Cleveland Park Fixture Ardeo Is Closing February 25

Twenty-year-old Cleveland Park eatery Ardeo is closing Sunday, February 25 to make way for an updated restaurant designed to breathe new life into the evolving neighborhood.

Rammy Award-winning restaurateur and James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist Ashok Bajaj is shutting down the long-standing establishment after two decades, but already has a vision of what to do next. “Ardeo + Bardeo is retiring to make room for an entirely new concept,” Bajaj, who already flipped the Bardeo side of the venue into casual Indian spot Bindaas a few years back, announced on the restaurant’s website.

A spokeswoman for Bajaj declined to go into detail about the replacement venture but did tell Eater “it’s not gonna be modern American.” The adjoining Bindaas — Bajaj opened a second location last fall in Foggy Bottom — is expected to continue serving Indian street food without interruption.

The Bajaj aide said the new restaurant coming to 3311 Connecticut Avenue NW should be in place before the end of March.