Change is afoot at Ashburn’s Loudoun Station off Shellhorn Road. The Burn has learned that Firenza Pizza, a build-your-own pizza concept has closed its doors. Signs in the windows say that they are closed for remodeling and it turns out, it’s going to be a pretty major change. Like switching from pizza to raw fish.
It appears that Firenza Pizza is not returning to this location after almost two years in business. Indeed, we could see the large pizza oven in the back corner has been ripped out.
Instead, the owners are going in a completely different direction and jumping on the poke bandwagon. The new restaurant will be called Mahana Poke. We found a website and Facebook page, but they are very basic and, so far, don’t include any menu details.
If you follow fast-casual restaurants like we do, poke is all the rage right now. Poke usually consists of raw salmon, tuna, shrimp or other seafood that is combined with various rices, salads, toppings and sauces in a bowl.
Small poke chains are popping up all over the country. In January, The Burn told you about Poke Sushi Bowl, a poke brand opening its first Loudoun location at Cascades Overlook in Sterling. Now, it looks like Mahana Poke will be joining them in the community at Loudoun Station.
It’s too bad. I actually really enjoyed their pizza. They seemed to have problems with staffing, though – I could never order delivery.
I have a suggestion for The former Hail and Hog at One Loudoun. Has Carabbas looked at this location. Need more family oriented restaurants at One Loudoun like Carabbas.
When H&H closed, I suggested on this site that one of the Great American Restaurant Group restaurants replace it- I would love to see Jackson’s take that spot. If you haven’t been to the Jackson’s in Reston Town Center, it is great. I think the former H&H spot is perfect for it.
You have to think that before long, the former Family Meal spot will open up, I forgot what it is called now, but that place has a problem with poor service and it is never crowded. I don’t think it will last another year.
Not surprised. Service was bad/slow and their food was mediocre.
That poke stuff sounds and looks disgusting.
I’m not surprised about this. I had an issue with service one night at Firenza. My family and I had placed our orders and we watched as the kid making my sandwich accidentally spit in it, looked around and acted as if nothing happened. Luckily for me, the person running the oven forgot about the sandwich and burned it, forcing them to make me a new one. Also, the pizza sauce tasted like it had been sitting in a metal container for a long time. An employee even said it had.
I voiced my complaint, something I never do, and the owner contacted me, asking me to email him and give him more information, so I did. I never heard a word back from him.
Bye Firenza!
Replacing pizza with raw fish is never something that should happen -_-
I was just going to say the opposite.
I wish there were more Sushi places out here. I guess eventhough this is technically a suburb of Washington, DC, it still feels like some random Midwest town with cheap chain restaurants. I guess that’s what the demographics tell them so more chain restaurants for the simpletons.
I rent an apartment in the “D” building directly above (the now former) Firenza and am a pizza addict. Ate there once and that was one time too many.
If this really is the same owner, I’m going to be very leery of their poke offering (and I *adore* poke). But I work from home and I’m a lazy SOB, so I’ll probably give them a chance 🙂
High rent will cause most to close down, especially since business at most are just not there. There are 3-4 owners about to close their doors in that retail area.
Sushi should never out Pizza. Can’t see having the crew over on a Monday night football game and having poke and beer for everyone. If you lasted three years serving pizza I give poke under two years.
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