Local love: NOVAtoday’s guide to reader-recommended small businesses

Put your money where your community is and help us create a guide to small businesses by submitting your favorite local spots and sharing this page with a friend.

Isa Seyran, owner of the Ballstonian, poses with a regular.

The Ballstonian, owned by Isa Seyran, has many regulars, one of whom is shown in this photo with him. | Photo by NOVAtoday

Did you know? Virginia is home to 880,366 small businesses. We want to celebrate all the businesses that make NOVA so special.

In honor of our many movers and shakers, we’re asking readers to nominate the small businesses they love so we can share them with our entire audience.

We’ll be here to share a new batch of small businesses every month, so bookmark this page to come back for more, especially if you’ve enjoyed pieces like our guide to shopping Small Business Saturday.

Editor Ava’s pick
Ballstonian | Coffee shop
“It’s a neighborhood place, and that’s by design.” — Owner Isa Seyran

This local coffee cart sits on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington’s Ballston neighborhood, serving coffee, tea, and select pastries to hundreds of regulars and community members. He’s even described the spot as a local “watering hole.”

More from NOVAtoday
Discover how Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights activism shaped NOVA and DC.
Here are 15 different rankings where NOVA ranked in 2025.
These local donation sites will collect items like clothing, home goods, diapers, and other things that people may need.
Check out our resources to help you reach your 2026 goals around Northern Virginia.
From Spain to Ireland, here are five flights you can hop on to see different countries in Europe.
Try out these fun workout classes and activities that will ensure minimal boredom while you move your body.
Participating in Dry January? Here are different bars and restaurants around Northern Virginia serving mocktails that will satisfy your drink cravings.
We compiled all of the feedback from our Giving Campaign to learn what readers love most and want to see more of in our newsletters. Here’s a peek at what they said.
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
This man-made fishing lake in Alexandria, Virginia, gets stocked with fish, including rainbow trout, brown trout, and channel catfish for local fishermen to catch and take home.