After a summer that brought high profile openings such as the colorful outpost of Mi Vida on 14th Street — a growing local chain that expects to expand again to Penn Quarter this fall — a tavern from Bar Rescue’s Jon Tapper, the first full-service eatery at Skyland Town Center, and the wildly popular breakfast taqueria La Tejana, the D.C. area has plenty more restaurant openings slated for the rest of the year.
It’s bittersweet to anticipate new spots opening up all over the region while the local restaurant industry continues to face the realities of staffing shortages, rising prices, and supply chain issues. Some of the most beloved brands had to shutter this summer, including Magpie and the Tiger (which we previously looked forward to), Newland, Bad Saint, 3 Stars Brewing, Green Hat Gin, and Number 1 Sons. In a positive turn, Espita closed up shop, but reopened its doors as Ghostburger, the ghost kitchen it previously operated.
With COVID-related delays in mind, most opening dates are not set in stone, but nonetheless, here’s what we’re excited about this fall and winter.
Ākēdo and The Arcade
1100 15th St. NW
Swanky downtown izakaya Shōtō may have made headlines this summer for many reasons, but the popular eatery has news of its own: It’s expanding to add two more restaurants within its space this fall. Ākēdo will be a fast-casual Japanese street food spot paired with the Arcade, a speakeasy-inspired bar with unique cocktails, Eater DC reports.
Andy’s Pizza
4600 East West Highway, Bethesda
The award-winning New York-style pizzeria expands to Maryland. Early next year, owner Andy Brown is expected to open up his highest capacity pizza shop yet in Bethesda — it will have a bar and upper level event space, reports Bethesda Magazine.
Bar Spero
250 Massachusetts Ave. NW Suite 155
With a grand opening last week, the highly anticipated Bar Spero took a few years to land at Capitol Crossing, a new development over the I-395 highway at Third Street and Massachusetts Avenue NW. Johnny Spero, the chef behind the 6,500-square-foot Spanish seafood-focused restaurant, also leads Georgetown’s Reverie, which temporarily closed this summer after a devastating fire. He also designed the menu at Nighthawk Pizza in Arlington.
Bronze
1245 H St, NE
H Street gains a new restaurant in Maketto partner Keem Hughley’s Bronze, reports Eater DC. The 150-seat space with a cocktail bar and back patio will highlight the history of the African diaspora through the eyes of fictional character Alonzo Bronze. The project, slated to open in late October, includes a bar program from Barmini alum Al Thompson and input from acclaimed chef Toya Henry.
Colada Shop in Dupont Circle
1900 N St. NW
Enjoy Colada Shop’s Cuban bites, mojitos, and cafés con leche in Dupont Circle at its fifth location, opening this November. The 1,800-square-foot store will have seating for nearly 60 guests indoors and outdoors. Like its sister locations, the menu will include sweet and savory pastelitos, empanadas, and a classic Cuban sandwich, along with coffee, cocktails, and seasonal specials.
Deanwood Deli
4505 Sheriff Road NE
The team behind the popular MLK Deli in Congress Heights is getting ready to sling sandwiches at a second location over in Deanwood. Opening later this fall, Deanwood Deli will offer a similar menu to the original (which turned 5 last weekend), with two new additions: the Sheriff Rd Fish Sandwich and french fries. The deli’s famous crab cake, which comes in small, medium, or large sizes, will make an appearance here as well.
Ellington Park Bistro
2033 M St. NW
Inside the St. Gregory Hotel near Dupont Circle and across the street from Duke Ellington Park, a quaint namesake bistro with contemporary French cuisine will open this fall. The corner restaurant with a central bar aims to remind patrons of their favorite Paris sidewalk cafe.
Flip’d by IHOP
8537 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring
Remember IHOB? Now that dream is (sort of) coming to fruition at IHOP’s new fast-casual spin-off, flip’d. One of the outposts opens in downtown Silver Spring this week, reports Bethesda Magazine. Expect their famous pancakes in a bowl, in addition to burgers and sandwiches on the menu.
Gordon Ramsay’s Fish & Chips and Hell’s Kitchen
665 Wharf St. SW, Suite 730
The famous British chef expands his empire this fall to the second phase of The Wharf with two of his chains: Fish & Chips and Hell’s Kitchen. The first, a fast-casual chipper, as they’re called in the U.K., will debut first with an outdoor waterfront patio serving Ramsay’s modern take on fish and chips. The two-level, full-service Hell’s Kitchen will come second, with a menu including classics like beef Wellington, burgers, and sticky toffee pudding. Ramsay also plans to open Street Pizza, an all-you-can-eat pizza spot, in Chinatown in 2023.
Grazie Nonna
1100 15th St. NW
Opening up next to Little Chicken in Midtown Center comes another restaurant from the same owners: Grazie Grazie sandwich chain owner Casey Patten (formerly of Taylor Gourmet) and Bammy’s owners Gerald Addison and Chris Morgan. Enjoy pizza and Italian-American classics starting later this month, according to Eater DC.
