Rosie's Tavern Seeks 49 Outdoor Seats in Del Ray

Owner Jay Portlance has asked the city for permission to add outdoor seating at the planned Mount Vernon Avenue restaurant.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Dining Out

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of empty sidewalk café tables and chairs in front of a low brick storefront under soft afternoon light. — Owner Jay Portlance has asked Alexandria for permission to add 49 outdoor seats at Rosie's Tavern, a restaurant planned for the former Thai Peppers space on Mount Vernon Avenue. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Owner Jay Portlance has requested city permission for 49 outdoor seats at Rosie's Tavern, a future restaurant at 2018 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. The restaurant aims to open in November in the former home of Thai Peppers, which closed over the summer.

Why it matters

The special use permit application anticipates up to 200 daily customers and 10 staff members, indicating a sizable operation for the neighborhood. Alexandria's review of outdoor seating and operating hours will shape how the venue fits into the surrounding Del Ray streetscape.

The special use permit application, a city filing, requests 49 outdoor seats split between 20 in front of the business and 29 in an enclosed patio, with proposed hours of 10 a.m. to midnight daily. Whether the city will approve the seating and hours remains unresolved, and construction is still underway.

The players

Jay Portlance

Jay Portlance is the owner of Rosie's Tavern and also owns the Del Ray Farmhouse Market and Garden and Del Ray Hardware.

The details

Rosie's Tavern will occupy the longtime home of Thai Peppers, which closed over the summer. Owner Jay Portlance, who also owns Del Ray Farmhouse Market and Garden and Del Ray Hardware, submitted the special use permit application to the city proposing seven-day operation from 10 a.m. to midnight.

Summer 2026: Thai Peppers closed at the 2018 Mount Vernon Avenue location.
November 2026: Rosie's Tavern aims to open.

Local Dining Landscape

Rosie's Tavern's application follows Alexandria's special use permit process, which reviews outdoor seating and operating hours for new restaurants in Del Ray before approval. The request for 49 seats and midnight closing will be measured against that existing local framework.

If approved, the restaurant's proposed hours and outdoor seating would affect nearby residents and foot traffic on Mount Vernon Avenue. Diners planning visits once it opens should expect a busy, seven-day schedule from 10 a.m. to midnight.

The takeaway

Neighborhood restaurants often need city approval for outdoor seating and hours before they can fully open, so the permit outcome will determine how Rosie's Tavern operates. Residents interested in the project can follow the city's review of the application.