The Latest Dish: Comfort Food & Classics to Cozy Up To
By • January 15, 2025 0 4
Whitlow’s owner Jon Williams is working with Eric and Ian Hilton of H2 Collective to take over H2’s leased space at The Wharf at 949 Wharf St. SW, where the brothers operated The Brighton SW1. After renovations — and a Whitlow’s on Water barge that docks at The Wharf — they are targeting an opening late in the first quarter. It’s not their first collaboration, as Whitlow’s took over their restaurant The Brixton, at 9th and U Streets NW. Fun fact: Whitlow’s originated in D.C. in the 1940s, then relocated to Arlington from 1995 to 2021.
Just Opened: Aaron and Harley Magden opened Mikey & Mel’s Famous Deli at the corner of L and 19th Streets NW. Known for their Window Nation ads, the brothers also have two restaurants in their hometown of Cleveland and one in Fulton, Maryland … The folks who brought you King’s Ransom and The People’s Drug opened Ugly Duckling at 1550 7th St. NW. Cameron Cummings is beverage director and Rob Csonka is director of operations.
Quick Hits: In the fourth quarter of 2025, Elias Taddesse plans to open an upscale brasserie version of Mélange, his burgers-and-French-Ethiopian restaurant in Mount Vernon Triangle, in Bridge District, in the 600 and 700 blocks of Howard Road SE … Shake Shack plans to open a 36-seat restaurant at 621 King St. in Old Town Alexandria … LongHorn Steakhouse is slated to open a 200-seat restaurant, its eighth in the region, at 13237 Worth Ave. in Woodbridge’s Smoketown Station development, where a TGI Fridays used to be … Also in Virginia, Jason’s Crab House will open in Springfield Commons in another former TGI Fridays space. It’s affiliated with 54 Restaurant at nearby Springfield Town Center and 54 Restaurant Bar & Lounge at Fair City Mall in Fairfax.
Ch-Ch-Changes: Firehook Bakery at 1909 Q St. NW is now Dupont Coffee Collective, an employee-owned store.
Call Your Mother owners Andrew Dana and Daniela Moreira plan to open a stall where Cracked Eggery used to be in National Landing’s outdoor Water Park food hall at 1601 Crystal Drive in Arlington — across from Amazon’s HQ2 — in the first quarter. The deli has Virginia locations in Old Town Alexandria, McLean and Vienna.
Ethiopian-Eritrean siblings Siem, Izzy and Mariam Abebe decided to enter the restaurant industry with a café/wine bar, restaurant and vinyl lounge called Sost — which translates to “three” in Amharic — at 1901 9th St. NW. D’Angelo Mobley, formerly of La Jambe, is their chef.
Chef Update: Marjorie Meek-Bradley was named executive chef at New York-based Union Square Hospitality Group, founded by Danny Meyer. The group’s restaurants include Gramercy Tavern, The Modern at the Museum of Modern Art, Maialino and Blue Smoke.
Linda Roth is the founder and CEO of Linda Roth Associates, a D.C.-based public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the food service and hospitality industries. Follow her at: @LindaRothPR, #LindaRothPR or lindarothpr.com.
