Colony Grill Bringing 'Hot Oil' Bar-Style Pizzas To Ballston

CLARENDON, VA — Colony Grill, an 85-year-old, family-friendly restaurant brand known for its famous "hot oil" bar-style pizza, will be opening its newest location mid-October at 2800 Clarendon Blvd.

“Everyone at Colony Grill is extremely excited,” said Ken Martin, the company’s chief operating officer, in a release. “During our search, we travelled to dozens of cities and states and we just kept coming back to the greater Arlington area. We absolutely fell in love. It is simply a remarkable part of the country with diverse people who together celebrate their community and enjoy gathering for life’s special moments. We look forward to introducing our unique pizza to the neighborhood and becoming a part of that community fabric for years to come.”

Colony Grill opened its doors in 1935 in an Irish immigrant neighborhood in Stamford, Connecticut. Over the years, it became known for offering a "one-of-a-kind, thin-crust pizza," served with a spicy, pepper-infused "hot-oil" topping.

The Daily Meal named Colony Grill as one of the "56 Greatest Old-School Pizzeria's in America" in 2020. The restaurant has consistently appeared in TripAdvisor's "Top 101 Pizzas in America."

Colony Grill's pies are priced between $9.50 and $12.95, with the option to order additional toppings or gluten-free crust. A menu highlight is the Salad Pie baked with a touch of olive oil and sea salt, and topped with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots, then tossed with balsamic vinaigrette. On Saturdays and Sundays, breakfast lovers can order a Breakfast Pie between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. This pie offers a choice of sausage or bacon, egg, and cheese.

To address concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus, Colony Grill has invested $100,000 in installing glass partitions between booths at all its locations. This will be included in the design for the new Clarendon location, where a Stricklands check platform for all employees has also been implemented.