The new rooftop bar at the Arlo Hotel overlooks the U.S. Capitol and National Mall. | Arlo DC Plus, a tavern inside a former chapel, premium beef-focused Korean barbecue, hip new cocktail bars, and more arrivals to note Eateries are flooded with celebrating Washingtonians this month as the holiday season begins, creating the perfect environment for new spots to welcome patrons. Consider this your guide to all the new restaurants, bars, and cafes that have debuted in December 2024 so far. This list will be updated weekly. If there’s an opening in your neighborhood that we’ve missed, let us know at [email protected]. Noh Leftovers Pad Thai at Pink Tiger. December 31 THE WHARF — Kaliwa, the fusion spot that has been at the Wharf for over eight years, closes its doors on December 30 and then reopens the next day as Pink Tiger for a opening and NYE party dubbed “Disco In’fur’no.” The dolled-up replacement that calls for sake flights, sizzling wagyu with ponzu, and a groovy makeover is the inaugural project for D.C. restaurant group Be Our Guest. Pink Tiger’s director Brooke Demetriou has existing ties to Kaliwa as Armstrong’s longtime business partner. “Kaliwa was Cathal’s love child and his whole thing. I wanted to create my own idea,” she tells Eater. Whereas Kaliwa’s kitchen prepared Korean, Thai, and Filipino dishes by the book, Pink Tiger’s menu is going for “Southeast Asian fare with American flair,” says Demetriou. The restaurant’s newly named Filipino chef Joe Castro, who’s classically trained in French and Italian cuisine, most recently worked at Mussel Bar and MGM’s Voltaggio Brothers Steak House before that. Openers under his watch include miso deviled eggs topped with truffles, scallions, bacon, and Gochujang; hot crab Rangoon dip with Sriracha cream cheese, scallions, sweet Thai chili sauce, and wonton chips; and thinly sliced wagyu beef cooked tableside atop a “hot rock” (lava stone) with ponzu sauce. 751 Wharf Street SW December 19 Nicolas Castro Bryan Voltaggio stands in front of the Wye Oak Tavern restaurant. FREDERICK — Bryan and Michael Voltaggio, the brothers famous for their time on “Top Chef” and appearances on Food Network, debut their first joint restaurant in their hometown within the brand new Visitation Hotel Frederick, a 65-room boutique hotel. Wye Oak Tavern, named after a Maryland white oak tree that was one of the oldest in the country, will be a modern tavern focused on mid-Atlantic flavors and ingredients, including pastas, seafood, local game, and steakhouse fare. The hotel and restaurant’s design, done by OTJ Architects, nods to its history as a former convent and Catholic school. The Voltaggio brothers will be running the hotel’s modern tavern and steakhouse, Acorn Provisions (a grab-and-go cafe), and all event catering at the new lodgings. Wye Oak Tavern itself is within a former chapel, with plenty of stained glass and a decades-old church organ on the balcony. 211 E Church Street, Frederick, Maryland December 18 Arlo DC The new Arlo rooftop bar had a modern indoor design, along with an outdoor balcony space overlooking the city. JUDICIARY SQUARE — Arlo Hotel’s rooftop bar, Art DC, opens up with Japanese bites, delicious drinks, and panoramic views of the National Mall, U.S. Capitol, and Washington Monument. Chef Pepe Moncayo, who is also running Arrels and its Spanish grab-and-go counterpart downstairs, has created a menu of pan-Asian flavors, like oysters with wasabi-olive oil and ponzu, edamame hummus with chili oil, yakitori pork belly and shiitake skewers, and hot or cold soba noodles. There will also be plenty of raw fish options, including hand rolls that feature miso-flavored salmon and yuzu-marinated tuna. There will be plenty of beer, wine, and sake options, along with signature cocktails like the IAD-HND (a play off the international D.C. and Tokyo airports) made with rice vodka, espresso, and toasted black sesame. 333 G Street NW December 14 LOGAN CIRCLE — Bread Bite Bakery moved from its former home on U Street NW to a new spot on 14th Street, selling fresh baked bread, pastries, cupcakes, and coffee from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The family-owned bakery also serves plenty of sandwiches, salads, bagels, omelets, and even smoothies in the small corner space. Custom layer cakes and cupcakes can also be ordered ahead for special occasions, with plenty of scrumptious flavors like dulce de leche, chocolate mint, raspberry, lemon curd, and red velvet available. 