Argentina's Famed, Open-Flame Hit Makes Dramatic D.C. Entrance

Eater

a day ago

Two standout Argentinian siblings known for sizzling steaks and acclaimed cocktails prepare to make their hotly anticipated stateside debut right around Labor Day.
Buenos Aires-born Florería Atlántico and Brasero Atlántico open in tandem along the banks of Georgetown's C&O Canal by early September (1066 Wisconsin Avenue NW). Its founder Renato 'Tato' Giovannoni converted what used to be D.C.'s oldest firehouse into an ambitious hospitality venture that starts with an enchanting flower shop stocked with natural wines sold until 2 a.m. One door over, there's the restaurant, Brasero Atlántico, that greets diners with a striking grill firing up the prime cuts of meat Argentina is known for. The massive cooking mechanism that's visible from the street weighs as much as a car and took a feat of nature to get here (a long hold-up in NY didn't help). 'It's not going anywhere now,' Giovannoni tells Eater. Brasero Atlántico is joined below by Florería Atlántico, his famed basement bar in Buenos Aires that currently ranks among the World's 50 Best.
Florería Atlántico's fruity and floral Bocharov cocktail (Grey Goose, tangerine juice, strawberry, rosehip jam, pine water, pepper). Florería Atlántico
The master mixologist debuted the Atlántico brand in Argentina's coastal capital in 2013, and two more have since followed in Barcelona, Spain and the Middle Eastern island country of Bahrain. Fellow Buenos Aires-born hospitality vet Alex Resnik helps steer the stateside expansion that starts with D.C. Next up is Beverly Hills, where Resnik used to run Cut as a member of Wolfgang Puck's senior team. Its well-traveled chef Manuela Carbone is also from Buenos Aires and comes to D.C. with Michelin-starred credentials at Coi in San Francisco and Ekstedt in Stockholm.
Atlántico's overall theme pays homage to Argentina's 19th-century boom of immigrants from Spain, Italy, France, and Lebanon, who sailed to South America by way of the Atlantic before planting roots in its lush countryside. Seasonality, as such, is a big focus across a menu full of house-made pates, preserved vegetables, and wild game.
The 1800s-era brick building's facade is historically protected and serendipitously has an on-theme Cerulean blue paint job on its doors and window frames. Rehabbing the centuries-old interior was a beast, to say the least. Unearthed and restored wooden flooring and polished-up wrought-iron railings join modern accents like curved blue booths and an open-air kitchen that blends into the bar.
'We try to represent the way of eating out in Argentina,' says Giovannoni. 'You interact with everybody and see the chefs and the bartenders all working together.'
The fired-up grill at Brasero Atlántico in Bahrain. Brasero Atlántico
The lengthy counter is wrapped in gleaming copper as a salute to Giovannoni's engineering grandfather, who taught him how to nail the same metal onto his hometown roof many summers ago. Brasero Atlántico puts its sky-high ceilings on full display, reminding diners that firefighters used to slide down a long pole here. Its original height is also retained in the bathrooms, which make moo-ing sounds as a nod to Brasero's countryside theme.
In addition to running restaurants, he owns a budding Argentinian gin line called Príncipe de los Apóstoles that will make its way into D.C. cocktails. And that's not all; the renaissance man of sorts is also a talented artist. Using his go-to medium of graphic pencil, two mythological sea creatures recently took shape on cement canvases and will oversee the 55-seat restaurant.
Its private dining room in the back is dramatic. A 'chandelier' suspended above resembles an upside-down tree one would see while driving into Argentina's scenic province of La Pampa. Floor-to-ceiling planks of reclaimed barn wood from Virginia wrap the window-less den. The room follows a no-DJ, records-only mantra — a tradition born at its Buenos Aires location — and dinner party hosts here will be handed a selection of five vinyls they can play for guests inside and take home after.
Empanadas are served on both levels, joined by white-and-blue plateware from France.
The Buenos Aires original comes with a humble backstory. After searching for the right space for 10 years, he opened what he says was Argentina's first basement bar on a $60,000 budget. 'It's all we had at the time,' he says.
Florería Atlántico's D.C. layout follows the lead of the original. A pint-sized flower shop bursting with for-sale bouquets and orchids sourced from a Maryland vendor joins a coffee counter with an Argentinian pastry program. Come 4 p.m., a host who doubles as a florist leads guests past an antique refrigerator door and down a set of stairs.
Entering Florería Atlántico feels like stepping onto a sea floor. A large porthole-like installation sets the scene for a subterranean lounge blanketed in a wavy blue carpet. The basement bar serves a separate, smaller menu centered around seafood that speaks to the country's vital Río de la Plata river that spills out into the Atlantic. The basement level will serve a separate, smaller menu centered around seafood. The underwater theme even extends to the bathrooms, which are slathered in the same seafaring wallpaper found in Argentina and guests hear a soundtrack of crashing waves on loop.
The Negroni Balestrini at Florería Atlántico Florería Atlántico
Florería Atlántico imports its award-winning cocktails full of gin, sherry, and house-made vermouth, with each one telling a story of Argentina's immigrant community. A D.C.-specific list of 'Legendary Cocktails' include nods to its own melting pot culture, Scottish settlers, and tales of the Potomac.
For wine, a growing list of 250 bottles to start are visible behind along an upstairs runway that leads to a slim outdoor terrace overlooking the currently-drained canal. Standing out there last month, as his multi-part project was nearing its finish line inside, Giovannoni reflected on the full-circle moment of how he ended up here. The first time he visited the U.S. was in 1991, and his first stop was in Georgetown to visit a friend attending the University. Now the Argentinian-born entrepreneur has attained the American dream with a restaurant of his own, and one that rides the wave of a newfound dining renaissance in Georgetown.
His new neighbor, however, could not be more different. That would be Executive Branch, Donald Trump Jr.'s months-old underground social club that counts the Winklevoss twins as founding members, charges chosen ones $500,000 to join, and reportedly uses ex-Navy Seals as security guards.
Still, Giovannoni stays ever-optimistic when it comes to the chaotic state of Washington politics that will literally surround him soon. 'It is what it is – you have a new president every four years,' he says.
Eater DC
All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required)
Sign Up
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.