Restaurant Report: The Haven
In the spirit of sharing what we love about Alexandria, I want to tell you about a great experience at local favorite, The Haven! New to me, but a staple for pizza-loving Alexandria families, is Belle Haven Pizzeria, also known as The Haven.
We report on new restaurants often, but I wanted to take a moment and share about the wonderful experience we had at this not-so-new restaurant. The Haven opened in 2015, shortly after I left for college, so I missed its early seasons here in Alexandria. Now that I’ve been back for a few years, I’m surprised it's taken me so long to make a visit. But, there’s a first time for everything!
First off, it's right next to The Custard Shack. Because of this, I immediately was looking forward to dinner–just to get dessert! I’ve driven past the restaurant hundreds of times, and have always seen the parking lot packed with happy customers. We pulled up right in front and luckily got there before there was a wait. We decided to split a pizza and have starter salads. I was convinced to order the “Maui Wowie,” a ham and pineapple pizza, which is not my usual first choice– but it was delicious! If they make pineapple on pizza taste so good, I can only imagine how their other specialty pizzas taste! If you are like me, and like to dip your pizza crust in ranch dressing, then The Haven’s ranch is for you. It’s made in-house and tastes amazing. I’d go back just for that ranch. After dinner, I snagged a scoop of the cookies and cream custard from next door! The atmosphere was warm as we saw many families eating together. Even the music playlist was amazing all evening. Most importantly, I want to mention the service. Our server was quick, kind, helpful, and really made our first visit memorable.
The Haven is locally owned and is dedicated to serving fresh ingredients – some even coming from their own vegetable garden! Their meats are smoked in-house and sauces are all made from scratch. The Haven is open for dining-in or carry-out, and their menu is very accommodating. It even includes gluten-free and vegetarian options. Other than pizza, The Haven also has burgers, salads, wings, and other delicious options to enjoy.
I am looking forward to visiting again to try more of their pizza, and, of course, pop over to the Custard Shack next door for an after-dinner sweet treat. I’m sure most of our audience has frequented The Haven, but if it’s new to you, like it was to me, I definitely recommend a visit! Find The Haven at 1401 Belle Haven Road, open weekly for lunch and dinner to enjoy good food, good company, good service, and great ice cream next door.
