NH44 Indian Brewing Opens in Herndon While Minerva Pauses and Masti Debuts in Reston
Herndon's Desi dining map shifted this season with the quiet debut of NH44 Indian Brewing Co. at Arrowbrook Center off Centreville Road. Minerva Indian Cuisine, founded in Herndon in 1998, has meanwhile temporarily shuttered its Gaithersburg outpost for a kitchen refit. And just down the road in Reston, chef Ram Thapa's Masti brought a new modern-Indian venture to the Town Center's Hyatt Hotel.
🍛 NH44 Indian Brewing Co. Quietly Opens at Arrowbrook Center
The team behind NH44 Indian Brewing Co. kept its soft opening in Herndon deliberately low-key, but word has begun to spread among neighbourhood diners looking for something new. The restaurant and brew pub sits inside Arrowbrook Center, just off Centreville Road and south of the tollway, sharing the plaza with Paris Baguette, the Super Kyuramnen Japanese ramen shop, and an upcoming Huey Magoo's Chicken Tenders that will be the chain's first Virginia location. The Burn originally previewed the concept more than a year ago, in a February 2025 story that flagged both the brewery and a neighbouring yoga studio slated for the same retail center. NH44's menu now blends Indian and American comfort dishes side by side. Guests can order Stuffed Jalapenos, House Wings, and Onion Rings alongside hand-tossed pizzas such as a Classic Cheese, a Chicken Tikka, and a Kisan 'Farmers' pizza layered with fresh vegetables. Heftier plates include Shrimp Tandoor and a Lamb Seekh Kabob, while dessert brings a bowl of Kheer, the traditional rice pudding perfumed with cardamom. The bar leans just as consciously into the theme, opening its house lineup with a Sarpanch-branded brew of its own. [2]
🍛 Herndon-Born Minerva Pauses Gaithersburg Location for Kitchen Refit
Minerva Indian Cuisine at 16240 Frederick Road in Gaithersburg is temporarily closed while the restaurant swaps out its kitchen equipment, according to a representative reached at the store by The MoCo Show. No timeframe has been announced for reopening, leaving regular diners waiting for word from the operator. Minerva has long been known for serving authentic Indian dishes drawn from multiple regions of the country, with a focus on traditional flavours and presentation over trend-driven reinvention. The brand's story actually begins in Herndon, Virginia, where its first location opened in 1998, laying the groundwork for what would grow into one of the more familiar Indian-restaurant names in the Washington region. From that Herndon starting point, Minerva went on to expand through additional locations across Northern Virginia and Maryland, building a small footprint that has kept it visible in suburban dining rooms for more than a quarter of a century. Patrick Herron's dispatch, published on March 26, 2026, framed the pause as a routine renovation rather than a permanent closure, aimed at bringing the kitchen back with refreshed equipment. Neighbourhood diners who first met Minerva in Herndon will be watching for its return. [4]
🍛 Masti Indian Restaurant Debuts Inside Reston Town Center's Hyatt
Just down the Fairfax County road from Herndon, Masti Indian Restaurant has opened its doors in Reston Town Center at 1825 Discovery Street, tucked inside the Hyatt Hotel with views of the plaza's covered courtyard and its seasonal ice skating rink. The name Masti, which the restaurant translates as 'fun,' signals the tone the owners want to set for a night out in the neighbourhood. The venture is the latest project from Chef Ram Thapa, the restaurateur behind the two Indochen restaurants in Alexandria, and this time he has partnered with co-owner Kumar KC, who is running the day-to-day operation. Patch describes Masti as bringing a blend of Indian classics and inventive new dishes to a Reston clientele already used to a rotating cast of Town Center openings. The Hyatt address gives the restaurant frontage on the covered plaza where families gather in the winter months, and the rink outside is expected to steer walk-in traffic through its doors. Michael O'Connell filed the announcement for Patch on October 15, 2025, marking Masti's debut night as the newest Indian addition to Reston Town Center's expanding restaurant row along Discovery Street. [5]
Sources: [2] The Burn · [4] The MoCo Show - · [5] Patch