The Most Anticipated D.C. Restaurant Openings, Fall 2015

Fall is officially busy season for Washington's restaurant scene, and this particular season promises not to disappoint. There are big celebrity names from out of town, long-awaited local projects, interesting expansions and more headed to the region. Here, in no particular order, are several to get excited about; additional openings are listed below.

The Sovereign

Address: 1206 Wisconsin Ave. NW
From: Neighborhood Restaurant Group
The situation: Greg Engert's Belgian beer bar will also serve Belgian-influenced cuisine — from former PS7's chef Peter Smith.
Projected opening: Late Fall
*All Previous Coverage of The Sovereign [EDC]

Hazel

Address: 808 V St. NW
From: Neighborhood Restaurant Group
The situation: A vehicle for chef Robb Rubba, Shaw's upcoming Hazel will serve modern American food. He's showcased his cooking at pop-ups previewing the restaurant, which is bound for the Atlantic Plumbing building.
Projected opening: Late Fall
*All Previous Coverage of Hazel [EDC]

THE DABNEY

Address: 122 Blagden Alley NW
From: Jeremiah Langhorne
The situation: Langhorne, a veteran of McCrady's, will make his D.C. debut with this new Shaw restaurant, which will specialize in seasonal, Mid-Atlantic fare.
Projected opening: September
*All Previous Coverage of The Dabney [EDC]

Construction at The Dabney [Photo: Facebook]

Alex McCoy's Unnamed Project

Address: 845 Upshur Street NW
From: Alex McCoy
The situation: The Duke's Grocery veteran, who recently appeared on Food Network Star, is opening what he calls an "expat's bar" and Southeast Asian restaurant in Petworth.
Projected opening: October
*All Previous Coverage of Alex McCoy [EDC]

Momofuku D.C. Project/Milk Bar

Address: CityCenter DC
From: David Chang/Christina Tosi
The situation: Momofuku's team haven't revealed much about their D.C. plans, beyond that it's a new concept which will also feature dishes from other outposts of the restaurant group. 
Projected opening: 2015
*All Previous Coverage of Momofuku [EDC]

bit larger than the picture suggests: coming soon Washington DC! hail to @momofuku & @momomilkbar screw the @Redskins pic.twitter.com/rJ2nL7ZMka

— Dave Chang (@davidchang) January 26, 2015

Left Door

Address: 1345 S St. NW
From: Tom Brown
The situation: The Passenger's Tom Brown will open his own small cocktail bar in Logan Circle.
Projected opening: October
*All Previous Coverage of Left Door [EDC]

Kinship

Address: 1015 Seventh St. NW
From: Eric Ziebold
The situation: Kinship is one of two restaurants Eric Ziebold is opening this fall and winter. The more casual of the two, Kinship, will serve Modern American food. His tasting menu restaurant downstairs won't open until the winter.
Projected opening: Early December
*All Previous Coverage of Kinship [EDC]

Yona

Address: 4000 Wilson Blvd.
From: Jonah Kim, Mike Isabella
The situation: Kim will showcase noodle dishes and Korean food at this new Arlington restaurant, which he previewed during a pop-up at G.
Projected opening: November
*All Previous Coverage of Yona [EDC]

Jonah Kim [Photo: Official]

Convivial

Address: 801 O St.NW
From: Cedric Maupillier
The situation: The second restaurant from the Mintwood Place chef is opening in Shaw. The food will have both French and American influences.
Projected opening: Fall
*All Previous Coverage of Convivial [EDC]

Cedric Maupillier [Photo: Official]

Tim Ma's shaw Project

Address: 1924 8th St. NW
From: Tim Ma, Nyi Nyi Myint
The situation: This is the Water & Wall chefs' first D.C. restaurant, which will be a French-Asian bistro. They're still figuring out the name (the original plan was Freehand but there were copyright issues).
Projected opening: November
*All Previous Coverage [EDC]

Hula Girl

Address: 4044 Campbell Ave. Arlington, Va.
From: Mikala Brennan
The situation: The owner of the popular Hawaiian food truck will open her first brick-and-mortar restaurant in the Shirlington neighborhood.
Projected opening: October
*All Previous Coverage of Hula Girl [EDC]

Lines at the Hula Girl Truck [Photo: Facebook]

tadich Grill

Address: 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
From: Will Going/Tadich Grill San Francisco
The situation: The longtime California institution is expanding for the first time with this Washington location. Expect steaks, seafood and more.
Projected opening: Early October
*All Previous Coverage of Tadich Grill [EDC]

Hank's Pasta Bar

Address: 600 Montgomery Street, Alexandria, Va.
From: Jamie Leeds, Nicolas Flores
The situation: The Hank's Oyster Bar chef ventures into Italian fare with this upcoming restaurant.
Projected opening: Late November
*All Previous Coverage of Hank's Pasta Bar [EDC]

THE SHAW BIJOU

Address: 1544 9th St. NW
From: Kelly Gorsuch, Kwame Onwuachi, Glenn Paik, Greg Vakiner.
The situation: This ambitious new Shaw project, from a couple of Eleven Madison Park vets, will be tasting menu-centric.
Projected opening: Late November
*All Previous Coverage of The Shaw Bijou [EDC]

The Shaw Bijou [Photo: Official]

Should still open this summer: The next few weeks could see the opening of Ed Lee's Succotash, Arepa Zone at Union Market, Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana from Tony Conte, L'Hommage Bistro Francais, the refreshed The Source and 701, Baklava Couture, The Prospect, Beard Papas, SKWR, and PassionFish Bethesda, among others.

Also opening this fall: Fall will also bring Red Apron's Barracks Row Bar (September), Bonfire (November), a second Beefsteak (late September), the Requin pop-up in the former Gypsy Soul space (October), The Little Beet (October), Chaia Taco (September), Chao Ku (October), Pennsylvania 6 (October), Fare Well, Kapnos Kouzina, Chase the Submarine (October), Spice 6 in Dunn Loring (September), Texas Jack's Barbecue (September/October), Lena's Wood-Fired Pizza (October), Declaration (November), Takoda (October), Chuy's Woodbridge (December), Matchbox Loudoun (November), Stanford Grill (September), Espita Mezcaleria (November), Palette 22 (December), Lupo Verde in Palisades (December), Twisted Horn (October/November) and Umaya (October).

Looking like winter (or later): It'll still be some time yet until such restaurants as RPM Italian, Eric Ziebold's Metier, Nicoletta, Pineapple and Pearls, Daikaya's second ramen house, Bantam King (also from the Daikaya team), Community, Anxo Cidery and Pintxos, All Purpose, Buttercream Bakeshop, La Jambe and many others open.

Time will tell: No updates were immediately available for Shanghai 66, Khao Poon, Barley Mac, Pizzeria Vetri's D.C. location, Helen's the Bar, Bacaro, The Public Option, Finnigan's Wake, Black Swan Tavern, Union Social, Bad Saint, Wicked Bloom and Gusto's Italian Grill.

Editor's Note: This story has updated Anxo's opening projection. Additionally, Bantam King and Daikaya's second ramen house have changed their estimate to winter post-publication.