Jiwa Singapura
2001 International Drive, McLean
Tysons’ dining options grow with Chef Mamu Rashidin abd Rashid’s first restaurant in the United States. Opening this winter in part of the former Macy’s at the Tysons Galleria mall, the restaurant will serve up a modern take on Singaporean cuisine in a space decorated to be reminiscent of the cosmopolitan city. Jiwa Singapura comes from the team behind Cranes, the Spanish-Japanese fusion restaurant in Penn Quarter, according to Washington Business Journal.
Joy by Seven Reasons
5471 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase
Inside high-end Chevy Chase shopping center The Collection, the Seven Restaurant Group will debut its latest addition this fall: Joy by Seven Reasons. The self-described “sexy-casual” Latin American restaurant is an extension of the group’s Seven Reasons, which serves a modern Latin-American influenced menu. Joy will be a cocktail-oriented venue with an upscale casual atmosphere, according to a press release.
La Catrina Bar & Lounge
4935 Cordell Ave., Bethesda
Traditional cuisine from restaurateur Francisco Reyes’ home region of Oaxaca heads to downtown Bethesda next month, reports Bethesda Magazine. The two-level venue, whose kitchen will be led by Chef Ismael Galguera, includes the restaurant and a lounge upstairs. Expect a menu that includes ceviches, fajitas, and options for kids, as well as DJs and dancing in the evening, in the space that formerly housed 4935 Bar and Kitchen.
L’Avant-Garde
2915 M St. NW
Georgetown’s luxury cocktail bar, L’Annexe, is adding a contemporary French brasserie right next door this fall. The a’la carte menu at L’Avante-Garde — located in the shuttered Georgetown icon The Guards — will be an ode to Parisian nightlife standbys, including classic cocktails and an extensive wine list paired with French dishes (think foie gras and boiled frogs) from renowned French chef Gilles Epié.
Le Mont Royal
1815 Adams Mills Rd. NW
The old Southern Hospitality space in Adams Morgan finally sees a new eatery this fall to the tune of a French-Canadian disco, reports Eater DC. Cotton & Reed’s Chas Jefferson and Beuchert’s Saloon’s Bart Hutchins team up to bring natural wines, cocktails, poutine, and ice cream-stuffed Twinkies to a velvet-lined space full of disco balls.
Nama Ko
1926 14th St. NW
Bottomless brunch staple Tico may be gone, but restaurateur Michael Schlow has renovated the prominent space at 14th and U streets NW into a new sushi-centric restaurant, reports Eater DC. The space, now open, includes a small sushi bar and 80-seat dining room serving up hamachi sashimi, pork chops, soft serve, and sakes.
Opal
5534 Connecticut Ave. NW
The brains behind Shaw mainstay Nina May are slated to open a coastal American restaurant in Chevy Chase. Like their other eatery, Opal will emphasize seasonality and sustainability on its menu of vegetable-forward and fish dishes. Expect direct views of the open kitchen and wood fired oven come October when the restaurant opens in the former Arucola space.
Philippe Chow
635 Wharf St. SW
The iconic Manhattan Chinese restaurant ventures into D.C. for the first time as one of the many openings to look forward to at the large second phase of the Wharf, which is planning a grand opening in October. Chef Philippe Chow, the restaurant’s namesake, will bring his lavish menu of Beijing-style dishes to 270-seat space overlooking the waterfront later this fall.
Restaurants at The Morrow
222 M St. NE
A new lifestyle hotel opening up near Union Market this fall tapped Nicholas Stefanelli, Michelin-starred chef of Masseria and Philotimo, among others, to spearhead its array of eateries. Expect a modern French brasserie called Le Clou as the anchor restaurant, along with 11th-floor lounge Vesper highlighting cocktails, caviar, and afternoon tea, and finally Upstairs at The Morrow, a rooftop bar offering charcuterie boards and drinks.
The Square
1850 K St. NW
The District’s appetite for food halls knows no bounds, with the latest addition being The Square: a food hall from former Union Market culinary director Richie Brandenburg and ThinkFoodGroup chef Ruben Garcia. To replace a former food court in the International Square office complex, the 25,000-square-foot food hall will include 16 vendors, a full-service restaurant and bar, an outdoor dining space, and events and retail space. Keep an eye out for specifics on which eateries will occupy the hall before it opens in early 2023.
Uncaged Mimosas
300 Florida Ave. NW
The much-anticipated follow-up from Damian Brown, founder of the Uncaged Chefs catering business and ghost kitchen, is slated to open this fall in the former ANXO Cidery and Pintxos Bar space in Truxton Circle. The mimosa-of-every-color-and-flavor-fueled brunch spot will include popular creations like Brown’s now famous Cinnamon Toast Crunch fried chicken and waffles and a salmon eggs benedict.
This story has been updated to reflect the correct projected opening date of Gordon Ramsay’s pizza restaurant.
