restaurant approved by the city under a previous business. The 28 additional seats at Stacci Pizza are in the parking lot and were approved by the city during the temporary COVID-19 program.

The business also needs approval to use a trailer as a temporary kitchen after the city learned it was on site during a May 2022 city inspection. The restaurant proposes use of the temporary kitchen for up to two years as it pursues means for a permanent kitchen. The trailer kitchen serves diners in the indoor and outdoor seating as well as takeout. Kitchen hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Because the outdoor seating uses parking spaces, the restaurant made a parking agreement with the property owner of 2903 Mount Vernon Avenue to meet parking space requirements. The 2903 Mount Vernon Avenue surface lot has 12 spaces, which exceeds the three spaces required for the restaurant.

City staff recommended approval of Stracci Pizza's request. Staff do not believe the temporary trailer impacts parking or traffic flow, and it is shielded from adjacent residential properties with a fence and vegetation.

"The permanent addition of outdoor dining seats will allow the business to formalize a business feature that proved successful during the two-year pandemic emergency with no negative impacts on the surrounding residential area," a city staff report stated.

If approved by the Planning Commission, the proposal goes to City Council on Sept. 17.

The Planning Commission meets in City Council Chamber at City Hall at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Residents may attend or tune in through Zoom. See the full agenda here.