New French Restaurant Proposed In Alexandria Near The Metro

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The owner of Grand Cru Wine Bar and Bistro in Ballston is looking to open a restaurant in Alexandria. Owner Troy Thorpe confirmed to Patch he is applying to open a 300-seat restaurant called Sancerre at 1725 Duke Street.

According to the special use permit application, Sancerre would be an upscale restaurant serving French and American cuisine, a large selection of wines from around the world and a full-service bar. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

When the weather gets warm, it will offer outdoor seating in the property's courtyard near a fountain. The restaurant also plans to have an private event space and outdoor venue for weddings, graduations and other celebrations outdoors. These would happen outside after the business day and on weekends and could include live music. But the owner promises live music would be at a "low enough volume so as not to disrupt any local residents."

Sancerre would add onto the dining options around the Metro, which are more sparse than further down King Street. Matthew Maccaroni, whose company Carr Properties owns the nearby 1800 Diagonal Road property, wrote in a letter to the city that he fully supports the restaurant opening. "The area around the King Street Station office park is [in] need for such a restaurant in this area, which has been underserved regarding dining, and especially full-service restaurants."

The Planning Commission will hold a hearing on the proposed restaurant on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers.

Images via Google Maps screenshots