H Street’s Acclaimed Vegan Restaurant Will Close Next Month

The pandemic obliterated business for many bars and restaurants, and for some, the damage was too great to recover. Nearly three years after D.C.’s first indoor dining shutdown, some establishments continue to struggle to stay afloat during uncertain economic times.

Here’s a running roundup of local restaurant closures—due to ripple effects from the pandemic or other reasons—since the start of 2023.

Know of a D.C. restaurant that recently called it quits? Send the details to dc@eater.com.

Fall 2023

U STREET NW—Hawthorne, a four-story row house packed with five bars, rooftop views, sports-watching parties, DJs, and bottomless brunch, wraps up an 8-year run this weekend. Mission Group’s D.C. portfolio also includes Mission, Admiral, Salazar, and Royal Sands. 1336 U Street NW

Fancy Radish/Facebook

H STREET NE—Fancy Radish, D.C.’s polished place for creative vegan dishes like rutabaga fondue, pastrami spiced carrots, and spicy dan dan noodles, will close on Saturday, October 14 after a 5-year run. Chefs Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby, the James Beard-nominated duo behind high-end Philadelphia restaurant Vedge and its casual V Street counterpart, haven’t been involved for some time. Landau tells Eater they sold Fancy Radish to its longtime manager Adam Fine in October 2022. “Coming out of the pandemic we wanted to put it in the hands of the people that were down there every day to give it the love and care it needed,” says Landau, adding he doesn’t have details on what caused the closure. “We are really sad to see it go.” 600 H Street NE

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA—Foxfire Grill, the neighborhood favorite that received a menu and interior makeover on Food Network show Restaurant: Impossible, will close on Halloween. Around since 2003, the American standby for ribeye, chicken pasta, grilled spice shrimp, and wines couldn’t come to terms on a lease renewal at Pinecrest Plaza. Foxfire manager Jeff Ammons tells Annandale Today its landlord Edens doubled the rent and leased the space to another tenant. “It’s weird that we came through everything in the past few years, including Covid and the economic downturn; we survived for 20 years, and this ends it,” he tells the pub. 6550 Little River Turnpike, Alexandria, Virginia

Summer 2023

CHINATOWN—Tom’s Watch Bar pulled the plug on its first D.C. address after less than a year in business. The immersive sports-watching experience opened next to Capital One Arena in December in Circa’s old two-story digs, bringing the neighborhood Old Bay shrimp, two-pound portions of wings, icy drafts served in huge steins, and 120 high-definition screens. Tom’s just debuted a brand-new D.C. location in Navy Yard, which joins another in National Harbor. The sports bar chain currently has 12 locations scattered coast to coast, from Los Angeles to Vegas to the Mohegan Sun casino. 781 7th Street NW

SHAW—After more than seven years in Shaw, D.C.’s essential wine bar La Jambe will shutter for good on Sunday, September 17. “This was an extremely difficult and devastating decision, but the post-COVID reality no longer makes sense to keep operating,” per an email from owner owner Anastasia Mori. La Jambe’s 5-year-old Union Market stall will remain open with wines, cocktails, a charcuterie and cheese counter, takeout, and catering. The original location in Shaw with a wraparound patio was known for its all-French wine list by the glass and bottle, showcasing varietals like Burgundy Pinot Noirs to fun finds like fortified wines from the Jura region. “This is not a goodbye, as I am very excited to focus on our amazing little gem at Union Market which combines all my loves,” says Mori. 1550 7th Street NW

DUPONT—The Daily Grill permanently closed its sole D.C. area location on Saturday, August 26, according to a voicemail message. The longstanding corner restaurant was known for its daily happy hour and homey American dishes like chicken pot pie, surf-and-turf mains, and loaded mac and cheese. Around since 1989, the Daily Grill maintains locations in California, Texas, and Oklahoma. Its Georgetown location closed in 2017. 1200 18th Street NW