1616 14th Street NW Paris Baguette Paris Baguette does it all, from pre-order cakes to danishes, muffins, quiches, mochi doughnuts, and mini pizzas. GERMANTOWN — A South Korean bakery chain with eight locations in Virginia and one in Rockville continues to spread across the DMV. The owners of the new Paris Baguette location, brothers Michael and John Canterino, tell Eater that this is just the beginning and they are already developing three to four more locations in the area. The quickly expanding brand differentiates itself from other bakery chains by baking its pastries onsite at every location and franchising out locations specifically to local owners that have insight into the community. The Canterino brothers saw the bakery as “a sustainable brand in its prime” that could fill a hole in Germantown’s bakery market. The 5,000-square-foot store is one of the largest in the world and has plenty of specific perks that the brothers hope will bring in the work-from-home crowd, including free Wi-Fi, plenty of outlets, and lots of free parking. 21040 Frederick Road Suite G, Germantown, Maryland December 13 The Ugly Duckling Cocktails come with a side of flowers and flickering candles. SHAW — The space that formerly housed French wine bar La Jambe gets a new life as Ugly Duckling, a cute new cocktail pad from a well-known bar team across the Potomac. Partners Teddy Kim and Ian McGrath of Oglesby Management and director of operations Rob Csonka are the pioneers behind The People’s Drug, King’s Ransom, and Chop Shop Taco in Old Town. The pretty new setup, framed with dark walls, suede curtains, and chandeliers, joins playful decor like a bronze moose, duck, and deer. The 18-seat bar with an intimate wine cellar room also serves a selection of seasonal small plates. 1550 7th Street NW SHAW — Sost opened on the same day in the Northwest neighborhood, with a multi-use space including a café and wine bar, restaurant, and vinyl lounge. Three siblings, Siem, Izzy, and Mariam Abebe, opened the new spot to celebrate their Ethiopian-Eritrean heritage with nostalgic vinyls plus food and drinks from the African diaspora, including wines sourced from South Africa and Black-owned vineyards and berbere-covered entrees. Former La Jambe chef D’Angelo Mobley created the upstairs restaurant and rooftop menu with plates that include injera chips, jolly rice, and black-eyed-pea fritters. Ethiopian-inspired breakfast and lunch menus will be added to the menu soon. 1901 9th Street NW Rey Lopez/Eater DC Press Club partner Devin Kennedy previewing the “In a Cadillac” martini sampler at Jônt. December 11 DUPONT CIRCLE — A pair of East Coast mixology masterminds opened a subterranean cocktail den with a knack for throwback tracks. Press Club is a collaboration between Will Patton — the beverage director behind D.C.’s Michelin-starred duo Bresca and Jônt — and Devin Kennedy, a NYC bar vet most recently in charge of East Village’s hip hangout Pouring Ribbons. Cocktails served on mini vinyl coasters include a French Waltz with green Chartreuse, pisco, riesling, and lime. Taking tips from A and B sides of an album, Press Club offers two congruent menus at once. Food is also fabulous here, from beer-soaked nuts to chicken karaage served in crystal plateware. 1506 19th Street NW December 10 TYSONS — A NYC chain known for its fried chicken, Blazin Chicken and Gyro, just opened its first location in the DMV, with plans to continue expanding in Fairfax County. Loaded sandwiches, like Philly cheesesteaks and chopped cheeses, plus burgers and fajita are served at the meat-centric chain. Falafel, lamb, steak, and shrimp served with fries or on top of salad also make appearances on the halal menu. A second location is slated to open at the Westfair shopping center on Lee Highway in Fairfax in early 2025, according to WTOP News. 7502 Leesburg Pike, Tysons, Virginia Seoul Prime/Facebook Premium cuts of beef are joined by small plates at the Korean spot. December 6 FALLS CHURCH — The owners of Honest Grill expanded their Korean barbecue empire with the opening of Seoul Prime Korean Steakhouse, a barbecue experience focused on high-quality cuts of beef that diners get to grill at the table. Traditional Korean dishes like kimchi and scallion pancake or tteokbokki are also on the new menu, along with some fusion dishes like beef tartar topped with Korean pear, galbi-jjim risotto with perilla leaf chimichurri, and raw jumbo shrimp with gochujang cocktail sauce. Soybean brisket and kimchi pork stews plus marinated galbi bibimbap served in a sizzle stone bowl make it an ideal comforting spot in the winter. 