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Nutella Latte and Northern Virginia

21 September, 2018 by Tara 11 Comments

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After four wonderful years in the Northern Virginia/DC area, we have moved on to our next home in Los Angeles, California! I will be sharing our favorite places in the area in a set of three blog posts along with a recipe today for a Nutella Latte. In case you missed it, here is my post for Woodbridge, Virginia.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Nutella Latte in two brown mugs with almond croissants in the background.

Springfield

Afghan Bistro:

Afghan Bistro was the first Afghan restaurant I ever tried and it continued to be at the top of our list. It was also the inspiration for my Aushak (Afghan Leek and Scallion Dumplings).

Collage of food from Afghan Bistro- bread, dumplings, meat, stew, and pudding.

Eleni’s Greek Taverna:

I took my mom to Eleni’s Greek Taverna once while she was in town visiting. Featured below is their Salad, Cheese Saganaki, Greek Tour, and Makaronatha with Sausage.

Collage of food from Eleni's Greek Taverna- salad, cheese on fire, fish, and pasta.

Rawr Sushi

Rawr Sushi was another great spot for take-out.

Aerial view of sushi, gyoza, and rice bowls from Rawr Sushi.

Marib

I first tried Yemeni food at Marib and especially loved the Susi (a Yemeni version of a French toast casserole) and Shai’ Adeni.

Collage of food from Marib Yemeni Restaurant- tea, sambousa, and simmered bread.

Alexandria

Jones Point Park:

Located along the Potomac River directly under the Woodrow Wilson Bridge is Jones Point Park. Here you will find sweeping views of National Harbor across the river, two playgrounds, trails, the last remaining riverine lighthouse in Virginia (built in 1855), a canoe launch, basketball courts, and two fishing piers.

Harbor views and playground at Jones Point Park.

Balkan Grill:

Our first restaurant in Alexandria was Balkan Grill. Their Lahmacun was especially amazing.

Lahmacun from Balkan Grill on paper next to onions, lettuce, and lemons.

Kumo Asian Bistro:

Kumo Asian Bistro was our last date night before Claire was born.

Gyoza on a white plate with bean sprouts, lettuce, and a pink flower.

Cheesetique:

Cheesetique now has a few locations in Northern Virginia. Along with being a great stop for finding a variety of cheese, they also have some wonderful food (all cheese-related of course).

Collage of food, cheese, and wine at Cheesetique.

La Mexicana Bakery & Taqueria:

All the food we tried at La Mexicana Bakery & Taqueria was wonderful, especially those Pupusas.

Collage of food- meat, pupusas, burrito, and pastries at La Mexicana Bakery.

Grounded Coffee Shop:

Grounded Coffee Shop was our go-to stop before or after visiting one of our favorite playgrounds: Chessie’s Big Backyard. Claire was particularly fond of the little play area with a train table.

Collage of food- pastries, display case, and train set at Grounded Coffee Shop.

Annandale

SnoCream:

The first time we tried SnoCream, they were still located in the refurbished bus parked behind the Kmart in Annandale. It was such a fun spot. They have since outgrown the bus and moved indoors.

Large white and blue bus and eating green tea ice cream with strawberries at SnoCream.

The Block:

One day, we went back to Annandale in search of the SnoCream bus. What we discovered was a sign saying it was closed and the shop had been relocated into the building next to the Kmart as a part of The Block.

The Block soon became one of our favorite food halls. It is on the smaller side, but had something for each of us. I always went to Balo Kitchen, a stall with Asian comfort food, since they were consistently coming up with new dishes and specials. Chad gravitated towards Pokeworks. We still ordered from SnoCream from time to time.

Collage of a variety of food from The Block with a sign stating "Love VA."

Lil Thingamajigs Gift Shop:

Lil Thingamajigs Gift Shop was such a fun find. This little store is packed with Japanese and Korean stationary, toys, bento supplies, hair accessories, and more items that are often difficult to find on the east coast.

Collage of stationery, lunch boxes, hair accessories, and stuffed animals at Lil Thingamajigs Gift Shop.

Kogiya Korean BBQ:

A friend of mine introduced me to Kogiya Korean BBQ.

Spread of banchan in white bowls and grilling meat at Kogiya Korean BBQ.

