Logan Circle Stalwart the Pig Reopens as an Affordable Barbecue Spot

Long-running “nose-to-tail” restaurant the Pig reopens in Logan Circle this week with a reconfigured identity that emphasizes a more affordable menu of barbecue over past iterations of pork products.

“Recognizing a need in the market for affordable, great BBQ, we decided to jump in with both feet,” says David Winer, the principal at restaurant group EatWell DC.

Following a three-month hiatus, the restaurant is back for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. New items under executive chef Shabier Bahramy’s watch include Texas-style barbecue brisket ($18); a 12-hour smoked pulled pork shoulder sandwich with North Carolina-style vinegar sauce ($13); and a half chicken ($19) with a hickory rub and cider peach glaze.

A new to-go barbecue option weighs out meats by the pound and family-style helpings of potato salad and celeriac coleslaw. Hits that stuck around during the refresh include sausages, fried pork belly buns, truffle mac and cheese, and a double-stack pig burger. Meanwhile, multiple outlets are reporting that Belgian eatery B Too is permanently closed on 14th Street NW.

Spanish market coming to downtown

While many restaurant around the city are closing during the COVID-19 crisis, Spanish mainstay Taberna Del Alabardero (1776 Eye Street NW) is expanding. Founded in 1974 in Madrid and operating in D.C. since 1989, the restaurant plans to open a new market next-door in September. There will be Spanish hams and cheeses, wines, and grab-and-go sandwiches from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. In the meantime, it’s dropping $50,000 on renovations that include a paint job and refreshed flooring. In two weeks a newly covered, climate-controlled patio will open. “We are fighters. We don’t want to go anywhere. We want to be here 30 more years,” GM Ramon Pereiras says.

The 1,000-square-foot market, called La Tia Pepa, will slide into the neighboring space formerly occupied by Fat Pete’s BBQ. Here’s a first look of the Spanish tile-lined setup:

Taberna Del Alabardero/rendering

Succotash on summer break

Celebrity chef Edward Lee’s glamorous destination for Southern cuisine temporarily closed on Monday, July 6, but promises to return in the fall once foot traffic ramps up again (915 F Street NW). Knead Hospitality + Design says Penn Quarter “has become a ghost town” due to Capital One Arena going dark and sparse tourism and 9-to-5 traffic.

Cane chef on Beat Bobby Flay

Cane owner and Eater D.C.’s 2019 Chef of the Year Peter Prime appeared on this week’s episode of Beat Bobby Flay. Actress Vivica A. Fox was also in the house as a judge.