Little Birdie Brings Gourmet Chicken Sandwiches to Mount Vernon Avenue

A new chicken sandwich spot called Little Birdie is set to open in June at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue. The restaurant will take over the space previously occupied by Benny DiForza's Pizza. Owners Matthew Sloan and Eric Brannon signed the lease at the end of 2025 and are now preparing for launch.

Little Birdie will specialise in chicken sandwiches made with Pennsylvania-sourced chicken, served on Japanese milk buns. The menu will also include shared plates priced between £12 and £16, sandwiches at £15, and entrées in the low £20 range. The restaurant will operate with an open kitchen layout, offering both counter service and full-service lunch options.

Planned opening hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The owners have applied for permission to add 10 outdoor dining seats. Sloan, a former managing partner of Alexandria Restaurant Partners, co-owns the restaurant with Brannon. The pair also run Matt & Tony's All Day Kitchen + Bar, which opened in 2022 and became a RAMMY Award semifinalist. Alexandria Restaurant Partners currently manages nine restaurants across Florida and Northern Virginia, including The Majestic, Mia's Italian Kitchen, and Ada's on the River in Alexandria. The Mount Vernon Avenue property is owned by attorney Michael Hadeed.

Renovations are underway, with the team aiming for a June opening. Once complete, Little Birdie will join the growing list of dining options in the area. The focus on locally sourced ingredients and flexible service aims to attract both casual and sit-down diners.