La Strada to Close Dec. 31
Family health issues and business shortfalls prompt Scott family to shutter popular Italian eatery.
La Strada on Mount Vernon Avenue is closing its doors on Dec. 31.
Family health issues and business shortfalls prompted the decision to close the Italian restaurant, according to Courtney Scott, daughter of owner Stephen Scott.
“I think it's too little money, time and energy to keep it going,” Courtney Scott wrote in a message to Patch. “So many things factored into our decision, but the main reason was to have time to spend with our father and for health issues.”
Courtney Scott also said that her family couldn't afford a rent increase on the space.
Scott said there are plans to offer a special menu on Christmas Eve for a fifth consecutive year. A special menu will also be offered on New Year’s Eve, which will also be a farewell party for the restaurant.
“We will miss our employees and regulars who have become part of our family,” Scott wrote.
Scott plans on posting the special menus to the restaurant’s website once they are available.
The Scotts opened Osteria 1909 next door to La Strada in November 2011. Osteria, which has its own separate kitchen from La Strada, will not be affected by the closure.
“We may be changing the menu [at Osteria] and adding some of our homemade pastas, but nothing drastic and not right away,” Scott wrote.
La Strada won the Patch Readers’ Choice award for Best Italian Restaurant in Del Ray and Old Town in February.
Share your favorite memories of La Strada in the comments section.
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In This article
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La Strada
1905 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA -
Osteria 1909
1909 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA -
Nancy Drane
7:56 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
This is such a shame. We loved walking to La Strada and sitting outside, the family style concept, and it was our go to place for dinner with family in town. The staff were always so kind, especially to our little ones.
E Pickell
8:16 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Great food and great people. We will miss it too. I wish the Scotts the best.
Tulip
8:55 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
I will miss la Strada ! The chef's incredible food is what made this place so great. After all this is why we go to restaurants- for the food. Too bad there's not some type of rent control on the ave. - it's astronomical.
McBrinn
9:04 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Sucks. Great place. Authentic and genuine cooking. The south end of the avenue is losing a gem.
Casey Clarke Radican
9:10 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Will miss La Strata!! Loved the outdoor seating and wonderful Italian food. Will be a loss to the neighborhood.
karen
10:26 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
LOVE LaStrada and LOVE the Scotts. I wish them the best and look forward to seeing them at Osteria!
Jill Erber
11:07 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
It's a sad time, indeed. My family and I have eaten at La Strada nearly every Friday night for years. Our kids have grown up there and walking in the door is like coming home. They brought something wonderful to our neighborhood which will be sorely missed. All our love to Mr. & Mrs. Scott, Courtney & Morgan, Chef Stephen, George, Romel... the list is too long. You will leave us with wonderful memories that will be hard to recreate. The best of health and happiness to you all!
-The Erber Family (Jill, Jeff, Ione, Libby)
elizabeth
1:18 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
what a shame to lose this fabulous restaurant. i have so many fond memories of eating there with my children and it is one of our favorite restaurants in the city. i will always remember the night my then 22 month old ate his spaghetti + meatballs with such gusto and exuberance, resulting in his entire face covered in marinara, that he was dubbed an "honorary italian". so sad to hear this.
Del Ray Snob
1:51 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
This is as sad a thing as I have heard happening to a business on Mt. Vernon Ave as I can recall in the 12 years that I've lived in Del Ray. For my dollar, La Strada is THE Italian restaurant in the Alexandria, and one of the very best in the entire metro area. Time and again, I've eaten at La Strada and NEVER had a bad meal. Their family style meals were a perfect bargain for a large gathering and I've been their from everything to corporate office parties to intimate one-on-one dinners and always received fantastic service from Romel, George, Courtney, Steve Junior, Big Steve, everyone there. I've recommended their restaurant probably a dozen times to friends and co-workers and everyone that took me up on the offer always called me to say how grateful they were for the referral and how great the food was there.
This is really a sad day for Del Ray. When I saw this headline today on the Patch, it was like receiving the news that a good friend had suddenly passed away. I will greatly miss La Strada and I will keep the Scott family in my prayers for future health and prosperity.
Larry McDorchester
2:50 pm on Sunday, December 9, 2012
Who is the jerk that's upping their rent? What a real loss for our community. I 've only eaten there once since moving to Del Ray about a year ago, but as a lover of Italian food, I told anyone who'd listen that La Strada is the real day. I'm nervous about what might be moving in, and I sill definately try yo get there before it 's too late. Sad, sad, sad.