Weekly Dining Round-up

If the popularity of a restaurant can be measured by the lack of empty seats at lunchtime, then Anthony’s Italian Mediterranean Family Restaurant in Purcellville is a smash hit. We stopped in for a quick bite at high noon and saw the indoor and outdoor seats vanish in about 10 minutes as the lunch crowd rolled in. Anthony’s is on the west side of town (next to the 7-11 for people who know Purcellville) and this location has seen a lot of restaurants over the years. But the current owners seem to have hit on a menu and price combination that works well for everyone.

The menu is pretty standard fare, with gyros, souvlaki, and subs. Entrées include various pastas and pizzas, strombolis, and calzones are all on the menu, too. We decided to try the Souvlaki Sandwich and the Chicken Shawarma sandwich. Both were served piping hot, wrapped in a pita and rolled in foil to make it easy to eat. A side of battered fries came with each sandwich. The souvlaki was big chunk of well-seasoned chicken, lettuce, tomato, onions, feta, and olives. The shawarma was slices of chicken with the same veggies and tahini sauce, which added an interesting twist.

The service was prompt, especially given the crowd, and the food was tasty. It’ll be interesting to go back and try the pizzas, pasta, and calzones for dinner. Two lunch sandwiches with fries and a couple of iced teas came to about $10 a head, which is not bad for a sit down lunch. They are open for lunch and dinner every day and you can find Anthony’s at 620 West Main St. in downtown Purcellville.