Blackwall Hitch Restaurant Planned for Torpedo Factory Food Pavilion

Plans are in motion to transform the long-vacant Torpedo Factory Food Pavilion at the Alexandria City Marina into a single restaurant.

The proposal for the Blackwall Hitch, named after a knot used to tie vessels to shore, is expected to enter the city’s planning approval process in December.

Lead partner Larry Ray, a veteran of restaurant and health club ventures in Annapolis, Md., expressed high hopes for the project at a meeting of the city’s Waterfront Commission Tuesday morning.

“When I was introduced to Alexandria, I immediately fell in love with city and this project,” Ray said. “It’s an exciting business opportunity and I see this being a hugely successful endeavor.”

Ray said he’s looking to secure a chef of some renown to offer a variation of New American Cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. Baked goods will be made on site, and the menu will offer some vegan and gluten-free options. 

A wide selection of craft beers, international wines and specialty cocktails will be offered and there are plans for live music.

Ray and his partners are proposing a multi-million dollar overhaul of the building, maintaining glass for vistas of the waterfront and utilizing much of the outdoor area for patio dining. On the ground floor, there are plans for retractable glass walls. Upstairs, there will be a mezzanine lounge.  

As part of the proposal, the interior will be separated into several different dining areas, including a raw bar and chef demonstration area. An interior bar will open into an exterior patio, and there are plans to utilize the gazebo in some way.

“It’s our intention to offer a more welcoming façade out front,” said local architect Dennis Burns, who was brought on to plan the transformation. “We’ll rebrand the building so people don’t know they’re going into a food court. … On north end of the building, it’s our intention to make the back patio a real functional dining area.”

Ray said if the approval process goes smoothly, Blackwall Hitch could open as early as late summer or early fall 2014.

The nearby Waterfront Market and Cafe, the brainchild of Bittersweet's Jody Manor, is expected to open in the Torpedo Factory Arcade in mid-November.