14TH STREET NW—Lively sports haven and happy hour haunt Provision No. 14, also known as P14, has closed. The 7,500-square-foot turnkey restaurant with two bars and an outdoor patio is available for lease starting September 1. 2100 14th St NW

U STREET NW—Archipelago, D.C.’s rum-fueled drinking destination at the corner of 12th and U Streets NW since 2016, will serve its last mai tai on Saturday, August 26. “After many years and over 30,000 hollowed out flaming pineapples, the time has come for us to shut the doors to our little slice of island life,” per a closing message on Instagram. Along with fire-topped, large-batch tiki drinks and $6 pina coladas during happy hour, Polynesian-styled Archipelago was also known for Asian dishes like dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, and crab rangoon dip. The trend-setting bar helped spark a tropical movement around D.C., with subsequent openings from Tiki on 18th, Tiki TNT, and (now-closed) Coconut Club. 1201 U Street NW

CLEVELAND PARK—Knightsbridge Restaurant Group’s Ashok Bajaj closed his original Bindaas on Sunday, August 6. The Indian street foods spot will be replaced by a new wine bar in September called Little Black Bird. Executive chef Ryan Moore, who runs the kitchen at next-door Israeli standby Sababa, will oversee the menu in the 30-seat space with an 8-seat bar. The wine list will include 100 options by the bottle and 12 by the glass, plus cocktails like a DC Sour and Greek Side Car. 3309 Connecticut Avenue NW

BROOKLAND—Calabash Tea and Tonic, Northeast’s artsy, sun-soaked spot to sip wellness-minded drinks and kombucha mocktails since 2019, served its last in-person customer on Sunday, July 23. An audio message posted on Calabash’s Instagram says its landlord has “decided to double our rent” without addressing “years-long, easily resolved building issues” that’s costed Calabash “tens of thousands of dollars in repairs.” Dr. Sunyatta Amen, a fifth-generation master herbalist and naturopathic physician, relies on her Cuban-Jamaican great-grandmother’s recipes to create drinks that advertise health benefits. Some 150 herbs, flowers, and medicinal plants sprouting across an outdoor patio garden made their way into more than 80 organic tea blends stocked at the shop. Calabash’s online store and warehouse remain fully open for orders, and the team says any future retail location will be in “a building we own.” 2701 12th Street NE

H STREET—Dirty Water, D.C.’s rowdy, Boston-obsessed sports bar that went all out on Patriots and Red Sox game days, suddenly closed this week after a 6-year run. College alumni from Arkansas, Wake Forest, and the University of Georgia also felt right at home here, and sports betting was a thing inside. During the dawn of the pandemic, the third-story dive delivered contact-free booze to its customers in one of the most creative ways possible: lowering to-go quarts of vodka cocktails using a bucket on a rope. Never forget. 816 H Street NE

DOWNTOWN—Little Chicken, the fledgling fried poultry-and-beer haven nestled in the flashy Midtown Center development since spring 2022, will serve its last wing on Saturday, July 15. The joint mashup between Grazie Grazie sub shop owner Casey Patten and chefs Gerald Addison and Chris Morgan plans to relocate to the Wharf this fall in a newly secured space next to Pearl Street Live and Colada Shop (11 Pearl Street SW). Its soon-to-be vacated downtown digs, situated in an alley next to the team’s Italian hotspot Grazie Nonna, will flip into a stylish new lounge called Grazie Mille later this year. Along with lip-smacking fried poultry sent out in boxes and sandwiches, Little Chicken offers communal sangrias and crushes, Michelada service, beers by the bucket, and frozen custard-topped pies in a whimsical indoor-outdoor setting outfitted with patio games like shuffleboard. Swing by this week for closing party festivities leading up to its last day of service. 1100 15th Street NW

