Latest Dish: Restaurant Spouse Teams Are Growing Their ‘Families’
By • September 7, 2023 0 3364
Ch-Ch-Changes: Equinox owners Ellen Kassoff and Todd Gray plan to relocate their nearly 25-year-old iconic D.C. restaurant a few blocks away from its current location near the White House, to 900 19th St. NW. The former Elephant & Castle space offers a larger kitchen (more catering!) and a much bigger bar — 35 seats. Ellen and Todd plan to open Equinox on 19th in early Q4 2023.
Derek Anderson and Emma Hand, who brought us MacMillan Whiskey Room at Mosaic District, plan to open MacMillan Spirit House by the end of Q4 2023 in Old Town, Alexandria at 500 Montgomery Street. With 100 seats in the dining area plus 20 at the bar and 40 on the covered outdoor patio, it’s twice the size of the Fairfax original.
Le Bistro, a French bistro owned by Roberto Donna and his spouse, Nancy Sabbagh, will open at 111 Church St. NW in Vienna where Blend 111 used to be. It is across the street from Roberto’s Ristorante Italiano, also owned by Roberto and Nancy.
Ch-Ch-Changes II: Enrique Limardo and Ezequiel Vazquez-Ger of Seven Restaurant Group will relocate Seven Reasons from 14th Street NW to CityCenterDC where Daniel Boulud’s DGBG used to be at 931 H St. NW, with seating for 130 plus 15 at the bar plus 2 private dining rooms (PDR’s).
Donagh J. Gilhooly, Brian J. Hillery and Karl S. Keane, plan to open Easy Tiger Tavern (LSU alumni alert) where Pop’s Sea Bar was at 1817 Columbia Rd. NW in Adams Morgan. The group, along with Danny J. Price, opened Exiles Bar at 1610 U St. NW (where Stetsons used to be) which won Best Bar in D.C. at this year’s Rammy Awards.
Quick Hits: For those who miss Cashion’s Eat Place and Johnny’s Half Shell in Adams Morgan, Ann Cashion and John Fulchino plan to open Cashion’s Rendezvous, serving oysters, crab cakes, cocktails, and white wine at The Square food hall at International Square, 1850 K St. NW… Pitango Gelato & Cafe will expand in the region, opening at the Wharf in Q2 2024. They currently have DMV locations in Penn Quarter, Adams Morgan, Bethesda, and Reston…. Ceibo will open in Adams Morgan, at 2106 18th St. NW where Ababa Ethiopian Restaurant and Casa Oaxaca used to be, with seating for 80.
Stephen Starr of Starr Restaurant Group (Le Diplomate, St Anselm, Bread Alley) continues his D.C. expansion. He recently opened El Presidente, a Mexico City-themed restaurant, at Signal House near Union Market at 1255 Union St. NE. He will open another of his concepts, Pastis, with NYC restaurateur Keith McNally, also near Union Market at 1323 4th St. NE by the end of Q4 2023. Osteria Mozza and its accompanying Italian market, a collaboration with Nancy Silverton, is slated to open in Georgetown by Q4 2024. He also plans to turn the Occidental, next to the Willard Hotel, into a Starr restaurant by Q4 2024.
Linda Roth is Founder & CEO of Linda Roth Associates (LRA), a Washington, D.C.-based public relations & marketing firm that specializes in the foodservice and hospitality industries. Follow her at: @LindaRothPR, #LindaRothPR, or www.lindarothpr.com.
