Edgar Bar + Kitchen Set to Open in The Mayflower Hotel

The Mayflower Renaissance Hotel has gone through plenty of changes in recent years with the shutter of Town & Country followed by that of Café Promenade this past summer. Now the team behind the hotel reveals the brand new restaurant and bar concept that has long been promised for the hotel: Edgar Bar + Kitchen, named for the man who famously ate lunch there every day, J. Edgar Hoover.

Aiming to open at the beginning of December, Edgar will have a different feel from Town & Country — while a rep explains that it will remain vintage, they're also going for a little more contemporary appeal, in particular with the cocktail program. Sure, there will be classic cocktails, but also expect some infused liquors, a much bigger bar space and their own spin on cocktails. What does that mean? Well they're not saying quite yet, but stay tuned for the details when they're available.

Same goes for the American/European menu from chef Andrew Morrison, who most recently comes from the Fairmont Hotels, but is familiar with DC having previously worked at Le Mistral and Maison Blanche 20 years ago. While the menu will still follow certain hotel standards — an array of cereals and oatmeal at breakfast, for example — Morrison is departing from that in some respects, such as with the addition of small plates to the menu.

Finally, hot New York design firm AvroKo is in charge of the space here, giving it a "clubby atmosphere," with touches such as black herringbone floors, marble bar tops and subway tiles. In the dining room, there should be wood paneling and royal blue leather banquettes, while the bar will be decorated with liquor cases and graphics. In addition to the bar and main dining room, there's a west dining room, a reading room and private dining. Another signifier that this isn't just a hotel restaurant is the fact that Edgar will have its own street entrance on Connecticut Avenue. That's all that's available for now, but stay tuned for more details.

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