Onggi brings a parade of Korean dishes to Dupont this spring. | Simone Rathle/Onggi Incoming options for fresh fish, spice-blasted burgers, dumplings, and much more Just as the weather finally starts to warm up, many notable dining destinations will start to bloom across tow n over the next few months. Exciting D.C. arrivals to look forward to include: Maison Bar à Vins, a dreamy Adams Morgan wine bar from the acclaimed team behind Lutèce; Fish Shop, a Wharf edition of the famed seafood spot in Scotland; Karavaan, a transportive Indian restaurant for Union Market; Bar Angie, a New York-styled bistro in the West End; and many more. Bar Betsie What: Industry vets and buds Jean Paul (J.P.) Sabatier, Drew Porterfield, and Ralph Brabham, the team behind Logan Circle’s pint-sized drinking den Jane Jane, add a second venture across town. Like Jane Jane, which has quickly risen as one of the city’s best cocktail bars, Bar Betsie honors another partner’s matriarch. Bar Betsie, named for Sabatier’s mom who had a penchant for hospitality, strives to be “soulful, unpretentious gathering place where everyone comes to play,” per a statement. A design by Edit Lab at Streetsense calls for hip neon accents reflected off mirrored walls, wood paneling, intimate booths, banquette seating, and 14-seat bar and outdoor patio slinging light snacks, beers, wines, and cocktails. Where: 1328 4th Street NEWhen: Mid-March Whitlow’s at the Wharf What: Whitlow’s Bar & Grill, the historic watering hole that closed in Clarendon in 2021 after nearly 30 years and resurfaced in Shaw, picked the scenic Southwest Waterfront for its second D.C. location. Owner Jon Williams completely transformed the Wharf’s Brighton bar into the waterfront dive of his dreams. The iconic vertical green “Grill” sign from the Arlington original makes a long-awaited comeback near a 50-foot marbled bar framed with a massive “Whitlows” mural. Look for a familiar menu full of beers, cocktails, burgers, and wings. Whitlow’s plays off its Anthem neighbor with a high-end speaker system and stage for live music. A second-story level with a midcentury wooden bar sports an additional patio overlooking the Potomac. The huge, tiki-styled Whitlow’s party boat will prominently dock out front this spring. Where: 949 Wharf Street SWWhen: Friday, March 21 Onggi What: D.C.’s unique new ode to Korean “Jeong” cuisine settles into the Dupont space that formerly housed Duck Duck Goose. Owner and culinary director Tanya Kim teams up with executive chef Geewon Kim (no relation), who left her U.S. government job to study formal Joseon Dynasty cooking methods in Korea. Onggi’s meal starts with a ceremonial tea cleanse, followed by a velvety squash porridge with white kimchi, and plenty of banchan for the table. Beverage director Colin Sugalski turns to trendy bars in Seoul to whip up cool cocktails like the milky-and-fizzy Maksa (a combination of Makgeolli and Sprite). Onggi, named after traditional Korean earthenware vessels, naturally takes its dining utensils seriously. Eight Korean artisans worked exclusively with indigenous clay to create ceramic plateware for the place. Neutral-toned Onggi ups the ambiance with banquet seating surrounded in heated Himalayan salt rock. Where: 2100 P Street NWWhen: Late March/April Bouboulina What: A Mediterranean-influenced grill is the latest addition to Cava founders Ted Xenohristos, Ike Grigoropoulos, and chef Dimitri Moshovitis’ fine dining spots in Bethesda’s Pike & Rose neighborhood. The three childhood friends-turned-business partners also own a French bistro with a twist, Julii, and a “fine casual” Greek spot, Melina, in the Maryland business complex. The new 3,080-square-foot space will serve prime steaks, fresh seafood, and bread from a wood-fired grill. Bouboulina is named after the first woman in international naval history to become an admiral during the Greek War of Independence, a nod to the heritage of the owners. Where: 915 Meeting Street, North Bethesda, MarylandWhen: Late March Fish Shop Grant Anderson/Fish Shop Crab crumpets from Fish Shop, a Scottish restaurant headed to D.C. What: Scotland’s decorated seafood stop travels across the pond to plant roots at the Wharf. The Bib Gourmand-designated restaurant and fishmonger, named one of the best new restaurants in the world last year by Conde Nast Traveller, creates a Yankee version of the popular original that counts King Charles III as a big fan. High-powered art world hospitality group Artfarm, the London-based team behind NY’s new Manuela, tapped two D.C. industry vets to lead the charge at Fish Shop’s first stateside location. Chef de cuisine Ria Montes (Estuary, No Goodbyes) and director of operations Angie Duran (Duke’s Grocery, Centrolina) steer a menu full of dishes like crab crumpet and lobster taglierini. Where: 610 Water Street SWWhen: Early April Casamara and Reynold’s Casamara Casamara’s Mediterranean-hopping menu. What: Hospitality magnate Jason Pomeranc’s bi-coastal brand Sixty Hotels, with locations in NYC and Los Angeles, revitalizes the prime Dupont real estate where club Gryphon and cult cocktail bar Sheppard once sat. Years in the making, Sixty DC’s 80-room boutique hotel with a 3,000-square-foot rooftop opens with a pair of dining destinations led by Hanif Harji of Toronto’s Scale Hospitality. Anchor restaurant Casamara celebrates the seaside flavors of Spain, France, Italy, and Greece with dishes like citrusy branzino crudo, Iberico pork chop, harissa roast chicken, and lamb rotolo. Jewel-toned cocktail counterpart Reynold’s plans to sling trendy martinis sprinkled with bubble gum “spice dust,” plus fancy bar snacks like mini lobster rolls, foie-gras poutine, and truffle popcorn. 