Life Alive Organic Cafe brings lattes, fruit bowls, and salads to the West End. | Scott Suchman/Life Alive Plus, a darts-throwing destination, Italian reboot, barbecue counter, panda-themed bar, and more area arrivals to note Consider this your guide to all the new restaurants, bars, and cafes opening in D.C. in January 2025. If there’s an opening in your neighborhood that we’ve missed, let us know at [email protected]. January 28 Scott Suchman D.C. chef Rob Rubba’s ramen bowl features chile-garlic oyster and enoki mushrooms, seaweed, turnips, and collard greens. WEST END—After 20 years in Massachusetts, Life Alive Organic Cafe debuts its first location outside of the Bay State. The West End cafe turns to seasonal ingredients and homemade sauces to build warm grain and acai bowls, salads, and noodle dishes. The vibrant space, situated below Kaiser Permanence offices on M Street, offers room for 75, free Wi-Fi, and loads of outlets. To mark the opening, Life Alive partners with Oyster Oyster’s James Beard Award-winning chef Rob Rubba to unleash a limited-time ramen bowl packed with umami flavors. Smoothies, wellness shots, and cold-press juices join a coffee program fueled by Intelligentsia with options like vanilla tahini lattes and banana oat cold brew. The growing chain with 10 locations is backed, in part, by Panera founder Ron Shaich. To celebrate opening day, Life Alive will hand out branded tote bags to the first 100 guests in line. 2301 M Street NW January 24 MT. VERNON TRIANGLE—Darts-throwing destination Flight Club brings D.C. a fun new place to hurl stresses away. Global entertainment group State of Play Hospitality imported London-born Flight Club to the States in 2018 starting with Chicago, followed by expansions to Boston, Houston, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Denver. The newest 8,400-square-foot edition in D.C. carves out room for a dozen “oches” (dart cue lines) and semi-private playing areas. Each location takes whimsical design tips from an old-school London pub and colorful carnival fairground, with a theatrical bar sending out espresso Old Fashioneds, lobster dips, tuna tacos, and more. Flight Club is 21-and-up after 6 p.m. and all day on Saturday. 641 New York Avenue NW, at Sixth Street, NW Joy Asico-Smith / Asico Photo Marquee lights hover over the main event at wood-heavy Flight Club. FOGGY BOTTOM—A new taqueria and tequila spot from Miami is ready to shake up the quiet nightlife scene in Foggy Bottom. Bodega Taqueria y Tequila opens up with an all-day casual counter in the front and a party-filled speakeasy in the back. The tenth location of the taqueria has the same elements that made it a hit in South Beach and Chicago: Mexican street food with a 305 twist, a focus on the perfect margarita, and wacky decorations. 2127 I Street NW BETHESDA, MARYLAND—Chef Jarrad Silver debuts the first brick-and-mortar location of his popular 5-year-old food truck Silver and Sons BBQ. The carryout counter with room for six standing patrons continues to specialize in Jewish-Mediterranean takes on American smoked meats, with an expanded selection of sandwiches, sides, and desserts. Opening items include short rib pastrami, pulled lamb shoulder, and chocolate babka buns. 5362 Westbard Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland January 21 H STREET—The former home of Farmbird flips into a 24-hour Taco Bell, complete with touch-screen ordering kiosks to load up on anytime chalupas. 625 H Street NE January 20 PENN QUARTER—Fast-growing sweets shop Good Company Doughnuts debuted new 60-seat digs with a sizable patio inside the Johns Hopkins building, with hours starting at 7 a.m. daily. 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW January 17 LOGAN CIRCLE—The Muni brings the 14th Street nightlife strip a stylish spot to snack on pizza and sip spiked iced teas while working on their golf game. The second-story perch comes from the H2 Collective hospitality team behind Players Club below and developer Jim Abdo. 1400 14th Street NW January 15 SCOTT CIRCLE—Chef Michael Schlow made good on his plans to reboot D.C.’s Alta Strada inside the Canopy by Hilton Washington DC Embassy Row. The Italian brand born in Boston introduces crudos and a raw bar, plus pasta like tagliatelle duck confit and all-day service that starts with shakshuka in the morning. The original D.C. outpost in Mount Vernon Triangle closed in late 2024. 1600 Rhode Island Avenue NW BRENTWOOD, MARYLAND—Flame and Cones, a DMV-wide food truck specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza, shaved ice, snow cones, and lots of vegan options, opened a stall inside miXt Food Hall. 3809 Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood, Maryland WOODLEY PARK—Pint-sized gastropub Duke’s Counter pays homage to its cute new neighbors who are finally ready for their close-up. The Bamboo Bar at Duke’s Counter, located right across from the Smithsonian National Zoo’s entrance, opens indefinitely tonight with plenty of leafy nods to the cuddly creature’s favorite food, themed cocktails, giant stuffed pandas sporting Duke’s-branded vests, and souvenir steel mugs. 3000 Connecticut Avenue NW January 2 BROOKLAND—All-day American restaurant Otis @12 debuted at the start of the year with wings, cornbread, and chocolate slices. 3625 12th Street NE