Bar Roubaix Sets Up Shop In Columbia Heights

Bar Roubaix, a new Columbia Heights meeting ground for bicyclists, boozers, and everyone in between, debuts on Friday, December 8.

Named after the top bicycling French city of Roubaix, terminus to one of the world's oldest and most iconic races of professional road cycling, the new bar (1400 Irving Street NW) is decked out with bike chains dangling behind the bar and wheels worked into ceiling lighting fixtures.

Chef Rafael Nunez, formerly of Busboy and Poets and Eatonville, has a lineup of European-inspired bites for refueling until midnight. Think: arancini as an ode to Italy and zapiekanki to rep Poland. A Berlin-style doner kebab ($13) features chicken, paprika, yogurt, and garlic sauces, mixed greens, cabbage, carrot, and dill on muffuletta.

Beers range from accessible $5 Natty Bo cans to Belgian brews ($10 Delirium Tremens Tall Boys) and a Chimay Red for $12. Boozing runs until 1 a.m. on Thursday and through 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Guests can actually pedal inside, via a cycling arcade simulation game from Open Sprints software. There’s also the universal option of pool.

Photo: Bar Roubaix

Wall candy hails from Czech Art Nouveau painter Alphone Mucha, and there’s also a mural from local artists Justin Poppe and Joseph Orzal.

Functional perks include parking racks and a fixing station where cyclists can perform maintenance or adjustments on their ride.

The Hilton brothers have had a busy year, also opening a range of various bars and restaurants inside the Pod Hotel in Chinatown.

Status: Certified open at 5 p.m.; 1400 Irving Street NW; website.