PETWORTH—Looking Glass Lounge, one of D.C.’s most beloved dive bars since 2008, will close at the end of 2023. The team couldn’t come to terms on a long-term lease with the landlord, explains a statement posted on social media this month. Lined with vintage lamps and stained glass windows, the lived-in lounge has a surprise downstairs bar that opens to a heated, wood-framed patio. Trivia nights, weekend brunch, rare domestic brews, half-smokes, wings, and $10 beer-and-shot combos are all part of the charm. “We still have a few more months left to drink some more booze, eat some more wings, and make some more memories. Let’s get it in while we can,” per the statement. 3634 Georgia Avenue NW

DUPONT CIRCLE—Buca di Beppo, the Disney World-esque destination for meatball Mondays, fried mozzarella, calamari baskets, and other family-style Italian dishes spread across checkered tablecloths, closed its sole D.C. location on Sunday, June 25. The building’s new owner plans to turn the property into condos. Buca di Beppo has secured a new D.C. location a “few blocks away,” per an employee, which plans to open in November. The nationwide chain from Planet Hollywood founder Robert Earl maintains another area outpost in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Its prominent Dupont address famously flipped into a Flavortown Kitchen during the pandemic, delivering cheesesteak egg rolls, chicken “Parm-eroni,” and other items affiliated with everyone’s favorite frosted-tipped TV chef Guy Fieri. 1825 Connecticut Avenue NW

Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

NAVY YARD—Hatoba, Daikaya Group’s 4-year-old destination for Sapporo-style ramen bowls like tomato curry and red miso clam, has closed. Hatoba, means “wharf” or “dock” in Japanese, expanded the menu over the years with Hawaiian dishes honoring chef-partner Katsuya Fukushima’s upbringing. Fukushima’s other D.C. establishments — including Daikaya, Tonari, and Bantam King in Chinatown and Haikan in Shaw — remain open. 300 Tingey Street SE

The Eleanor/official photo

SILVER SPRING—Local arcade bar The Eleanor shut down its downtown Silver Spring location after just three years of business. “After facing unprecedented challenges since opening just two weeks before the pandemic shutdown, we have decided to close,” per a closing message. The 7,700-square-foot outpost featured mini bowling lanes, more than a dozen arcade games, multiple outdoor patios, and 20 beers on tap, plus offbeat bar food like elote-style hush puppies, a spaghetti sandwich, General Tso’s chicken wings, and chips and caviar with sour cream ranch. The 5-year-old original in NoMa remains open, and there could be another location in the works: “We are looking to the future, and more opportunities for our brand to grow,” adds the Eleanor team. 931 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, Maryland

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

BLOOMINGDALE—Truxton Inn, one of the most anticipated openings of 2017, made the “tough decision to close” this week, confirms owner Matthew Weiss in a late Friday statement. One of the area’s few upscale cocktail options, the neighborhood favorite with a handsome hunter-green bar top was known for its Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, and other well-made classics. Modeled after a secretive London hotel bar-meets-hipster D.C., tiny Truxton Inn was packed with eye candy like framed fox-hunting portraits, books on cocktail culture, globes, and worn-in leather and velvet seating options. “While we are saying goodbye to our beloved cocktail bar, which hosted many celebrations and welcomed wonderful neighbors and guests — including that one guy who decided to schedule six consecutive dates in one evening — it will not be the end of the story” for the 50-seat space, says Weiss, whose group also owns McClellan’s Retreat, Barrel, and the Eastern. The team is exploring options to open a new venture inside, he says. 251 Florida Avenue NW

Spring 2023

SILVER SPRING—Open since fall 2018, downtown Silver Spring’s neighborhood taproom and craft brewery Astro Lab will pour its last beer at the end of May. “The pandemic kicked us in the butt,” says head brewer and New Zealand native Matt Cronin, in a statement on Thursday, May 11. “Our long-term vision was challenged by new economic realities, and our plans for expansion and growth were perpetually pushed to another day.” The experimental beer hall, which also offers Reubens, pretzels, and slushy sours, will continue to can and serve its popular Fresh As IPA through the end of the month. Its final hoppy brew is simply called Astro Lab. But when one brewery closes, another will open: the team says Third Hill Brewing will take over the space and equipment for its first-ever location. 8216 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland

