The new chicken-centric restaurant Little Birdie, which will blend Asian and Carolina coastal flavors, officially opens in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood on Tuesday, June 23, and you can preview the menu here.

You can expect items like the Birdie’s Classic, made with chicken, sauce, shaved garlic pickles, and cabbage slaw, or stuffed oysters made with miso and smoked cheddar cream, panko breadcrumbs, lemon, and hot sauce.

Taking over the former Benny DiForza’s Pizza space, Matthew Sloan and Eric Brannon (creators of Matt and Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar) shared why they're excited to bring their latest concept to the area.

“We love the neighborhood, we love the avenue, we've always wanted to be part of the growth of the offerings and auctions here in Del Ray,” chef and owner Eric Brannon said.

There’s plenty more to discover beyond its standout bird dishes.

“I really am enjoying a lot of our fun snacks,” Brannon said. “For me, it's really all these supporting actors that build that [the chicken sandwich] up on the pedestal.”

A chicken sandwich on a plate from Little Birdie. — Just look at this sandwich. | Photo by Steve Vilnit

A lot of the ingredients will be sourced from sustainable locations in and around the area.

“Rappahannock Oyster Company will be providing oysters right here in Virginia off the Chesapeake Bay,” Brannon explained. “The main thing is that our chicken specifically is all going to be antibiotic hormone-free. A really great product, a sustainable product.”

Brannon is especially excited about the Tendie Tower — a playful twist on the traditional seafood tower.

“It’s this tower of goodies… from our fries to our slaws to our pickles to our spreads to those tenders,” he explained. “So I think the Tendie Tower will be really fun.”

And we’d be remiss if we didn’t highlight the fun cocktails and beverages you can sip on while enjoying the tasty cuisine. I’m looking forward to trying the Lavender Kick, made with earl grey gin, lemon, and lavender honey.

“The drink program's also going to be really phenomenal here,” Brannon stated. “It will be a small program just based on the space we have to work with, but Michael Riojas, our beverage director at Matt and Tony's, comes with just a wealth of knowledge, talent, and passion.”

The atmosphere offers something for everyone, from a casual beer and sandwich at the bar to a more elevated meal paired with a bottle of wine.

“We feel that we're building something that's comfortable and casual enough for everybody, but refined and cute enough for date nights,” Brannon said.