Herndon's NH44 Indian Brewing Co. Opens as Minerva Indian Cuisine Pauses for Renovation

Herndon's South Asian food scene saw movement on two fronts this season. NH44 Indian Brewing Co. opened its doors at the Arrowbrook Center with a menu blending Indian flavors and American pub fare alongside a lineup of house-brewed craft beers named with South Asian references. Meanwhile, Minerva Indian Cuisine — one of the region's oldest Indian restaurant brands, founded in Herndon in 1998 — has temporarily closed its Gaithersburg location while replacing kitchen equipment, with no reopening date yet announced.

🍛 NH44 Indian Brewing Co. Opens in Herndon

NH44 Indian Brewing Co. has quietly opened its doors at the Arrowbrook Center in Herndon, located off Centreville Road just south of the Dulles Toll Road, according to a report by The Burn. The new establishment operates as a full restaurant and brew pub, blending South Asian culinary traditions with an American-style taproom experience. The Burn, which first reported on plans for NH44 back in February 2025, noted that the team kept their soft opening low-key, though word has begun to spread among local residents and food enthusiasts. The food menu is intentionally broad, offering items that appeal both to fans of traditional Indian cuisine and casual pub-goers. Appetizers include Stuffed Jalapeños, House Wings, and Onion Rings, while the pizza selection ranges from a Classic Cheese Pizza to Indian-inspired creations including a Chicken Tikka Pizza and a Kisan Farmers pizza loaded with fresh vegetables. Heartier options include Shrimp Tandoor and Lamb Seekh Kabob, alongside traditional Indian desserts such as Kheer, a rice pudding flavored with cardamom. On the beverage side, NH44 brews its own craft beers in house, including a Sarpanch Amber Lager, an Asli Tiger West Coast IPA, and a Dharma and Karma Pilsner — all with names that reflect distinctly South Asian cultural references. The Arrowbrook Center location places NH44 alongside other notable eateries including Paris Baguette and Super Kyuramnen Japanese ramen, adding an Indian-American dining option to one of Herndon's more diverse food corridors. [2]

🍛 Minerva Indian Cuisine Temporarily Closes for Kitchen Upgrades

Minerva Indian Cuisine, one of the most established South Asian restaurant brands in the Washington metropolitan area, has temporarily shuttered its Gaithersburg location at 16240 Frederick Road while undergoing kitchen renovations, according to The MoCo Show. A restaurant representative confirmed that the closure is due to the replacement of kitchen equipment, though no formal reopening timeline has been made public. Minerva's roots in the Desi community run deep: the restaurant was founded in 1998 with its original location in Herndon, Virginia, making it one of the earliest Indian dining destinations in the Northern Virginia corridor and a foundational part of the region's South Asian food landscape. Over the subsequent decades, the brand expanded to additional locations across Northern Virginia and Maryland, becoming a familiar name to generations of South Asian American families in the greater DC area. The restaurant is widely recognized for serving authentic Indian cuisine drawing on the culinary traditions of multiple regions of the subcontinent, with an emphasis on traditional flavors and preparation rather than adaptation for mainstream tastes. The temporary closure for renovations is seen as a sign of continued investment in the brand's infrastructure and long-term presence in the region. Customers who regularly visit the Gaithersburg location are advised to follow the restaurant's channels for updates on the anticipated reopening, as no formal date has been communicated at the time of publication. [4]

Sources: [2] The Burn · [4] The MoCo Show -