U STREET NW—After a decade-long run along U Street NW, Fainting Goat will close for good on Sunday, May 14. The upscale gathering spot with a cozy interior was known for its trivia and bingo nights, pizzas, and attentive cocktail program. Blagden Hospitality’s other D.C. restaurants include Calico, Tiger Fork, and Hi-Lawn, plus Bar Ivy in Clarendon. 1330 U Street NW

FALLS CHURCH—After 30 years and countless crispy pork spring rolls served, Northern Virginia’s Vietnamese standard-bearer Four Sisters will permanently close doors on Sunday, May 14. Originally an occupant of nearby Vietnamese complex Eden Center, family-owned Four Sisters relocated to Merrifield in 2008 long before the surrounding Mosaic District arrived with a steady stream of restaurant and retail options. The iconic, 150-seat destination for vermicelli lettuce wraps, papaya salads, and pho will shutter after service on Mother’s Day, which “seems appropriate for a restaurant built on the recipes of Thanh Tran, the matriarch of the Lai family,” writes Washington Post food writer Tim Carman, who broke the news this week. 8190 Strawberry Lane, Falls Church, Virginia

Jacob Sanford

FOGGY BOTTOM—Tigerella, the all-day Italian restaurant from the team behind Mt. Pleasant’s acclaimed bakery Ellē, suddenly closed after a 10-month run inside Western Market food hall. The 90-seat restaurant, which was expected to be included in this year’s Michelin guide, says its business model was ultimately unsustainable due to “the lack of workers returning to the offices in our part of downtown D.C.” Tigerella deleted morning hours in March and replaced its cafe counter with a double-decker bread oven to expand its pizza program from personal pan pies to include New York-style slices and 12-inch pies. Its weekday-only lunch and dinner menus also included homemade pastas, sandwiches, small plates, and a robust cocktail program. There’s no current plans to reopen Tigerella elsewhere, and the landlord is reportedly in talks with a few replacement options. The flashy food hall near GWU and the World Bank started coming to life in 2021 with vendors like Rawish, Onkei, and Capo Deli, with recent arrivals from Bullfrog Bagels and Alitiko. 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

ADAMS MORGAN—Amsterdam Falafelshop, Adams Morgan’s quick-serve stalwart for falafel sandwiches or bowls well into the night, will close on May 27 after 18 years in business. Washington Post food reporter Tim Carman first broke the news on Twitter on Monday, April 24. Co-founder Arianne Bennett, who ran the neighborhood institution with her late husband Scott, says she didn’t want to close — but the landlord plans to sell the building and she can’t afford the asking price. 2425 18th Street NW

MT. VERNON TRIANGLE—Eater DC’s 2021 Chef of the Year Elias Taddesse’s acclaimed burger bar Mélange will serve its last burger in Mt. Vernon Triangle this weekend. “We anticipate moving to a different location in the near future,” per a statement on social media. Saturday, April 22, will be Mélange’s last day at CityVista. Since opening in September 2020, the pandemic-era success has wowed diners with doro wat fried chicken sandwiches, brown butter aioli cheeseburgers, and inventive mashups that homage to Taddesse’s East African heritage, fine-dining background at Michelin-starred restaurants in NYC, and nostalgia for American drive-thrus. Taddesse also runs Shaw’s hot new takeout Doro Soul Food, which infuses soul food favorites with Ethiopian spices and flavors. 449 K Street NW

NORTHEAST—Orange County brewery the Bruery closes its retail store near Union Market at the end of April. The Bruery CEO Barry Holmes sent an email announcing the closure, which was circulated by industry site DC Beer. The independent small-batch brewery’s first standalone shop outside of California, open since 2017, offers its members the ability to pick up bottles and cans of its strong barrel-aged brews, rotating taps for growler fills, and branded swag. The D.C. store’s long-term goal was to turn into a tasting room, but the “space wasn’t as conducive as we would like” to make that happen, he says, hinting at opening another location better suited for tasting down the line. 513 Morse Street NE

