Restaurant Comings and Goings

Share

yes

Downtown’s restaurant scene is abuzz with openings and closings. Soon to be gone: Zola (800 F Street), the long-standing upscale dining establishment, and Potenza (1430 H Street), the Old World Italian restaurant which opened in 2009. Stir Food Group owns both restaurants and will close Zola on June 30 and Potenza on August 18 to complete its transition out of the restaurant business. The company closed Zola Wine and Kitchen (505 9th Street), the wine shop and chef’s test kitchen, in May. Restaurateur Jeffrey Buben of Vidalia fame has already agreed to open a restaurant in the Potenza space, located in the historic Woodward Building. Expect to hear more about his plans come late August. No word yet on who will occupy Zola’s space. 

Meanwhile, Jose Andres’ critically acclaimed Minibar will move a few blocks from its perch at 405 8th Street to the Zola Wine & Kitchen spot, thus affording diners who crave delicacies at his tiny establishment more seats—from six to 16. What will become of Minibar’s space, and  that of the unique, pop-up restaurant America Eats Tavern–which is located in the same building and last year replaced Café Atlantico, Andres’ Nuevo Latino concept–remains to be seen. The tavern will close on July 4th. Minibar will open at 505 9th Street in October.

Del Frisco’s Grille, a new restaurant concept billed as a classic bar and grill, is scheduled to debut on July 14 in space once occupied by French restaurant Les Halles at 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue.  The Grille will serve lunch and dinner indoors and out and offer a 400-plus wine list as well as local beers, cocktails and signature shots. On the day that Del Frisco’s Grille opens, Capital Q BBQ, a Downtown mainstay since 1997, will shutter because of high food and occupancy costs. The award-winning Texas barbeque joint will have a Farewell BBQ Bash, featuring 50-cent wings, $5 sandwiches and cowboys (boneless meat served over rice with barbeque) and $3 draft beer, from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. Just bring cash, and plenty of it (leave the credit cards home, please) because Capital Q’s art and memorabilia will also be available for sale.

Meatballs, the casual restaurant that opened at 624 E Street last October, has also bitten the dust. Farewell to its traditional meatballs, crab meatballs, lamb meatballs, vegetarian meatballs, and fried chicken meatballs. Meanwhile, stay tuned for news about Wagamama. Word on the street is that the British ramen restaurant is back in play at 418 7th Street.