Having dominated the day-to-night cafe space on H Street NE with his coffee shop-meets-restaurant and cocktail bar Maketto, chef Erik Bruner-Yang is opening up a similar all-day destination in Navy Yard. The chef is set to debut a yet-unnamed cafe concept inside the new Novel South Capitol apartment building. Washingtonian was first to report on the new project.
Much like his menus at Maketto, Brothers and Sisters, and Spoken English, the latter two of which are inside The Line hotel in Adams Morgan, Bruner-Yang’s new 3,000-square-foot spot will feature an Asian-inspired menu. Breakfast bites, cocktail hour snacks, and drinks will be on offer, per a release. The cafe will be situated in Novel’s lobby, alongside a coworking space. Room service and a wine shop are being floated as additional amenities. The cafe will open in August.
Novel South Capitol—co-developed by RCP Development Company and Crescent Communities—is divided into two 13-story towers at I and South Capitol streets SE. According to a release, residences start at $1,807, though a floor plan suggests there are no remaining units available for less than $2,176. One tower began leasing units in January; the second half is set to begin delivering later this year. The building includes the amenities that are de rigueur in the luxury building-heavy neighborhood: a rooftop pool and lounge with fire pits and barbecue grills, a plush fitness center, a dog park, and bike storage. There will even be a pet cafe.
The Novel’s ground-level food concept joins a growing number of spots in D.C. that boast coffee and cocktail programs for an anytime-of-day experience, including Elle, The Royal, Colony Club, Slipstream’s two locations, and Mikko. Even The Line hotel, which hosts two of Bruner-Yang’s restaurants, has a morning cafe component, The Cup We All Race 4.
This post has been updated.
Lori McCue