Chef Mike Isabella to Open Kapnos Taverna in Ballston

Chef Mike Isabella, owner of Graffiato and Kapnos in Washington, plans to open a Northern Greek-inspired restaurant in Ballston next summer.

Kapnos Taverna, a spinoff of Kapnos, which opened in July, will showcase dishes from the Cyclades, Peloponnese, Thessaloniki, Ionian Islands and Crete, according to a news release. Some dishes will be the same as the original Kapnos, though differences include the addition of weekday lunch, weekend brunch and a happy hour menu.

“Guests have been asking me to build a restaurant in Virginia or Maryland since we opened Graffiato in 2011. Kapnos has been wildly popular in its first few months, and we think this sister concept will be a great addition to the booming neighborhoods in Arlington,” Isabella said in a statement. “Next spring, our team will travel to Greece, and we plan to build the menu around reinterpretations of regional cuisine.” 

Kapnos Taverna will fill 4,700 square feet at 4000 Wilson Blvd.

Its bar will feature up to 10 cocktails on tap and it will feature the largest wine selection in Isabella's family of restaurants, with more than 200 bottles on display in a two-story glass case.

The restaurant will seat 185 and feature a 40-seat seasonal outdoor patio.

Isabella appeared on the sixth season of "Top Chef," and he was the runner-up on "Top Chef All-Stars."