Breeze Bakery:

Breeze Bakery was one of our favorites in the area for pastries.

Collage of pastries, cakes, doughnuts, and bread at Breeze Bakery.

Nak Won Restaurant:

We went to Nak Won Restaurant once with the wait for Kogiya was out the door. It definitely didn’t disappoint.

Spread of banchan, grilled meat, and soup at Nak Won Restaurant.

Ocha Tea:

Ocha Tea was actually one of our final stops before our move to California. The kids were huge fans of the board games available.

Four drinks lined up on a table at Ocha Tea.

Falls Church

Eden Center

Eden Center is a shopping center in Falls Church with a variety of Vietnamese-American restaurants, bakeries, and stores.

Eden Center in Falls Church with view of parking lot and two flags.

Huong Viet

When visiting Eden Center, we stopped by Huong Viet for lunch. As a note, this restaurant is cash only.

Inside Huong Viet with aerial view of food in white plates and drinking a smoothie.

Phuoc Loc Bakery & Deli

Before heading home, I picked up a few egg tarts from Phuoc Loc Bakery & Deli. They are known for their bánh mì, Vietnamese pastries, and bubble drinks.

View of pastries on display at Phuoc Loc Bakery & Deli.

Taco Bamba

I first heard about Taco Bamba after watching Chef Victor Albisu’s demo during MetroCookind DC in 2014. We made a point to stop by pretty much every time we were in the area (until the location in Springfield opened).

Tacos and inside view of kitchen at Taco Bamba.

Padaek:

Padaek features two menus- one with Lao cuisine and the other with Thai. Everything we tried was incredible. I really want to make the Khao Piak Sen sometime soon.

Collage of food- tea, noodle soup, dumplings, meat, and mango at Padaek.

Vienna:

Magnolia Dessert Bar & Coffee:

After trying Spot Dessert Bar while in New York City, I started searching for something similar near our home and came across Magnolia Dessert Bar & Coffee.

The Roti Milo was my favorite (a waffled flatbread with condensed milk, Milo powder, crumble, and chocolate ice cream). As a note, parking can be tight, especially during peak hours. We got lucky with a last spot when visiting.

Collage of food- coffee, toast, and waffles from Magnolia Dessert Bar & Coffee.

Fairfax

Eerkin’s Uyghur Cuisine:

I knew very little about Uyghur cooking until I came across Eerkin’s Uyghur Cuisine in Fairfax, Virginia. Such a wonderful cuisine and I can’t wait to try more.

Collage of food- tea, bread, dumplings, noodles, and cake at Eerkin's Uyghur Cuisine.

Great Falls Park:

We took a short day trip to Great Falls Park near McLean, Virginia last autumn to see the beautiful waterfalls on the Potomac River. Check the website before visiting to keep up to date on trail closures and other information (there was a ton of rain this summer). On peak days, the park may also fill up early.

Waterfall at Great Falls Park.

Arlington

Gravelly Point Park:

Gravelly Point Park is the place to go for little ones who love to watch planes take off. The park is situated along George Washington Parkway just north of Reagan National Airport’s runway.

Watching planes fly over at Gravelly Point Park.

RusUz:

RusUz, located near to the Ballston metro stop in Arlington, features Russian and Uzbek cuisine. After your meal, stop by the Russian market next door for household items, ingredients, frozen items (including dumplings), and desserts. Below is their Blini, Manti, Plov, Meringue Cake, and Chak Chak.

Collage of food- dumplings, rice, and cake at RusUz.

Chill Zone:

Chill Zone is a Vietnamese-based coffee shop in Arlington. Claire loved the large stuffed bear in the raised seating area.

Inside Chill Zone and a cup of Matcha Latte in front of an "I Love Virginia" sign.

Pupatella:

Pupatella had some of the best pizza we tried in the DC area.

Wood burning oven and pizza at Pupatella.

Clarendon:

Clarendon is home to Evan’s favorite playground: Rocky Run Park, so we visited the area often.

Ambar Clarendon:

I believe Ambar is up there in one of my top ten meals from the DC region. I love the assortment of traditional Balkan dishes. Unfortunately, we never made it to the DC location.

