Herndon's Indian Food Scene Expands While Cricket Ground Faces Uncertain Future
Herndon is seeing a burst of South Asian culinary energy, with a new Indian brewery-restaurant and an upscale Indian dining venue both recently open in the area. At the same time, a cricket ground relied on by the region's South Asian community is at the center of a local land-use debate over affordable housing.
🍛 NH44 Indian Brewing Co. Opens Quietly in Herndon, Blending Indian Cuisine with Craft Beer
After more than a year of anticipation since plans were first reported in February 2025, NH44 Indian Brewing Co. has quietly opened its doors in Herndon at the Arrowbrook Center off Centreville Road, just south of the Dulles Toll Road. The new establishment combines a full-service restaurant with its own craft brewing operation, blending Indian culinary tradition with an American brewpub format.
The food menu reflects an India-meets-America approach. Alongside familiar bar snacks, diners can order Shrimp Tandoor and Lamb Seekh Kabob. Pizzas include a Chicken Tikka Pizza and a Kisan — or "Farmers" — pizza loaded with fresh vegetables. Desserts include Kheer, the classic South Asian rice pudding flavored with cardamom.
On the beer side, NH44 pours a lineup of house-brewed ales and lagers with names that nod to the subcontinent. The tap list includes a Sarpanch Amber Lager, an Asli Tiger West Coast IPA, and a Dharma & Karma Pilsner — names that carry cultural resonance for South Asian patrons.
The name NH44 refers to National Highway 44, the longest highway in India, running the length of the country from north to south. The restaurant's soft opening was intentionally low-key, but word has begun to spread across the broader Northern Virginia community. The Arrowbrook Center location places NH44 alongside other notable eateries in one of Herndon's growing commercial nodes. [6]
🍛 Maharani Palace Brings Upscale North Indian Dining to Elden Street
Maharani Palace Fine Indian Cuisine and Lounge has opened at 1030 Elden Street in Herndon, taking over the space previously occupied by Mellow Mushroom. A pair of golden elephants at the entrance signals the restaurant's aesthetic tone — the interior is designed to evoke the grandeur of royal Indian palaces.
Chef-owner Neel Kamal has built the menu around elevated regional Indian dishes. A signature offering is murg sharab khana — chicken kebabs simmered in a fragrant sauce, served on a hot plate and flambeed tableside with Old Monk rum. The kitchen also prepares authentic tandoori kebabs and Indo-Chinese staples like chicken manchurian, reflecting the eclectic culinary tradition that has evolved across the subcontinent.
Maharani Palace is positioned as both a dining destination and a community gathering space. Vijay Joshi from the restaurant team described the establishment's target audience as the diverse South Asian diaspora of Northern Virginia. "We are bringing authentic North Indian food," Joshi said. "This is a new restaurant, and we see a lot of people from that diaspora — Indian demographics, Pakistan demographics, Bangladeshis, Nepalis — in this region of Northern Virginia." The restaurant also functions as a banquet hall, adding capacity for weddings, celebrations, and community events that are central to social life among South Asian families in the area. [2]
🗳️ Dulles Greene Cricket Ground Eyed for Affordable Housing Redevelopment
A proposal before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has placed the future of the Dulles Greene Cricket Ground in question. Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust introduced a measure asking the county to evaluate redeveloping the 9.63-acre parcel at 13500 Dulles Greene Drive — currently used as a cricket field — as a site for affordable housing.
The property is county-owned land made available on a temporary basis for use by the local cricket-playing community in the Herndon area and wider Northern Virginia. Cricket carries strong cultural significance for South Asian communities throughout Fairfax County, and public fields like Dulles Greene serve as important recreational and social spaces for those communities.
The Board of Supervisors approved the proposal for consideration, noting that the parcel presents a viable opportunity for affordable housing development. The measure does not yet commit the county to demolishing or repurposing the field; it initiates a formal review process. Even so, the proposal has raised concerns among cricket players and South Asian community members who have come to rely on the ground.
The situation reflects a tension common in rapidly growing suburbs like Herndon — between established community uses for open space and the pressing need for more affordable residential development in the region. How the county weighs those competing priorities will determine the fate of one of the area's few dedicated cricket venues. [5]
Sources: [6] The Burn · [2] Northern Virginia Magazine · [5] Patch