Herndon Gains Indian Craft Brewery as Minerva Pauses and Masti Opens in Reston
The Northern Virginia Indian food and dining scene saw notable activity this summer, with the soft opening of NH44 Indian Brewing Co. in Herndon bringing a first-of-its-kind Indian-themed craft brewery and restaurant to the area, the temporary closure of the long-established Minerva Indian Cuisine in nearby Gaithersburg for kitchen upgrades, and the launch of Masti Indian Restaurant in Reston's Town Center by chef Ram Thapa. Together the developments signal both growth and evolution in the region's South Asian culinary landscape.
🍛 NH44 Indian Brewing Co. Opens Quietly at Herndon's Arrowbrook Center
NH44 Indian Brewing Co. has opened for business at the Arrowbrook Center in Herndon, Virginia, off Centreville Road just south of the Dulles Toll Road, according to a June 24, 2026 report by The Burn. The team chose a low-key soft opening, but word has begun to spread among local diners and craft beer enthusiasts. The restaurant and brew pub occupies space in the same retail center as Paris Baguette and the Japanese ramen spot Super Kyuramnen. The Burn had first reported on NH44's plans back in February 2025, making the opening the fulfillment of a development that the Northern Virginia community had been anticipating for well over a year. The menu at NH44 blends Indian and American culinary traditions: house-made appetizers include Stuffed Jalapenos and Onion Rings alongside more distinctly Indian options like Shrimp Tandoor and Lamb Seekh Kabob. Pizzas range from a Classic Cheese to a Chicken Tikka variant and a Kisan, or Farmers, pizza loaded with fresh vegetables. Desserts include Kheer, the traditional cardamom-flavored rice pudding. The brewery side features original beers with names rooted in Indian culture: a Sarpanch Amber Lager, an Asli Tiger West Coast IPA, and a Dharma and Karma Pilsner. The name NH44 refers to National Highway 44, the longest road in India. [2]
🍛 Minerva Indian Cuisine in Gaithersburg Closes Temporarily for Kitchen Renovation
Minerva Indian Cuisine at 16240 Frederick Road in Gaithersburg, Maryland, has temporarily closed its doors for renovations, according to a report published by The MoCo Show on March 26, 2026. A representative for the restaurant confirmed that the closure is for the purpose of replacing kitchen equipment and that no reopening timeline had been announced at the time of the report. Minerva is a well-known institution in the Northern Virginia and Maryland South Asian dining community, having been founded in Herndon, Virginia in 1998 before expanding to multiple locations across the region. The restaurant has built a reputation for serving authentic Indian cuisine that draws on the culinary traditions of multiple regions of India, with an emphasis on traditional flavors and presentation. For many diners in the Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland Indian diaspora, Minerva represents a connection to Indian food culture that predates the current wave of Indian restaurant openings in the area, making it something of a community anchor. The temporary pause for kitchen equipment replacement is typically a sign of a restaurant investing in the infrastructure needed to maintain quality and expand capacity, and the local South Asian community is expected to be watching for news of the Gaithersburg location's reopening. [3]
🍛 Chef Ram Thapa Opens Masti Indian Restaurant in Reston Town Center
Masti Indian Restaurant opened in October 2025 at 1825 Discovery Street in the heart of Reston Town Center, nestled within the Hyatt Hotel and offering views of the plaza's covered common area and seasonal ice skating rink, according to a report by Patch covering the Northern Virginia area. The restaurant is the latest project by Chef Ram Thapa, whose established Indochen restaurants in Alexandria have made him a familiar name in the region's South Asian food scene. For Masti, Thapa teamed up with co-owner Kumar KC to bring what the establishment describes as a blend of Indian classics and inventive new dishes to Northern Virginia diners. The name Masti, which translates roughly as fun or playfulness in Hindi, signals the restaurant's intention to take a spirited rather than strictly formal approach to Indian cuisine. The restaurant is positioned in a high-visibility location that gives it access to the large foot traffic generated by Reston Town Center's dining, retail, and entertainment offerings. The opening represents a continuation of a broader trend of experienced South Asian chefs in the Northern Virginia area expanding their restaurant portfolios into new formats and locations, bringing established culinary expertise to new neighborhood audiences. [5]
Sources: [2] The Burn · [3] The MoCo Show - · [5] patch.com