UNION MARKET—Egyptian food favorite Fava Pot will shutter its longtime stall in Union Market on Sunday, April 2. Its Falls Church and Dupont Circle outposts will remain open. 1309 5th Street NE

ADAMS MORGAN—After an 8-year run under Roofer’s Union, cozy wine bar Jug & Table will close Saturday, March 25. The team will reopen the street-level space in early April with a new identity as the Agave Room with a curated list of Mexican spirits. Jug & Table was known for its large vinyl catalog, cheese and charcuterie plates, and love for trailblazing and small producers across a list of wines on tap, by the glass, and in 64-ounce jugs. “Just as Roofers Union allows us to geek out on beer, The Agave Room is designed to celebrate and journey deep into the tastes and stories behind mezcals and tequilas,” says general manager David Delaplaine. 2446 18th Street NW

GEORGETOWN—After a 20-year run, dumplings pioneer Bangkok Joe’s has called it quits on the Georgetown Harbor. Chef Aulie Bunyarataphan and Mel Oursinsiri say Bangkok Joe’s gift cards will be accepted at its sister spot Thai in Shirlington in Arlington, Virginia. 3000 K Street NW

Winter 2023

LOGAN CIRCLE—Estadio, the Spanish stalwart there long before its 14th Street NW strip exploded with restaurants, will serve its last small plate and sherry on Saturday, February 18. Owner Max Kuller tells Washingtonian sales never returned to pre-pandemic levels, and he’s shifting attention to his newer Estadio in Charleston. The 13-year-old D.C. original will be sent out in style, complete with nightly porrón pours of ciders, cameos from founding bartender Adam Bernbach, and a first-ever Super Bowl watch party scheduled for Sunday, February 12. “I am so thankful for all of my teammates, and we are looking forward to going out with a true bang,” wrote Kuller on Instagram. Kuller is also a partner at Shaw’s acclaimed vegetable tasting pad Oyster Oyster. 1520 14th Street NW

DUPONT CIRCLE—D.C.’s first virtual food hall is suddenly shutting down after less than a year in business. Underground Food Court owner Tiffany Fiedler announced the closure on a private Facebook industry page on Monday, February 6, saying the investment firm tied to the brand is closing down—“and as a result, we have to as well.” The IP of all its virtual restaurants is for sale, she adds. Vendors include Sincerely Breakfast; Brioche Belly; Masa Taco; Tacotopia; Quesarito That Burrito; and Call Me Chicken. The experimental ghost kitchen, located between Kramers and Starbucks, lets patrons order on-site from walk-up kiosks, directly from its website, or via delivery apps. 1506 19th Street NW

Underground Food Court/Facebook

ADAMS MORGAN—After six years of fueling up locals on pour-overs and specialty iced coffees, San Francisco-based Philz Coffee exits the D.C. market this month due to “changing business conditions,” a rep tells Eater. The Adams Morgan location, open since 2016, was Philz’s first outside of California—and is the only area store left. Its last day of service is scheduled for Sunday, February 12. Philz started shrinking its local portfolio in 2022, starting with the spring closure of its Dupont address. A Ballston outpost—its first in Virginia—shuttered at the end of the year, followed by the closure of its longtime Navy Yard store on Friday, January 20. 1827 Adams Mill Road NW

CAPITOL HILL—Rammy-nominated A Presto! Italian Foods, the homey Italian eatery located above Bullfrog Bagels on Capitol Hill, opted to not renew its lease. Veteran Tune Inn bartender Stephanie Hulbert-Sargent celebrated the kind of Sunday dinners she grew up eating in New Jersey with a menu full of meatballs, lasagna, chicken Parmesan, and Sunday gravy a few nights a week. 317 Seventh Street SE

