Virginia

4 Modern Pakistani Restaurants to Try in Northern Virginia

Published

1 year ago

November 20, 2024

4 Modern Pakistani Restaurants to Try in Northern Virginia

Washington’s Pakistani food scene remains one of its most under-sung strong suits, and it’s only getting stronger. Ambitious Pakistani eateries are blossoming in the Northern Virginia suburbs—and plotting expansions across the District and Maryland.

With them, they’re bringing fried puris ballooned up beside buttery chickpeas and cardamom-scented semolina halwa; sizzling chicken and lamb in wok-like karahis topped with slivers of ginger; and chargrilled chapli kebab patties studded with whole coriander and chilies.

This new class of Pakistani eateries, clustered in Fairfax and Loudoun counties, serves uncompromising food in polished, contemporary spaces.

“Just selling halal food isn’t the benchmark anymore,” says Suhail Kamran, who owns Cha Street Food, in Tysons and Sterling. “It has to taste amazing, and your space and customer service needs to be complementing it as well.” Here are four favorite new-wave Pakistani spots.

Chaska

45630 Falke Plaza, Sterling

Cashka, restaurant in Sterling, VA. Chicken Tikka & Beef Seekh - Washingtonian — Chicken-tikka and beef kebabs at Chaska. Photograph by Evy Mages
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The second-story open-air terrace has such a commanding view of Dulles Airport that you can make out the logo of each landing plane while you eat. At first, it didn’t occur to owner Waqas Shah, who also runs a pizza shop downstairs, to open a separate restaurant in the space. But Shah—who was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, but grew up in Loudoun County—had been dreaming about opening a serious Pakistani grill.

“We’ve been eating this food since I was little,” Shah says. “Basically, we wanted to offer that to the community, to bring back memories for the folks that are here.”

Although Chaska’s menu incorporates dishes like karahi and even burgers, kebabs are the thing to get. The bright-orange marinade of the chicken tikka permeates the meat, and Shah’s grill cooks also work magic with ground beef, in the form of tubular seekh kebabs and burger-shaped chapli kebabs. The mixed grill offers a chance to try them all, supplemented with fragrant long-grain rice and slow-cooked chickpeas.

Chaska’s lofty location presents challenges—delivery drivers often give up on finding it, and diners have to climb a long flight of stairs—but Shah and his five brothers have worked to make it as welcoming as possible. Inspired by Pakistani truckers’ tradition of decorating their rigs with psychedelic colors and quotations, they emblazoned each step on the staircase with sayings in Urdu. “It’s hard to go to a restaurant where you have to go up the stairs,” Shah says, “so we try to engage people while they’re coming up.”

Namak Mandi

5884 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church

3O5A3651-scaeld-down - Washingtonian — Photograph by Evy Mages
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Veteran nightclub owner and restaurateur Sami Khan’s previous projects all have their charms, but most are undistinguished—a lounge in DC and a few Mediterranean and Mexican spots around Virginia. It’s when he chose to focus on something closer to his native home that he created one of the region’s best South Asian restaurants. Namak Mandi, which opened in 2020 on a busy stretch of Leesburg Pike, is named after the historic salt-market district of Peshawar, a crossroads of Afghan and Pakistani cuisines. “People go from all over the country to eat there,” Khan says. “Their karahi is the most special thing.”

Fittingly, karahi—a thick, tomato-based curry—is also the most special thing at Khan’s restaurant. It hits the table sizzling-hot, a fiery chicken stew reduced down to a concentrate at the bottom of the steel karahi pan, which also functions as its serving dish. As important as the karahi, though, is the bread that accompanies it. The oblong naans, fresh from the tandoor, arrive speared on hooks atop wooden pedestals that Khan has fashioned himself, inspired by Peshawari restaurants he’s visited in the UK.

This summer, Khan opened a second location, in downtown DC (1030 15th St., NW). At the Falls Church original, which is decked out with sofa-like seating upholstered with Pashtun tribal patterns, Khan says his clientele is still 80 percent Pakistani. At its newer sibling—which serves an Indian-accented weekday buffet along with Peshawari specialties in a more modern space—Khan is hoping to introduce his food to a new audience.

Cha Street Food

8056 Tysons Corner Center, Tysons; 45633 Dulles Eastern Plaza, Sterling

3O5A2821 copy - Washingtonian — Snacks at Cha Street Food include fries topped with garlicky mayo and jalapeños. Photograph by Evy Mages
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This mini chain has already transformed from a food truck to a storefront in Tysons Corner mall boasting a friendly indoor-outdoor space strung with lights and colorful hanging lamps. Next, owner Suhail Kamran wants to expand his “pandemic idea” into DC and Maryland and eventually up the East Coast.

