Your Guide to Dining at Reston Town Center:
Reston Town Center is one of Northern Virginia’s most walkable dining destinations — and right at its heart, you’ll find a five-time award-winning sports bar, a working distillery, a live music venue, and a hidden speakeasy all under one roof. Here’s everything you need to know about Open Road Grill, Open Road Distilling Co., and Heirloom at Reston Town Center.
Three Experiences, One Address
Reston Town Center has earned its reputation as one of the DC area’s best spots for dining, shopping, and entertainment. But most people don’t realize that at 1871 Fountain Drive, there are three distinct dining experiences sharing the same building — each with its own vibe, its own menu, and its own reason to come back.
There’s the restaurant that Northern Virginia Magazine readers have voted the region’s best sports bar five times and counting. There’s a fully operational distillery producing handcrafted Virginia spirits you can taste and take home. And tucked behind it all, there’s a speakeasy-style restaurant serving Wagyu burgers, dry-aged duck breast, and some of the most thoughtful cocktails in the region.
Whether you’re looking for the best place to watch a game in Northern Virginia, planning a date night in Reston, hosting out-of-town guests, or just want a weeknight dinner that actually surprises you — this is the guide.
Open Road Grill: NoVA’s Best Sports Bar — Five Years Running
Open Road Grill isn’t your typical sports bar — and Northern Virginia knows it.
Voted Best Sports Bar by Northern Virginia Magazine readers an incredible five times, Open Road Grill at Reston Town Center has become the definitive spot for fans who want great food, a stacked bar, and a real atmosphere to go with their game. Past Best of NoVA wins also include Best Fried Chicken Sandwich and a runner-up nod for Best Fries.
The space is built for it. Screens throughout the restaurant make sure you’ve got a sightline from every seat — whether you’re at the bar, settled into a booth, or out on the indoor/outdoor patio. But what sets Open Road apart from every other bar with TVs is the food. The kitchen, led by executive chef Edvin Gonzalez, puts out a menu of American classics done right: wings available in over ten sauce options (Korean, buffalo garlic, spicy apricot, old bay, and more), the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich on a brioche bun with house-made dill pickles and cider slaw, hand-cut burgers including the signature Open Road Burger topped with Tillamook cheddar and an onion ring, sizzlin’ fajitas, wood-grilled steaks, pizzas, and a weekend brunch that has regulars calling it the best in Reston.
The bar program leans into what makes the building special — cocktails built on spirits distilled right next door at Open Road Distilling Co. The Maple Old Fashioned, barrel-aged for three weeks in white oak, is a standout. The Bourbon Smash with Independence Bourbon and fresh mint is another crowd favorite. And the rotating craft beer list features Virginia breweries like Aslin, Bingo Beer Co., Honor Brewing, and Solace alongside national favorites on draft and in bottles.
Daily Specials (3 PM – Close, Dine-In)
Open Road runs daily deals that keep regulars coming back all week long:
- Monday — Burger Night: $2 off the Open Road Burger
- Tuesday — Raw Bar: $1.50 oysters (half or full dozen)
- Wednesday — Wine Night: $2 off wine by the glass
- Thursday — Kill the Keg: $4 pint rotators
Happy Hour (Monday – Friday, 3 – 6 PM)
$2 off all small plates, plus a sliding scale on drinks — $3 pints at 3 PM, $4 at 4 PM, $5 at 5 PM, with matching discounts on cocktails. Open Road Distilling spirits pour for $8 during happy hour.
Live Music
Every Friday from 8 PM to 11 PM, Open Road turns into a live music venue with performances that bring a completely different energy to the space. It’s one of the rare spots in Northern Virginia where you can catch a game in the afternoon and stay for a live set that same night.
Don’t miss: The Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, wings in Korean or buffalo garlic sauce, the barrel-aged Maple Old Fashioned, and $1.50 oysters on Tuesday nights.
Open Road Distilling Co.: A Working Distillery in the Heart of Reston
Walk past the bar at Open Road Grill and you’ll find something most dining districts don’t have — an actual working distillery.
Open Road Distilling Co. produces four handcrafted spirits on-site: American Vodka, American Gin, Eagle Eye Rye, and Independence Bourbon. The tasting room offers daily guided tastings where you can sample each spirit neat or in one of the bar’s handcrafted cocktails — and the distiller is often on hand to walk you through the process from grain to glass.
The distillery was born out of more than 15 years of restaurant experience. After years of developing cocktail programs across multiple award-winning concepts, the team behind Metropolitan Hospitality Group realized the best way to elevate their drinks was to make the spirits themselves. The result is a lineup of spirits that shows up not only in the tasting room but across every MHG restaurant’s cocktail menu.
It’s one of the few places in Northern Virginia where you can watch spirits being made, taste them on the spot, and then buy a bottle to take home from the on-site bonded store — all in one visit.
Why it matters: Reston was once home to A. Smith Bowman, Virginia’s oldest distillery. Open Road Distilling Co. carries that legacy forward, bringing craft distilling back to the community where it has deep roots.
Heirloom: Reston’s Best-Kept Secret — and Best Cocktail Bar
Tucked inside the Open Road space — but an entirely separate concept — Heirloom is the kind of place you don’t stumble into unless someone tells you about it. And that’s exactly the point.
