In the last days before cherry blossom madness fully overtakes the city, we vote for checking out this handful of high-profile restaurant openings. Across town, D.C. sees new spots from stalwart groups like Atlas and José Andrés as well as small-but-still-mighty operations like an H Street cheese counter and a 17th Street cafe.
Easy Company
The Wharf
Seafaring by way of Europe is the vibe at the decidedly Art Deco’d Easy Company, the Wharf’s first-ever wine bar. At the end of the block from The Anthem and in the shadow of the famous seafood market, Easy Company boasts a 1,500-square-foot patio for waterfront relaxing and a staggeringly deep wine menu (over 80 bottles and 20 by-the-glass or carafe options). In addition to enough adult grape juice to satisfy Cersei Lannister, the spot offers plenty of inspired fare to enjoy while imbibing, including starters like shishito peppers and caprese, a mouth-watering prosciutto and fontina panini, grilled salmon, flatbreads, and a build-your-own ice cream sundae. In short: pre-concert dinner just got a lot easier.
Parlour Victoria
Mount Vernon
Just down from the convention center and smack-dab in the middle of D.C.’s business district is Parlour Victoria, a new seafood-forward spot from Baltimore’s Atlas Restaurant Group. While it’s bound to be a hit for those staying at the adjoining Moxy hotel, the space looks and feels like something you’d see in an exquisite cruise ship. In this case, attendees won’t need to leave the land to get delicious seafood, with plenty of oyster variations, a shellfish tower, and even a lobster roll. Both of the stunning bars (one upstairs, one downstairs) are brown-liquor forward and include a bevy of bourbon options on the cocktail menu, including the light and tasty Snake Hips — bourbon, Jamaican rum, peach brandy, lemon, orgeat and spearmint — which tastes like a mint julep on vacation in the Caribbean.
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H Street
Another splashy wine bar opening this month is H Street’s Paste & Rind, which takes over the former Dio Wine space on H Street. Kara McGrath of Cheesemonster started doing cheese box collections during the pandemic, which proved successful enough for her to open up a full brick-and-mortar location. The smaller space offers an intimate setting for wine, meats and cheese Thursdays through Sundays. Paste & Rind features plenty of cheese (and various accoutrements) along with dedicated wine pairings to best accompany the textures and tastes of each. Plus, if you see a wine you enjoy, you can snag a bottle from the accompanying shop to keep things flowing when you’re not in-store.
Au Lait Cafe
Dupont
Brunchers know 17th St NW is one of the city’s prime destinations, but there’s a reason to hit the block on a weekday, too. Au Lait Cafe offers plenty of breakfast and lunch items for those looking to run errands on the weekend or for something a little more low-key and intimate during the week. Classic sandwiches like grilled cheese, turkey melt, and ham and swiss melts can be found alongside seasonal soups and tasty-sounding citrus beet salads. The extensive coffee menu is enough to please even the snobbiest coffee fiends, and, naturally, includes a cafe au lait. The cozy spot might not be big enough for an expansive brunch group, but those looking to have a one-on-one conversation off Dupont Circle will find a lot to love.
The Bazaar
Metro Center
The less said about the previous tenant of the Old Post Office building, the better — but good riddance to bad rubbish — as the José Andrés Group officially debuted D.C.’s version of The Bazaar in early February. This edition of the restaurant includes many of the dishes that made the Los Angeles one such an institution, but with plenty of District-specific reworks. To wit: a beef cheeks stew named after President Eisenhower is a tribute/recreation of 34’s favorite dish when he held office. Additionally, local ingredients like blue crab and Rappahannock oysters will find their way into the mix as well. A notable standout on the drinks menu? A nitro version of the caipirinha, which is the official national cocktail of Brazil.
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