River Bend Bistro Marks Fifth Anniversary In October

FORT HUNT, VA—It seems like just yesterday River Bend Bistro & Wine Bar opened. Now Fort Hunt residents Caroline and Bill Ross are celebrating the fifth anniversary of their popular local restaurant.

The two had a vision of opening a unique restaurant with simple but good food and quality wine. The restaurant offers American-style cuisine with French and Mediterranean influences. Part of that results from Executive Chef Caroline Ross attending the prestigious École de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris, France, before opening the bistro.

The restaurant's success was built up over time. The restaurant started with used equipment from a restaurant that had been closing. Over time, they began to replace stove pieces and ultimately replaced the kitchen.

Even more importantly, they were building up a base of patrons, allowing them to become one of the more popular restaurants in Fort Hunt and the Alexandria area.

Looking back, the Rosses are just as passionate about serving the community as they had been when first opening.

"I still love coming to work every day. We have such an awesome community here and we’re proud to be part of it,” says Caroline Ross. "We believe in neighbors serving neighbors and without the strong support of our neighbors, we wouldn’t have made it to five years. We hope to keep serving our neighborhood for many more years to come."

The restaurant offers seasonal menu items and uses local ingredients when possible. For example, scallops come right from the boats; the tuna from Ocean City; beef and pork from the Shenandoah Farms Coop and Serenity Farms; goat cheese from Crozet, Virginia; and produce from local farmers markets. Ross pairs the food with an outstanding wine international wine list and then welcomes guests to relax in a cozy atmosphere. These culinary offerings are paired with international wines and an extensive selection of beers.

River Bend Bistro & Wine Bar said in a news release 2018 "has been a strong year for the restaurant, thanks to the support of the community."

A fifth anniversary party is set for Sunday, Oct. 21.

River Bend Bistro & Wine Bar is located at 7966 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria. Hours are 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. for lunch (brunch on Sunday) and 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 4 p.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.

To find out more, visit www.riverbendbistro.com.

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Image courtesy River Bend Bistro & Wine Bar