Mayor Hal Parrish and members of the Manassas City Council recently joined business owners Adiam and Veronica Musie and members of the community to celebrate the grand opening of their restaurant, Vera’s Kitchen in the Manassas Historic District.
Located at 9255 Center Street, Vera’s Kitchen offers a variety of hearty entrees as well as lighter fare inspired by Veronica’s culinary experiences in her native Ethiopia.
Joined by Manassas Vice Mayor Sheryl Bass and City Council members, Ken Elston, Ian Lovejoy, and Pamela J. Sebesky, Mayor Parrish’s remarks spoke to the dream of small business ownership. He recognized that the Musie’s dream is one that is shared by many and creates joy for the entrepreneur and the patron when that dream comes to fruition.
Veronica Musie eloquently expressed her gratitude to “this great nation” for giving her the opportunity to pursue her dream, describing how she enrolled in various classes throughout Northern Virginia to further develop her culinary skills.
Born in Ethiopia and raised on fresh, nutrient-dense foods, Veronica knew she wanted to provide these meals to others after she migrated to the U.S. She honed her skills while working at top American restaurants and managing authentic Ethiopian eateries before opening a successful catering venture focusing on healthy fusion recipes that represent a variety of cultures and tastes.
Patrick Small, Director of Economic Development, and representatives of Historic Manassas were also on hand to welcome the new business to the City of Manassas. The festive grand opening featured wonderful food and camaraderie and concluded with Mayor Parrish offering the perfect toast to “Desta,” which means happiness in the Ethiopian language.
Veronica and Adiam hope that their restaurant clientele will experience this happiness when they step inside their doors.
Vera’s Kitchen is open Monday through Thursday 8 am. to -4 p.m., Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and weekends 9 am. to 9 p.m. They also cater weddings, office meetings and casual gatherings. You can reach Vera or Adiam at 703-479-7655 or at their website veraskitchendesta.com.