106 Founders Ave, Falls Church, Virginia Captain Cookie and the Milkman The late night sweets are popular on the college campus, attracting large crowds on the weekends. FOGGY BOTTOM — A college student favorite reopened in a new space in Western Market, after serving ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes, and cookies in the neighborhood for nearly a decade. Captain Cookie and the Milkman moved only one door over from its original spot and is still serving up the same South Mountain Creamery ice cream that has been central to the business since it opened as a D.C. food truck in 2012. The ice cream and cookie shop now operates four locations in the D.C. area and two stores in Raleigh, North Carolina. Late night hours continue at the George Washington University campus location, operating till 12 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. 2040 I St NW Scott Suchman European sea bass is served on brioche toast with capers and lemon caviar pearls. GLOVER PARK — Chef Danny Lledó’s chiller a la carte spot opened below one-Michelin-starred tasting room Xiquet with a bustling cheese cart, inventive paellas, and unctuous desserts this month. Other playful dishes include an unusual take on sea bass, sustainably sourced from the Canary Islands. El Taller del Xiquet, which translates literally into “Xiquet’s workshop,” serves almost as the research and development arm of its more formal sibling restaurant located right upstairs. It takes over the ground-floor space formerly occupied by Slate Wine Bar, which previously closed its doors in late 2022 to initially make way for another luxurious tasting room. 2404 Wisconsin Avenue NW Deb Lindsey Classic wings are upgraded to honey and old bay duck wings sprinkled with peanuts. CHEVY CHASE — Elena James opened five years after restaurateurs Colin McClimans and Danilo Simic came up with the idea to do a quintessential neighborhood spot. Famous for the more high-end Nina May by Logan Circle and Opal on the D.C. side of Chevy Chase, the executive chef and longtime mixologist originally set out to create an all-day restaurant when they began their small D.C. empire in 2019. Elena James fully realizes that idea, with breakfast and lunch options that can be ordered for takeout come mid-December as well as snacks and hefty entrees for a classy dinner, plus kid’s menu favorites like homemade Dino-shaped chicken nuggets. Mains include a green salad topped with crunchy La Choy chow main noodles (like McClimans’ grandmother used to make); pizzas covered in caramelized onions, truffles, and spiced lamb with tzatziki (reflecting simple pizza Fridays of his youth); and the all-time classic patty melt, labeled “the American,” that is topped off with melty Gruyere and held together by thick slices of Texas toast. Even the cocktails try to balance out classics, like a spicy margarita with habanero orange liqueur, Old Fashioned, smoked Negroni and the Coffee Delight, a coffee-infused drink with cinnamon, orange essence, and cinnamon. 8551 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, Maryland BETHESDA — The owners of ala opened their newest restaurant in this developing Maryland community outside of D.C. Beth’s serves casual American food, including local favorites like Maryland crab dip, from 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. There’s room for 130 diners to sit across the new dining room space, bar area, and covered patio with a fire pit. Owners Deniz and Celal Gulluoglu named the new spot Beth’s to honor their home of Bethesda. 4948 Fairmont Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland