Columbus Grill, Manassas

Columbus Grill was named for legendary explorer Christopher Columbus—an apt moniker, given chef Nuno Duarte's own trans-Atlantic voyages. The culinary maestro manned his own restaurants and catering companies in Switzerland, the United States, and his native Portugal before founding Columbus Grill as a way to flaunt his diverse epicurean skills locally. Today, he helms a team of chefs who boast similar international aptitude, drawing from their know-how of French, Greek, and Italian cuisines to sprinkle eclectic influences into Columbus Grill's eclectic recipes. Each member calls upon unique skills and talents to whip up Mediterranean, Portuguese, and Spanish dishes punctuated by classic American steak house fare and fresh, housemade desserts.

Columbus Grill's chic environs evoke elegance via custom-made furnishings, exposed beams that support a lofty ceiling, and a full bar surrounded by flat-screen TVs. A dark wooden wine rack looms above the dining area, where rich hardwood floors extend out to semiprivate dining enclaves carved into the room's walls. Further inside, a chic banquet hall hosts up to 140 revelers, and outside, a covered patio cushions diners during good weather or local mockingbirds' annual symphonies.