NAVY YARD—Chef Michael Rafidi shut down the first edition of his Levantine cafe Yellow in Navy Yard. “It’s really for the team, not to operate two restaurants in one. It’s just not a sustainable way to operate,” Rafidi told Washingtonian, of the morning-to-midday pita place attached to his Michelin-rated eatery Albi. The closure comes soon after his second Yellow opened across town in Georgetown, which will add evening hours in mid-February. Rafidi is also gearing up to open a huge HQ for Yellow with a test kitchen near Union Market. Yellow is slated to return to Navy Yard at a later date in a new space, he notes. 1346 4th Street SE

ADAMS MORGAN—After fueling up its late-night corridor with tacos since 2016, Mexican eatery Los Cuates shut down and the small storefront is currently up for lease. Los Cuates maintains a lively location on Wisconsin Avenue NW. 2429 18th Street NW

WOODLEY PARK—Taco City DC’s expansion to upper Northwest fell flat, but the original remains open in Southeast. 2604 Connecticut Avenue NW

DUPONT—Philly-born vegan chain HipCityVeg closed down in Dupont. The fast-casual “chik n’ nuggets” spot retains locations in Chinatown and Navy Yard. 1300 Connecticut Avenue NW

TENLEYTOWN—Short-lived deli Le Versailles called it quits in upper Northwest. The glassy storefront has housed a string of failed eateries, including Le Kavacha French Bistro and Olive Bistro. 4619 41st Street NW

DUPONT—Vegetarian chain Fruitive closed its Dupont Circle address. The destination for cold-pressed juices, acai bowls, and avocado toast was designed to cater to its 9-to-5 neighborhood, but much of that business dried up during the pandemic. The Virginia-based brand, which bills itself as the first certified organic fast-casual restaurant in North America, maintains a D.C. location at City Center. 1330 Connecticut Avenue NW

VAN NESS—D.C.’s beloved—and only publicly accessible—Burger King, decked out in throwback movie memorabilia from Jaws and E.T., permanently closed after more than 40 years. 4422 Connecticut Avenue NW

IVY CITY—City Winery closed on January 1, wrapping up a five-year run in Ivy City. The 42,000-square-foot business featured a working winery, a concert venue, a private event space, 175-seat restaurant, massive rooftop, and four bars in all. City Winery’s home has a storied past, formerly functioning as long dormant Ivy City nightclub Love. Love sat vacant for six years after playing host to countless VIPs and rappers. City Winery integrated some existing elevators, bars, bathrooms, and private VIP areas into its inaugural D.C. location. The brand is reportedly on the prowl for a new D.C. location elsewhere. 1350 Okie Street NE

BETHESDA—NYC-based chain Mexicue permanently closed its Bethesda location. Its 14th Street NW location remains open. 4733 Elm Street Bethesda, Maryland

Temporarily closures

DUPONT—Duke’s Grocery’s original D.C. location closes for a months-long makeover starting Monday, February 13. The beloved British gastropub’s last meal before going under the knife will be Sunday brunch on February 12, and the plan is to resurface in its historic row home with a refreshed look before its 10-year anniversary in September. Meanwhile, Duke’s Grocery is gearing up to open its fourth location in Navy Yard soon. 1513 17th Street NW

Duke’s Grocery

GEORGETOWN—The Hilton hospitality brothers’ neighborhood bistro Chez Billy Sud went offline January 1 and will reopen this spring with updated kitchen equipment, infrastructure, and a new private dining room. The adjacent Bar à Vin wine bar is open. 1039 31st Street NW

ADAMS MORGAN—Los Compañeros, the year-old Mexican replacement to seafood institution Johnny’s Half Shell, went dark on December 31. Owners John Fulchino and business partner Ann Cashion hope to reopen in the spring, per their website. 1819 Columbia Road NW