Ballston’s New Pizza Place Has Every Bar Snack Under the Sun | Eater DC

"I visited a casual new neighborhood bar that opened over the weekend in Arlington and found Ballston Local at 900 N. Glebe Road serving big, comforting pub food and New York-style pizza (which chef Jason Johnston describes as “Brooklyn-style”). The counter-service spot cooks pizzas in a 600-degree deck oven using Caputo flour and Grande Italian cheese, with slices starting at $4 and whole pies at $18 — standout pies include cacio e pepe and a clam-topped New Haven option. The menu also leans heavily into hearty items: smash burgers and cheesy crab fries, generous “Vegas-style” portions of chicken Parm, poutine in a traditional short-rib version and a Chesapeake version topped with blue crab, bechamel, mozzarella, and Old Bay, plus appetizers like barbecue pork belly nachos, burrata crostini, and meatballs with herbed ricotta. A sizable sandwich section nods to classics — Hoboken and Philly cheesesteaks, chicken Parm and meatball heros, and a loaded “Italian Pork Store” cold-cut sandwich — and the kitchen uses Maryland-raised beef from Roseda Farms for burgers and steak frites. Drinks skew local and casual: drafts from Virginia brewers such as Aslin, Settle Down Easy, and Vasen, cans like Miller High Life ($5), Solace Sun’s Out ($6), and Port City Optimal Wit tallboys ($8), plus some seltzers, hard cider, and planned adult milkshakes spiked with bourbon, vodka, or rum. Opened May 1 and run by Johnston (formerly the opening executive chef at MGM National Harbor and a former executive sous chef at the Bellagio) with partner Jonah Troth, Ballston Local offers dinner on weekdays and opens at noon on weekends, reflecting Johnston’s shift from high-volume, big-box outlets to focusing on the food he loves to serve." - Tierney Plumb