3,000-square-foot rooftop. Where: 1337 Connecticut Avenue NWWhen: April Lobby Bar What: Capitol Hill welcomes a surprise new American restaurant in the storied space that most recently housed Boxcar Tavern. Owner Adam Shulman livens up Barracks Row with a “playful, experimental” bar program, happy hour, and late-night service. Tori Pratt, founder of Pratt & Standard Cocktail Company, joins the team to design a speciality martini menu. The 2,000-square-foot space with an 18-seat bar features cozy booths, a communal table, and an outdoor patio. Lobby Bar plans to source many of its ingredients from local vendors and farmers at historic Eastern Market, which sits directly across the street. Where: 224 7th Street SEWhen: April Taco Cat What: Vet D.C. restaurateur Tim Ma debuts an adorable, all-day taco shop inside Western Market food hall. Taco Cat’s unapologetically fun menu loops in lots of global flavors into tacos, burritos, and tortas. Along with classic breakfast tacos, the morning menu also includes the levanta muertos (“wake the dead”) ceviche packed with shrimp, cucumbers, red onions, tomato dressing, hot sauce, avocado, and Tajín. For the ultimate wake-up call, there’s an option to add a tequila shot for $4. Where: 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWhen: Early spring Rey Lopez/Eater D.C. The National from Mélange turns doro wat into a fried chicken sandwich. Mélange Foods Inc. What: Award-winning Ethiopian chef Elias Taddesse takes over the dearly missed Shaw space that most recently housed Roy Boys. Situated at the foot of the Atlantic Plumbing Building, his new Shaw food hall features eats from his brands that remix American comfort foods with Ethiopian spices. Mélange (burgers) and Doro Soul Food (fried chicken) will eventually be joined by his new Moya — a blend of Mexican food with Ethiopian flavors. Where: 2108 Eighth Street NW When: Early spring Bar Angie What: Stefanos Vouvoudakis, Tom Tsiplakos, and Joe Ragonese — the native New Yorkers behind Dupont’s perennially packed Greek restaurant Balos — bring the West End neighborhood a lively new bistro with European flair and jazz music several nights a week. Hearty dishes that remind the partners of home include wagyu French dip, lobster frites, Bolognese blanc rigatoni sprinkled with Parmigiano Reggiano, and Caesar salads topped with fried cream-cheese croutons. The star of the show is a thinly pounded, breaded pork chop redolent of butter, lemon, and red wine vinegar. Martinis are a huge focus here, as seen in the vodka-or-gin “Angie’s Dirty Duo” with blue cheese olives, an extra-generous pour on the side, and extra garnishes. NY-based For Five Coffee Roasters, which is also operated by Balos Estiatorio Restaurant Group, fuels a promising espresso martini program. Where: 2300 N Street NWWhen: Early spring Karavaan CORE architecture + design/rendering Karavaan’s design takes tips from a railway car. What: Pappe’s new D.C. sibling in the Union Market district showcases a mix of Persian, Portuguese, Indian, and Turkish cuisines under one roof. Chef-owner Sanjay Mandhaiya showcases “ancient foods from the Silk Route,” as seen in branzino dressed with ginger cilantro chimichurri, braised lamb shank and pomegranate raita, and pork chop vindaloo. Karavaan’s railway design motif is strong, from a custom clock, ceiling that resembles a train platform, elegant tile work, and open kitchen that evokes the look of a parked train car. Union Market’s nearby web of Metro and Amtrak cars made the neighborhood a perfect fit for Karavaan, says Mandhaiya. Where: 325 Morse Street NEWhen: Early spring Maison Bar à Vins What: Adams Morgan’s polished new wine bar comes courtesy of Popal Group, the critically acclaimed team behind Pascual, Lutèce, and Lapis. Maison Bar à Vins is led by executive chef Matt Conroy (a current James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic semifinalist) and chef de cuisine Jason Chavenson, whose Michelin-starred resume includes stints at Frenchie in Paris and Reverie in D.C. Look for eel croquettes, brioche-stuffed chicken, seasonal soft serve, and terrines. Lutèce’s Chris Ray, one of the only Advanced Sommeliers in D.C., showcases organic, bio-dynamic, and natural wines alongside impressive cocktails from Popal Group’s beverage director Suzy Critchlow. The romantic newcomer, situated inside a three-story brownstone, is framed with Victorian fireplaces and antique chandeliers imported from France and Italy. Where: 1834 Columbia Road NWWhen: Late spring Barbouzard What: Barbouzard brings a vibrant vacation vibe to the 6,493-square-foot space that formerly housed Kellari Tavern. Chef Cedric Maupillier, who most recently led now-closed Convivial in Shaw, transports Farragut Square diners to beachside towns along the Mediterranean Sea with a menu full of seasonal ingredients, premium seafood and meats, charcuterie and cheeses, and fresh bread and pastries. A newly added champagne lounge joins a piano, DJ booth, and outdoor veranda. Where: 1700 K Street NWWhen: Spring Bar Chinois What: Mt. Vernon Triangle’s high-energy hangout for Frenchified cocktails and Chinese dim sum since 2021 expands across the Potomac to Arlington, Virginia. The beverage program that party-starting Bar Chinois is known for will make its way over to National Landing, as will its daily deals like $1 dumplings and half-priced cocktails. Bar Chinois partners Dean Mosones, Mark Minicucci, and Margaux Donati are also behind year-old Bar Japonais in Logan Circle, and BC National Landing marks the team’s third project to date. Where: 244 19th Court South, Arlington, VirginiaWhen: Spring ...read more read less