A Mobile Bar Opening Outside La Cosecha Market Sells Spritzes With a Latin Twist

A trailer bar that serves spritzes full of Latin twists will open outside of La Cosecha market in the Union Market district on Thursday, April 29. Andra Johnson, the beverage director and managing partner at Serenata cocktail bar, designed fizzy drinks ($11 to $15) full of South American ingredients. The “Marielle,” for instance, mixes Brazilian cachaca with St. Germain, papaya, coconut basil syrup, green chartreuse, fresh basil, and sparkling wine. “When most people think of spritzes they think of Italy,” Johnson says. “They may even think of France. … We were looking to build on our core mission of representing Latin culture through our cocktails.” Beers are $7 to $12; and wines by the bottle run $30 to $120. The new bar, and its accompanying patio, will operate Thursday to Sunday until 10 p.m. It opens at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m. on weekends. Over in Blagden Alley, Columbia Room’s weeks-old Spritz Garden also pays homage to the traditional Italian aperitif.

In other news...

• The Shaw space that formerly housed part of Drink Company’s popular pop-up bar will flip into 60-seat Stop Smackn Restaurant & Lounge (1839 7th Street NW), per an ABRA filing, transitioning from daily brunch service to dinner to a late-night tapas lounge.
• Union Market stall Laoban Dumplings has expanded into the frozen section at Glen’s Garden Market in Dupont and plans to expand to more grocery stores over time. Packaged offerings include Beijing pork, ginger chicken, “Livin’ on the Vedge,” and pork soup dumplings to start ($6.99).

Patrick Coyne/official photo

• NoMa’s Red Bear Brewing rolls out lunch for the first time this week with a pared-down version of its dinner menu (11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Happy hour runs noon to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday.

• Shaw’s tropical rooftop bar El Techo drops its spring/summer cocktail list and first-ever Monday hours on May 3. A vinyasa yoga flow class at 3:30 p.m. precedes a new Monday happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Violetta Markelou/El Techo

• Homegrown chain District Tacos is moving into a Tenleytown apartment building (4600 Wisconsin Avenue NW), per an ABRA notice.
• True Food Kitchen, the national health food chain known for its Korean noodle bowls and quinoa burgers, opens its fourth DMV location in Reston, Virginia, on Wednesday, April 28 (11901 Democracy Drive).
• Michelle Obama just dined at the Wharf’s Spanish mainstay Del Mar.

• Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff made a Friday appearance at Park View bar Hook Hall’s outdoor setup to commemorate the administration’s first 100 days with staff. Owner Anna Valero caught up with the high-profile politicos in a private cabana decked out in cherry blossoms.

Melissa Murphy/official photo

• On Tuesday, May 4, Mediterranean chef Yasmin Khan hosts a virtual cookbook launch from London for Ripe Figs. Zaytinya chef Michael Costa uses recipes from her book to make a multi-course dinner for pickup or delivery via Tock ($55). Order by 4:30 p.m. on May 3.
• Bethesda North Marriott teams up with Bark Social to encourage traveling with pups. Hotel guests get a free day pass to the huge off-leash dog park/bar/coffee shop located a five-minute walk away.