Here's a look at new Washington eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces for all types of summer entertaining and events. The new and renovated Washington venues are available for corporate parties, fund-raisers, outdoor events, business dinners, teambuilding activities, conferences, meetings, weddings, and more.
Milk Bar's new flagship location in D.C. opened in the beginning of June, bringing Compost Cookies and more of chef Christina Tosi's famous baked goods to Logan Circle. The new outpost includes the Milk Bar Classroom, which doubles as an event space and a space for programming called the Milk Bar Clubhouse. Milk Bar hosts weekly classes where guests can learn how to roll truffles and bake Crack Pies. The cheerful space, which includes large garage door with windows and a mural that guests can contribute to, is also available for private events. There are 39 total seats in the Milk Bar Classroom, 30 seats for baking classes, and 14 patio seats.
D.C. chef and restaurateur Victor Albisu opened a new contemporary restaurant called Poca Madre in June in Chinatown. The restaurant is located in his former Del Campo space, which design firm Swatchroom transformed with white walls, greenery, and striking artwork. A 20-seat private room is decorated with a panoramic landscape of the Sonoran desert printed with green ink on whitewashed wood. The dining room seats 68, with room for six at an agave bar and 28Â in an outdoor lounge.
In June, chef José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup opened America Eats Tavern on M Street in Georgetown. The new iteration of America Eats Tavern replaces the former America Eats Tavern in Tysons Corner, which closed in 2016. The restaurant is still inspired by historic and iconic American recipes, and the Georgetown location's menu includes barbecue (which is fitting, since the space was previously home for decades to barbecue spot Old Glory). D.C.- and California-based SAINT (Studio for Architecture and Interiors) designed the new two-story eatery to evoke great American road trips with colorful and nostalgic art and furnishings. The space seats 193 across the dining room and the outdoor patio bar area.
InterContinental Washington D.C.—The Wharf opened last fall, and now the hotel's rooftop pool overlooking the Potomac River is open as well. Offering picture-perfect views of the river, D.C.'s East Potomac Park, and the rest of the Wharf, the rooftop pool area is equipped with a bar and is available for private events. The seating capacity for the rooftop/pool space is 60 and standing capacity is 100 for a private event.
For a downtown event requiring a blank canvas, the Showroom is an open, industrial space that can accommodate 800 guests for cocktails or 300 guests seated at rounds. The rental includes security, cleaning in the restrooms during the event, a building engineer, an onsite staff person, and use of a green room. The venue's rooftop is also available at an additional fee and offers views of D.C. icons. It opened last fall.
Pappe is new to 14th Street, bringing Northern Indian flavors to the Logan Circle neighborhood. The colorful 85-seat restaurant is designed by architect Melissa Funkey, who drew inspiration from New Delhi's fabric markets. Booths are framed with fabric curtains, while decor accents include Indian-inspired tilework, fabric, and lighting with murals by artist John DeNapoli.
Kimpton's Lorien Hotel & Spa in Old Town Alexandria revealed a $2.5 million redesign in April, spanning all 107 guest rooms including 16 suites, outdoor terraces, hallway corridors, public areas, adjacent French brasserie Brabo, and 5,600 square feet of meeting, wedding, and event space. The new design channels the architecture of Old Town, using a color palette of purple, copper, grey, blue, and green. Monogram at BBGM led the guest room, corridor, and suite design concepts, while David Hill Design refreshed the living room and event space decor.
The divisible Liberty Room, the hotel’s largest space at 1,250 square feet, accommodates 100 guests banquet-style or 125 for receptions. The 730-square-foot Independence Room holds breakout space for 40 guests or cocktail hours for 85 and leads directly out to the open-air Freedom Terrace, an intimate outdoor courtyard just outside hotel’s living room. The 756-square-foot terrace has a large ivy-covered trellis, chrome accents, oversize mirrors, and a contemporary in-ground fire feature. The terrace can hold banquets of 20 guests or receptions of 45.
The hotel's suites are also available for private meetings, and many include spacious private terraces with sweeping views of Old Town, some as large as 700 square feet. The Presidential Suite is outfitted with a contemporary dining set and built-in wet bar suited for receptions or meetings of as many as 10 guests.
Ivy City is home to many D.C breweries and distilleries, and now Supreme Core Craft Cider has moved in as well. The "brewery-style" cidery opened in May next to the National Arboretum. The industrial space offers more than 10 original ciders and collaborations on tap. The venue is available for private events and spans 5,000 square feet and seats 100 inside, with room for an additional 30 seated outside. The total capacity is a mix of 200 seated and standing guests. Event planners can work with the cidery to arrange for food trucks or other food vendors or staffed full-bar options for events.
Yard House, a national chain with a lengthy list of beers on draft and more than 100 menu items, is now open in Washington. Its two-story, 575-seat location in Chinatown opened in April. Upstairs, a large private dining space with televisions and presidential-theme art is available for private events. The space was formally referred to as the Monument Room, and can host up to 200 guests for receptions.
New York chef Daisuke Nakazawa and partner Alessandro Borgognone's long-awaited Sushi Nakazawa opened in June in the Trump International Hotel. The serene restaurant with gold decor accents is devoted to omakase: Guests can sit at a long marble bar and watch sushi chefs prepare an exquisite 20-course meal. There are 10 seats at the bar and 30 in the dining room; buyouts are available.