Collage of food- salad, noodles, soup, bread, and desserts at Ambar Clarendon.

Bakeshop:

Bakeshop in Clarendon was one of my favorite stops for macarons.

Macarons on display at Bakeshop.

Kabob Bazaar:

Kabob Bazaar is home to traditional Persian cuisine.

Collage of food- spinach dip, bread, meat and rice at Kabob Bazaar.

NiceCream:

We first went to the NiceCream location in Old Town Alexandria, but also came across their other shop while in Clarendon. When we got the sampler (photo below), the kids thought it was so fun to see so many mixers at once.

Aerial view of six scoops of ice cream at NiceCream.

Kinderhaus Toys:

Kinderhaus Toys has a great variety of toys for all interests and ages. We especially loved the DC-specific section with coloring books and more.

View inside Kinderhaus Toys with shelfs of toys on display.

Bar Bao:

Bar Bao was a fun date night spot for cocktails and bao buns. The bulgogi fries were a favorite and Chad raved about the bok choy.

Collage of food- drinks, fries, and bao from Bar Bao.

Centreville

Jireh Bakery Cafe:

We always tried to stop by Jireh Bakery Cafe while on the way to Dulles or the Lego convention in Chantilly. They have such adorable Korean pastries.

Eating a turtle pastry from Jireh Bakery Cafe.

Ciao Osteria:

Ciao Osteria is a great Italian restaurant for the family. I loved the added touch of bringing out dough for the kids to play with while waiting for our meal.

Pizza, pasta, and gelato at Ciao Osteria.

Texas Donuts:

Evan’s favorite sweet treat is the doughnut. I think we tried most of the ones available in the DC area over our four years there. He happened to be out of school on his birthday this year, so we drove to Texas Donuts for a special birthday treat. The doughnut he picked out was definitely Texas-sized.

Eating a large doughnut at Texas Donuts.

Iron Ice:

Evan wanted to find “ice cream on a waffle” after trying it during our trip to Philadelphia and Iron Ice was one of the few places that came up during my search in the Virginia area. Claire loves all things strawberry and Evan wanted chocolate so they were quite happy with their creations (the sizes were definitely large enough for splitting).

Two large ice creams with Hong Kong waffles from Iron Ice.

Cox Farms:

We went to Cox Farms during the fall for Evan’s (and lastly Claire’s) preschool field trip. So many fun activities and play areas to explore!

Petting a baby cow at Cox Farms.

Chantilly

Thai Basil Restaurant:

I tried Thai Basil after reviewing Nongkran Daks’ cookbook, Nong’s Thai Kitchen. This was one of our favorite Thai restaurants in Virginia.

Collage of food at Thai Basil- dumplings, rice, and noodles.

Herndon:

Frying Pan Farm Park:

Frying Pan Farm Park was another fun place for the family. There are hayrides, a playground, carousel, plenty of animals to interact with, festivals, and more.

Collage of photos at Frying Pan Farm Park- barn, tractor, and baby pigs.

There are so many other amazing places in Northern Virginia that I simply forgot to include, didn’t photograph, or never got the chance to visit. I can’t wait to go back (hopefully sometime soon) to visit friends, family, and reconnect with the area.

Nutella Latte

Aerial view of Nutella Latte in two mugs on a wooden board.

After trying the Nutella Latte at (inspired location now closed), I wanted to make my own at home. I have been attempting different types of latte art with incredibly varying levels of success and finally found one that I can do consistently!

As long as you have the right tools, this Nutella Latte comes together quickly and easily. Place a tablespoon or so of Nutella into the bottom of a wide mug large enough to hold roughly a cup of liquid. Pour in a double shot of hot espresso and stir until smooth.

I now have an espresso machine to froth the milk. Without one, steam the milk by heating it (on the stove or in the microwave), transfer to a frothing pitcher, and use a handheld milk frother to create the right consistency. If using a non-dairy milk, it won’t steam as well without a professional espresso machine. I then swirled chocolate syrup around the top and pulled a toothpick in and out to create the pattern featured in the photos.

Without a handheld frother, cold milk (nonfat to 2% is best for stable foam, but won’t be as rich) can be shaken in a tightly sealed jar (no more than a third filled), then microwaved to set the foam or heated and frothed in a French press (pump for about 10 seconds, be careful not to overfill) or whisked vigorously while hot. 

