Tatte Bakery Will Move Into CityCenter’s Shuttered Momofuku Space

CityCenterDC will have a new tenant in the space that was once home to David Chang’s Momofuku, one of the biggest closures during the pandemic dine-in ban in the spring of 2020. The Washington Business Journal reports that Boston’s Tatte Bakery and Cafe signed a lease for 1090 Eye St. NW, a 10,500-square-foot space that previously included Milk Bar bakery as well as Momofuku.

The new Tatte location in the luxury-focused downtown development will include 177 seats, and the plan is to open in the beginning of 2022. Pastry chef Tzurit Or opened the company’s first location outside of Boston in D.C.’s West End in 2020, and that same summer, it drew criticism from employees who said it hasn’t done enough to combat racism. Since the West End opening, Tatte’s grown its presence in the area with a location in Dupont Circle and another in Bethesda.

In other news...

• That long-empty space right on Georgetown’s main drag on M Street might be home to a beer garden. UrbanTurf reports that real estate developer Villa Services wants to bring a 300-seat outdoor drinking spot to 3000 M Street NW in front of the shuttered Latham hotel.
• Chef Victor Albisu will open his seventh Taco Bamba in Landmark in Alexandria neighborhood, Northern Virginia magazine reports. That’s where he grew up, and his mom used to run a Latin market in the neighborhood.
• Delivery-oriented boutique convenience store Foxtrot Market will open in Old Town Alexandria, according to a scoop by WBJ. This will be the first location in Northern Virginia for the chain, which opened D.C. shops in Georgetown and Mount Vernon Triangle.
• Chef José Andrés threw the first pitch at Nationals Park yesterday, in recognition of World Central Kitchen’s humanitarian work during the pandemic.

• Signage for a new location for breakfast spot Toastique is up in Dupont Circle, per PoPville.
• A “block party” demonstration is planned for Friday night outside of Nellie’s Sports Bar, the Washingtonian reports, in response to the disturbing video filmed last weekend that appears to show a security guard pulling a Black woman down the stairs.
• Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug went to lunch at Centrolina on Saturday before participating in the Pride march. According to a press rep, Centrolina’s chef/owner Amy Brandwein said hello to the VP, who has dined at the restaurant before.

• Dog park/beer garden Bark Social will open a location in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood in 2021. This is the company’s second location, launching in North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose complex earlier this year. According to a release, a location in Northern Virginia is in the works as well.
• In honor of Pride, Ivy City’s Republic Restoratives Distillery is rebranding its Civic Vodka with the Progress Pride Flag. The LGBTQ-led company’s “Civic Pride” goes on sale today. Proceeds from each bottle sold will go towards D.C.’s Whitman-Walker Health, which specializes in healthcare for LGBTQ communities and those living with HIV.

Photo: Republic Restoratives Distillery