Jula’s on the Potomac

The view from waterfront restaurant Jula’s on the Potomac offers a spectacular vantage of the bustling activities along the Potomac River in Alexandria. No matter where you sit, sweeping views of the water, sailboats, and rowers in the distance surround you as you dine on creative American classics. It was this panoramic view from Jula’s fourth-floor terrace in Old Town North that inadvertently sparked a new, very fulfilling career for Jula Coggins, the owner of the restaurant.

Jula worked in interior design and real estate since she was a teenager, and her husband of 20 years, Keith Coggins, has a background in intelligence and IT automation services. But when they decided to move their defense contracting and IT services firm Coggins International from Atlanta to D.C. to be closer to their clientele, the Coggins stumbled upon a building called Canal Center and knew it had to be their company’s headquarters. The duo fell in love with the location, and they didn’t want to keep it to themselves.

“When we took the half of the fourth floor at the time with just raw concrete, there was no way we were going to not share this great view with Old Town,” Jula says.

The space has transformed and expanded over the years, from a catering company for the company in 2016 to a restaurant called Café 44. That transitioned into what is now Jula’s on the Potomac, with its refined dining room, waterfront balcony, and terrace. The timeless interiors of the restaurant are all Jula. “Every inch of it, down to the fork and the light switches, every inch of the design comes from my soul. I wanted the interior to blend well with the view,” she says. Jula sourced French oak for the floors and Italian slabs for the countertop, with rotating art from the couple’s own personal collection. The food is just as stylish.

From showy whiskey cocktails smoked with hickory wood to modern American food with a twist like the bone-in Berkshire pork chop or the perennially popular Creole shrimp linguine, each dish has a creative flair. Executive Chef Thomas Crenshaw is the one responsible for bringing these incredible dishes to life.

Pictured: Jula’s on the Potomac’s Executive Chef, Thomas Crenshaw

The cuisine represents just how Jula and her husband like to eat. Since they share a love for Champagne, the restaurant features its own happy hour called Clicquot Golden Hour with discounted bottles and glasses of Veuve Clicquot and a creative selection of seasonal drinks. “We have become the number one buyer of Veuve Clicquot in Virginia,” shares Jula.

Private and semi-private events are a big part of Jula’s on the Potomac, from bookings of its intimate wine room to full buyouts. And the restaurant also leans into beloved Alexandria events, going all out so diners can have a fabulous time while looking out glass windows at the Holiday Boat Parade of Lights or Alexandria birthday fireworks in July. This year in October marks Jula’s 10th year running the restaurant business, and she knows that while the view gets diners in the door, the restaurant’s ambiance, quality of food, and warmth of the staff is the key for repeat diners.

“The view will get you in one time, but to keep them coming back, you’ve got to have the whole package,” she says. About 80 percent of reservations at Jula’s on the Potomac are to celebrate special occasions, she says, per OpenTable data. “I love it so much because people never forget those special moments,” she says. “And when they choose to spend it with us, we take that extremely seriously and to heart, and we work really hard to make sure it’s a moment they won’t forget.” Whether you’re dining to celebrate a special occasion or dropping in for an elegant dinner over wine, this waterfront restaurant brings a stylish flair to every dining experience.

As Jula reflects on her accidental hospitality career, she’ll never forget the first moment she scanned a full dining room and saw diners celebrating anniversaries and birthdays, and family and friends connecting over a meal. “Our team was moving through the dining room with confidence and genuine warmth. In that moment, I could see that Jula’s had become exactly what I hoped it would be: a beautiful place where people feel welcomed, cared for and connected,” she says. It’s then she realized this had become more than a business, but a bona fide part of people’s lives. “Alexandria’s waterfront gives Jula’s its setting, but the people of Alexandria have given it its heart,” Jula shares.

Images courtesy of Jula Coggins and Joy Asico-Smith / Asico Photo for Jula’s on the Potomac

Dine at Julas on the Potomac at 44 Canal Center Plaza Suite 401 Alexandria, Virginia