My original plan was to share step-by-step photos of this Nutella Latte and making the decoration on top, but I still cannot find my tripod. We are only down to a handful of boxes left, so I am starting to worry that it may have gotten lost in the move. Since I couldn’t take the step-by-step photos, here is a video I found on Youtube with a tutorial for the same topping I made.

Looking for more recipes with Nutella?

Try my 

  • Baked Nutella Doughnuts with Nutella Glaze
  • Strawberry Nutella Galette
  • Nutella Taiyaki

Nutella Latte in two brown mugs with a jar of Nutella and two croissants in the background.

Nutella Latte Recipe

Adapted from How Sweet Eats

Nutella Latte
Print Pin
5 from 5 votes

Nutella Latte

A recipe for a homemade Nutella Latte! Nutella is blended with hot espresso, topped with steamed milk, and decorated with a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine N/A
Keyword breakfast, chocolate, coffee, espresso, hazelnut, latte, milk, nutella
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 Latte

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) hot espresso or strongly brewed coffee
  • 1-1 1/2 tablespoons Nutella
  • 3/4 cup (177 milliliters) milk dairy or non-dairy, steamed
  • Chocolate sauce for decorating the top

Instructions

  • Place the nutella in the bottom of a wide mug.  Pour in the hot espresso and stir to melt and combine with the nutella.
  • While holding the mug slightly to the side at a 45˚ angle, slowly pour the steamed milk in the center to fill the mug and add a thin layer of the foam to the top.
  • Decorate the top with chocolate syrup as desired and serve immediately.
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Filed Under: Beverages, Travel Tagged With: beverage, coffee, drink, espresso, latte, Northern Virginia, Nutella, travel, virginia

Previous Post: « French Onion Toasts and Simply Vegetarian Cookbook
Next Post: El Fusilado and Viva Mezcal Cookbook Review »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jessica Formicola

    21 September, 2018 at 11:24 am

    You had me at Nutella! These look amazing!

    Reply
  2. Caroline

    21 September, 2018 at 11:31 am

    Those look like some wonderful places to eat that you went to – I love the range of international options, and am jealous of the cafe with the train table, though I know we’d struggle to leave if that were here 🙂 The nutella latte looks wonderful too. Looks like you have lots of great memories and hope you enjoy your new home too!

    Reply
  3. Claudia Lamascolo

    21 September, 2018 at 11:33 am

    have never heard of a nutella latte but from all these photos and pretty cups of it I surely will want to try it. I love the pretty designs too

    Reply
  4. Lauren Vavala @ Delicious Little Bites

    21 September, 2018 at 12:00 pm

    My fiance makes the lattes in our home…better believe I’m sliding the jar of nutella in front of the coffee maker so I can try this one asap! Delicious!

    Reply
  5. georgie

    21 September, 2018 at 12:39 pm

    good luck with the move! and this nutella latte looks amazing!!! as does all the other food you’ve tried!

    Reply
  6. Lauren

    30 September, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    Congrats on successful latte art! Looks great.

    Reply
  7. Bintu | Budget Delicious

    21 February, 2021 at 2:24 pm

    5 stars
    A Nutella latte sounds like such a tasty treat, I would love a cup of that right now! Will definitely be giving it a try!

    Reply
  8. Alice | SkinnySpatula

    21 February, 2021 at 2:54 pm

    5 stars
    A Nutella latte is exactly what has been missing from my life! It was absolutely delicious and it’s now on repeat — don’t even care about the calories 🙂

    Reply
  9. Chenée

    21 February, 2021 at 3:09 pm

    5 stars
    This Nutella Latte is such an amazing idea! Anything with Nutella is delicious, but with coffee too it’ll be irresistible!

    Reply
  10. Julia

    21 February, 2021 at 4:49 pm

    5 stars
    You had me at Nutella 🙂 Saving this recipe for tomorrow, can’t wait to try it, it look so yum!

    Reply
  11. Brianna

    21 February, 2021 at 6:27 pm

    5 stars
    Nutella and coffee are a match made in heaven!

    Reply

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