Named Best Cocktail Bar by Northern Virginia Magazine in the 2026 Best of NoVA awards, Heirloom is a cocktail-forward, chef-driven restaurant with an intimate, jewel-box atmosphere — low lighting, refined décor, and a menu that rewards curiosity. It’s a full 180 from the sports-bar energy next door, and that contrast is part of what makes the whole building so unique.
The Food
The current Summer 2026 menu showcases refined plates that blend Northern American cooking with Mediterranean and global influences. Small plates like beef carpaccio with truffle aioli and gaufrette potatoes, tuna carpaccio with smoked tonnato sauce and Marcona almonds, crispy pork belly with papas bravas and chimichurri, and baked shrimp with lemon tomato beurre blanc set the tone for what’s to come.
For mains, the Heirloom Burger — Allen Brothers Wagyu with white truffle aioli, gruyere, roasted mushrooms, and crispy onions served with herb and parmesan crispy layer potatoes — has developed a devoted following. The pan-roasted sea scallops with cauliflower puree and caper brown butter, pan-roasted Chilean seabass with carrot ginger puree and lemon beurre blanc, Korean chili-spiced tuna on crispy rice, glazed duck breast with orange chipotle glaze and foie gras emulsion, and a bone-in 18 oz prime Kansas City strip round out a menu that punches well above what you’d expect to find behind a distillery wall.
The Cocktails
The cocktail program is what earned Heirloom the Best of NoVA nod, and it shows. The barrel-aged Maple Old Fashioned with Eagle Eye Rye, the Smoked Manhattan with coffee-infused sweet vermouth and crème de cacao, and the house signature Heirloom cocktail — mezcal, Amaro Montenegro, and a strawberry basil balsamic shrub — are all built with intention. A thoughtful zero-proof menu ensures non-drinkers aren’t an afterthought. The wine list spans over 30 selections from Oregon Pinot Noir to Grüner Veltliner and Sancerre, plus two local drafts on tap.
The Vibe
Heirloom is open daily starting at 4 PM, with happy hour from 4 to 6 PM Monday through Friday. It’s become a go-to for date nights, anniversaries, and those evenings when you want something elevated without the stuffiness.
Pro tip: Start with a guided spirits tasting at Open Road Distilling, grab a drink at the Open Road Grill bar, then finish the night with dinner at Heirloom. Three completely different experiences without ever crossing the street.
How to Plan Your Visit
Getting There
Reston Town Center is easily accessible from the Silver Line Metro (Wiehle-Reston East and Reston Town Center stations). If you’re driving, garage parking is free for the first hour, free after 5 PM on weekdays, and free all weekend.
Open Road Grill, Open Road Distilling Co. & Heirloom 1871 Fountain Drive Reston, VA 20190
Open Road Grill: (703) 481-2070 Open Road Distilling Co.: (703) 481-2350
Hours
Open Road Grill & Open Road Distilling Co. Monday–Friday: 11 AM – Close Saturday–Sunday: 10 AM – Close Weekend Brunch: Saturday & Sunday until 3 PM Live Music: Fridays, 8 PM – 11 PM Happy Hour: Monday–Friday, 3 PM – 6 PM
Heirloom Open Daily: 4 PM – Close Happy Hour: Monday–Friday, 4 PM – 6 PM
Best Times to Visit
- For game day: Open Road Grill has screens everywhere — come early for the best bar seats during big matchups. The daily specials make weeknight games just as good a reason to come.
- For live music: Friday nights, 8 PM to 11 PM. Check @eatopenroad on Instagram for the weekly lineup.
- For a spirit tasting: Wednesday – Friday evenings tend to be more relaxed and give you more one-on-one time at Open Road Distilling Co.
- For date night: Arrive around 5 PM for happy hour at Heirloom, settle into dinner, and enjoy the space at its most intimate before the later crowd arrives.
- For brunch: Saturday and Sunday until 3 PM at Open Road Grill — the Challah French Toast and Chicken, Biscuits & Gravy are standouts.
Private Events & Group Dining
The combined Open Road space offers some of the most versatile private event options in the Reston Town Center area. With a full restaurant, a working distillery, a game room, and live music capability, there’s a setup for everything from corporate outings and team happy hours to birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, and watch parties.
For more intimate gatherings, Heirloom’s refined atmosphere and chef-driven menu make it ideal for smaller celebrations and private dinners.
To inquire about private events, visit event.openroadgrill.com or call (703) 481-2350.
Part of the Metropolitan Hospitality Group Family
Open Road Grill, Open Road Distilling Co., and Heirloom are part of Metropolitan Hospitality Group, a locally owned restaurant group that has been opening and operating restaurants across Northern Virginia and DC since 2005. MHG’s portfolio also includes Open Road Grill locations in Merrifield and Rosslyn, plus CIRCA, Él Bebe, TRIO Grill, and Salt — each with its own character, menu, and neighborhood.
Discover more at EatMHG.com.
Visit openroaddistillingco.com for more information about spirits
Visit openroadgrill.com and heirloomreston.com for more information on dinning