Eater A Capitol Hill chophouse, Ghanaian eatery from a ‘Top Chef’ star, an Indian street foods spot on H Street, and much more The bitter cold can’t slow down the slew of anticipated dining destinations slated to arrive in the nation’s capital this winter. Here’s a roundup of ones we’re most excited to meet over the next few months. Alara Rey Lopez for Il Piatto D.C. restaurateur Hakan Ilhan, pictured at Il Piatto downtown, expands his Georgetown portfolio. What: D.C. hitmaker Hakan Ilhan calls his latest project Alara, which refers to a “beautiful water fairy” in Turkish mythology. Seasonal menus and wines plan to focus on the four coastal countries of Turkey, Greece, Lebanon, and Israel. The restaurant kicks off with a selection of meze and hot and cold dips like red pepper-and-walnut muhammara, followed by lots of meaty mains like lamb chops, and Greek interpretations of seafood (branzino). Alara will also import best sellers found at Ilhan’s Turkish stalwart Ottoman Taverna in Mt. Vernon Triangle. Alara takes over the address that long housed Italian darling Paolo’s Ristorante until 2018. Where: 1303 Wisconsin Avenue NW When: January The Occidental Occidental Early images of the legendary Occidential. What: James Beard Award-winning hospitality magnate Stephen Starr (St. Anselm, Le Diplomate, El Presidente, Osteria Mozza, Pastis) resurrects an iconic D.C. power spot this winter. The Occidental, billed as Starr’s “most glamorous and decadent” D.C. restaurant to date, will feature tableside martini service and a “classic midcentury American” menu. First opened in 1906 by the Willard hotel’s founder Henry Willard, Starr’s revival of the legendary two-story venue strives to showcase white-tablecloth hospitality at its best (there’s even a resident “polisher” of silver, glass, and plate ware). The expansive, 11,000-square-foot venue, lined with portraits of famed guests like past presidents and sports stars, sits two blocks from the White House and sports views of the Washington Monument. Where: 1475 Pennsylvania Avenue NW When: February Elmina Adedayo Kosoko Chef Eric Adjepong plates doubles that were supposed to be featured at his Union Market stall in 2020. What: Food Network star Eric Adjepong puts a modern spin on traditional West African food at his first brick-and-mortar restaurant. Elmina showcases classic Ghanaian dishes like fufu and kelewele (spicy fried plantains) across a la carte and tasting menus, along with new interpretations like spicy cassava udon noodles and egusi hummus. Situated in Seven Reasons’ former 14th Street NW home, two-story Elmina carves out room for 124 diners. The Top Chef Season 16 finalist also introduces the same roti flatbreads and doubles that were supposed to be featured at On the Double, his fast-casual Union Market stall that fell through during the pandemic. Cocktails turn to regional flavors like mango, hibiscus, soursop, and passionfruit. Where: 2208 14th Street NW When: January Tapori What: The team behind Eater 38 hit Daru doubles down on H Street with a rowdy new South Indian restaurant and cocktail bar. Tapori, opening in the former Fancy Radish space, centers around communal eating and flavors that span from Kerala to Nepal. Nepalese chef Suresh Sundas and beverage director Dante Datta bring a decade of local industry knowledge to their second Northeast restaurant. This time around, the pair teams up with faraway chef Baburam Sharma to develop a menu that reflects his Nepalese background, upbringing in Delhi, and decades of experience in cooking South Indian cuisine. Dishes like pani puri, vada pav, and dosas join cocktails made with indigenous spices and fruits like chaat masala, jackfruit puree, and hibiscus. Tapori, which means “vagabond” in Hindi, draws influence from South Indian street markets and Bollywood films that embrace Mumbai culture. A look from Edit Lab includes a 20-person communal table, patchwork tile-covered bar, and booths peering into the bright open kitchen. The Tapori team hosts a pop-up preview at Union Market’s La’ Shukran on Tuesday, January 14. Where: 600 H Street NE When: Mid-February Ned’s Club Ned’s Club/rendering The top floor of Ned’s Club Washington D.C. serves sushi and scenic views. What: Meet Ned’s Club Washington D.C., the anticipated private club opening across from the White House. Executive chef David Testa, who most recently led the kitchen at downtown’s Spanish showpiece The Bazaar by José Andrés, spearheads three separate restaurants inside Ned’s. Renowned mixologist and Silver Lyan alum Vlad Novikov leads its two bars. The three restaurants, all opening at once, spotlight Italian (Gallery), American (Founders Dining Room), and pan-Asian (Kaia) cuisines. Ned’s Club, birthed in 2017 by a pair of Soho House bigwigs as “a space for the discerning” in London, went on to expand to NYC and Qatar’s capital of Doha in 2022. The fourth edition in D.C. is its first club-only location that caters exclusively to members, who will mix and mingle on the top three floors of the same Art Deco-era building that once housed iconic institutions like Riggs Bank. Joining is far from cheap: D.C. members pay a one-time $5,000 initiation fee and $5,000 annually after that. Where: 734 15th Street NW When: Early winter Lucille’s Schamu Machowski + Patterson/rendering The wood-heavy space will be revised with an open kitchen. What: Critically-acclaimed D.C. chef and restaurateur Matt Baker gets into the steakhouse game for the first time with the opening of Lucille’s Modern Chophouse on Capitol Hill. Situated on the ground floor of the Kimpton George Hotel, Lucille’s replaces pioneering chef Jeff Buben’s Bistro Bis. The modern American menu combines his New Mexican roots, Texas upbringing, French training, and Singaporean experiences. Lucille’s will give meats the dry-aging treatment in a new locker on full display in the dining room. A handsome marquee out front leads the way into a throwback space reminiscent of the glamorous Rat Pack era, when steakhouses rose to fame. Baker’s 101 Hospitality group includes Michelin-starred American restaurant Gravitas, French-influenced Michele’s, all-day cafe Baker’s Daughter, and catering company CMB at Home. Where: 15 E Street NW When: Mid-February Slice and Pie What: One of country’s best pizza places debuts a second D.C. location in the Parks at Walter Reed development. Look for its familiar lineup of New York and Detroit-style pies and slices alongside an expanded offering of panini sandwiches and small-batch gelato from acclaimed chef and Naples native Giulio Adriani. The new space is much larger than the 14th Street NW original, with room for up to 26 sit-down guests. Where: 1155 Dahlia Street NW When: Winter