Kamran says he and his family missed the tea houses of Pakistan—here there’s no obvious American equivalent—and initially called the business Cha Tea House.

“The Indians and the Pakistanis got it, but everyone else thought we’d just have a bunch of tea,” he says. “In Pakistan and India, a tea house has a lot more than just tea.” Cha Street Food certainly does. Its menu hops back and forth between the continents, from paratha rolls to masala-spiced fried-chicken sandwiches.

Kamran, a second-generation Pakistani American with kids born here, wanted to incorporate traditional flavors into familiar American formats. He makes Kashmiri pink chai into a milkshake, loads French fries with spiced keema (minced meat), and flips chapli kebabs and masala potato patties onto hamburger buns. Falooda ice cream is another crowd-pleasing treat. “For our kids,” Kamran says, “I had to make it easy for them to understand.”

That’s not to say the food doesn’t draw heavily on tradition. Before opening Cha Street Food, a few of Kamran’s business partners flew to Karachi with one purpose: to learn the art of paratha rolls from a street vendor. “I don’t know what got into them, to be honest,” Kamran jokes. Clearly, their trip was fruitful: The parathas—wrapped around kebabs, crispy paneer, or grilled chicken—are supple and pleasantly flaky.

Desi Breakfast Club

83065 Centreville Rd., Herndon

Even if you’ve never tried halwa puri before, it might become a breakfast craving that never leaves you. For one thing, with this typical Pakistani morning meal, you don’t have to choose between sweet and savory. Use a crispy, air-filled puri, puffed up in the fryer, to scoop alternating bites of halwa (warm, sweet semolina pudding) and masala chickpeas. If you eat meat, opt for a third add-on: chicken keema with green peas.

“If you go to Lahore on Saturdays and Sundays in the morning, halwa puri is on everyone’s mind,” says Malik Ahmad, who opened this all-day-breakfast restaurant in 2021.

While Ahmad was in high school, his parents opened Charcoal Chicken, an exemplary kebab shop that still operates in nearby Chantilly. His love for their cooking traditions, and his American childhood, inspired him to open Desi Breakfast Club, which he thinks of as a kind of diner.

“Diners are everywhere,” Ahmad says. “They’re the backbone of America.”

Ahmad’s place has a sizable menu. Nihari, one of the world’s heartiest breakfasts, is great here—a slow-cooked, gingery beef stew with a slick of orange ghee floating on top. Chai is hot, cheap, and nicely spiced. French toasts, bagels, and omelets are available. But the halwa puri is the destination-worthy plate.

Now Ahmad manages both his parents’ restaurant and Desi Breakfast Club. He’s a testament to the changing nature of Northern Virginia’s Pakistani dining scene. “Charcoal Chicken was a hole in the wall,” he says. “My parents didn’t do any marketing, it was just word of mouth and their hard work.”

But Ahmad, like the proprietors of Chaska and Cha Street Food, is part of a new wave of Pakistani restaurants harnessing social media, coming up with fun fusion dishes, and creating cool design elements to attract new customers. “It’s all these second-generation kids,” he says.

This article appears in the November 2024 issue of Washingtonian.

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Virginia

Virginia Democratic operative arrested on child pornography charges

Published

3 hours ago

December 20, 2025

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Virginia Democratic operative arrested on child pornography charges

WARNING: This story contains material some readers may find disturbing due to its graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia Democratic operative is accused of distributing child pornography.

Randon Alexander Sprinkle, 30, allegedly engaged in conversations with an undercover FBI agent in May of this year through the Jack’d app under the name “Randy.”

The 9-page affidavit states that Sprinkle asked the agent to move their conversation to Telegram, where he allegedly wrote “mostly into young, rape, incest – you?”

The arrest has prompted swift condemnation from elected officals who worked with Sprinkle in various capacities.

Richmond City Council Vice President Katherine Jordan said Sprinkle served as her 2024 campaign treasurer, handling campaign forms, events and financial reporting.

“What has been alleged is disgusting and abhorrent,” Jordan said in a statement. “I’m shocked and sickened.”

1st District Council member Andrew Breton also used Sprinkle’s services for campaign finance reports and event logistics.

“The allegations are shocking and disturbing. I am grateful that law enforcement is involved, and that justice is taking its course,” Breton said.

Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who has appeared in several photos with Sprinkle that he posted on X, also responded through spokesman Jared Leopold.

“Congresswoman McClellan is shocked by these appalling accusations which should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Leopold stated.

Sprinkle previously served as a leader in the Young Democrats of Virginia and held a financial director position with the Democratic Part of Virginia.

He has also been photographed with Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger. Spanberger’s representatives have not responded to requests for comment.

The FBI affidavit confirms that 68 files were extracted during a forensic sweep of Sprinkle’s electronic devices, some with disturbing titles. Legal expert Ed Riley said the investigation may have uncovered evidence of distribution through peer-to-peer networks where individuals exchange illegal video files and images.

If convicted on the single charge of distribution of child pornography, Sprinkle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, with potential sentencing up to 20 years.

“If they find the images and they can connect you to the images, you’re not dealing with the merits of the case anymore. You’re dealing with the resolution that it’s going to be,” Riley said.

Sprinkle is currently being held at the Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw.

This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.

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Penn State transfer opens the door for a James Franklin reunion at Virginia Tech

Published

15 hours ago

December 19, 2025

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Penn State transfer opens the door for a James Franklin reunion at Virginia Tech

Things are beginning to slow down for James Franklin since being hired at Virginia Tech in November. Sure, you can say that it never really slows down for a college football coach, but since signing his contract in Blacksburg, he has made major strides in recruiting, bringing the Hokies from near the bottom of the FBS to a Top 25 class with the Class of 2026.

Franklin has also been building his first staff at Virginia Tech. In both cases, recruiting and coaching additions, he has gone back to his Penn State roots to pluck both recruits and coaches. Heck, he is even reportedly bringing back former Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry, who was fired in September to open the door for Franklin to come to Tech, as his defensive coordinator.

The transfer portal opens up next month, and there are going to be several needs that Franklin and his staff are going to have to address. There are going to be several portal targets, and one of them announced he was leaving Penn State and made it clear that he was thankful for Franklin for his time in State College. Is it a sign of things to come when he enters the portal?

Penn State transfer Chaz Coleman opens door for reunion with James Franklin

It was reported by Hayes Fawcett of Rivals and On3 that five-star Penn State edge Chaz Coleman was entering the transfer portal. Coleman quoted the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, and made it a point to thank Franklin and his staff for believing in him.

“After much thought and consideration, I have decided to enter the transfer portal this coming January to pursue other opportunities. I’d like thank James Franklin and his staff for believing in me and teaching me what it means to believe in myself,” Coleman wrote.

Coleman becomes one of the most coveted players when the portal opens, and the Warren, Ohio native will have no shortage of suitors. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound edge rusher played well as a freshman for the Nittany Lions with eight tackles in five games. Several of the top programs are going to be in on him. Don’t be surprised if Ohio State makes a major push for him.

As far as Virginia Tech goes, does Franklin get in the mix? That remains to be seen, but stranger things have happened. He would be a tremendous get for the Hokies, who need help along the defensive side of the ball along the line. Did he call out Franklin by coincidence, or is there an underlying message there? Most likely the first one, but we’ll see.

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Wachapreague Historic District named to Virginia Landmarks Register – Shore Daily News

Published

2 days ago

December 18, 2025

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Wachapreague Historic District named to Virginia Landmarks Register – Shore Daily News

Pictured: Wachapreague General Store. Photo credit- James Bell, 2021 Wachapreague General Store. Photo credit- James Bell, 2021

Virginia has added eight new sites to the Virginia Landmarks Register, recognizing places across the Commonwealth for their historic, architectural, and cultural significance, including a historic district on the Eastern Shore.

The Commonwealth’s Board of Historic Resources approved the designations during its quarterly public meeting on December 11 in Richmond. The Virginia Landmarks Register is the state’s official list of properties deemed important to Virginia’s history and heritage.

Among the newly designated sites is the Wachapreague Historic District. Encompassing 96 acres, the district includes the waterfront town of Wachapreague, which developed from the late 19th through the early 20th centuries as a destination for hunting and fishing and as a commercial hub with access to the Wachapreague Channel and the Atlantic Ocean.

The district features a concentration of residential and commercial buildings constructed in vernacular, Folk Victorian, and other architectural styles common to the Eastern Shore during the town’s period of growth. While Wachapreague’s population declined beginning in the 1960s, the town continues to attract visitors from across Virginia and beyond.

Other sites approved for listing include properties in Arlington, Bath, Frederick, Loudoun, and Pittsylvania counties; the city of Petersburg; and the town of Mount Jackson in Shenandoah County. Collectively, the new landmarks highlight a diverse range of resources, from a 20th-century airfield built for early commercial air travelers to a mill dam and mill pond complex that once served as a recreational and social center in Southwest Virginia.

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources will forward documentation for the newly listed sites to the National Park Service for consideration for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

State and national register listings are honorary and do not place restrictions on private property owners. Instead, the designations are intended to encourage public understanding of Virginia’s historic places and provide property owners with the opportunity to pursue historic rehabilitation tax credits. Any tax credit projects must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.