HERNDON, Va. – Herndon is trying to carve out an identity in the midst of suburban sprawl — and it’s doing it by selling itself as a dining destination.
Herndon’s new website, Dine on Herndon, is loaded with information about all the restaurants in the four-square-mile town.
“People don’t think ‘Herndon’ when they think dining and we want to change that,” says Herndon Mayor Lisa Merkel.
Merkel notes there are more than 120 restaurants in Herndon. They range from casual to fine dining, with more than 25 different ethnic cuisines in the mix.
Most are small, locally-owned businesses. Merkel says the town council has been focused on economic development for several years, and wants to promote Herndon not only as a great place to live and work, but also a terrific spot in which to dine.
While the town has its share of fast food outlets, Merkel says visitors will find many that are unique, whether they come from across Northern Virginia, or across the world.
Dulles International Airport is nearby. Merkel says she hopes passengers will search dineonherndon.com on their phones when they land.
“The first town they step into is Herndon,” she says. “And we want to make sure they know what we have to offer.”
Follow @WTOP and @WTOPliving on Twitter.
