The Mill: New Southern Kitchen and Market Coming to Old Town

Alexandria, VA – Are you a fan of southern cooking? We’re talking about fried chicken and fried green tomatoes and Maryland style crab cakes! Alexandria city staff are recommending that the Alexandria Planning Commission approve a special use permit for “The Mill,” a new 9,000 square foot southern restaurant and market at 10 Duke Street that promises a “welcoming atmosphere for people to enjoy tasty and approachable southern inspired farm and sea to table food.”

Are you getting hungry yet?

Developer Murray Bonitt announced the purchase of the property last June, and said that once the warehouse property is completely renovated, and if the project is approved by the Planning Commission and City Council, it will open to accommodate up to 283 patrons in the fall of 2020.

The Planning Commission will consider the matter at it’s Nov. 7 meeting at City Hall.

“The team behind The Mill believe that there is no better cuisine in the world than southern inspired cooking, and there is no better hospitality in the world than southern hospitality,” the applicants wrote. “These two beliefs are the basis for their concept at 10 Duke Street. Their philosophy is simple: Feed people food that they want, in a space they are glad to be in, and absolutely devastate them with kindness.” 

In the city staff report:

• The first floor will have a tavern feel to it and feature mostly Virginia craft beers and offer and extensive but still casual menu.
• The menu will include Maryland style crab cake sandwiches, pimento cheese sandwiches, chicken salad in lettuce cups, clam chowder, egg salad wrap, fried green tomatoes, veggie lasagna, gumbo, oyster stew, oyster po boys, and smoked polish sausage.
• The rear of the first floor will house the market, which will offer nearby residents fresh beignets, breakfast sandwiches, croissants and pastries in the morning with grab and go coffee all available to pick up a the takeout window.
• The market will also offer box lunched to enjoy in the park, as well as packaged ‘heat and eat’ meals, a well curated wine and beer selection, and other food and beverage items for folks to grab on their way to or from work, or for a late night snack after a night out.
• There will be a pool table and an arcade game on the basement level with a jukebox with large screen televisions.
• An open industrial steel and cable wire railing staircase will invite patrons up to the second floor where they can enjoy spectacular views of the Potomac River and Waterfront Park.
• An open kitchen on the second floor, with a dining room and an upscale menu to include Maryland style crab cakes, fried chicken, Caesar salad with fried oysters, and seared 48-hour marinated swordfish.
• The restaurant indoors would be open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. indoors, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. outdoors, and the market would be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

ICYMI: Transformation: Builder Murray Bonitt Buys Waterfront Warehouse at 10 Duke Street