17 hours ago
Celebrate Summer at These Restaurant and Bar Pop-Ups Around D.C.
It's been a wet and gloomy spring, but the sunny skies of summer are on the way in D.C. It's time to get out of the house and enjoy everything from a hot dogs and martinis-themed bar collaboration, Latin American doughnuts, newly decorated floral patios, and ice-obsessed cocktails at summer pop-ups around D.C. The summer is fleeting and so are these pop-ups so be on the lookout for updates to this list.
Savannah Velasco-Kent has already made a name for herself as the chef pâtissier de partie for Lutèce's legendary pastry program and now she's testing the waters of her own bread and pastry pop-up called Bread Scraps. Velasco-Kent has weekly bread subscription pick-ups in Arlington, featuring rustic sourdoughs and rich barley malt loafs, but she's also done some pastry-focused pop-ups at Lutèce. For her third Bread Scraps venture she is expanding to Mount Pleasant's Each Peach Market with summer-influenced pastry snails filled with lemon verbena; more breads made with local wheat and barley; coconut cookies; and cuñapés (cheesy bread) made with heirloom orange corn. Pre-orders are already sold out, but there will be some pastries and mini loafs available for walk-ups. Don't worry if you miss out, Velasco-Kent is already planning at least two more pop-ups next month. Catch her at Each Peach Market from 1 to 6 p.m. on June 18. 3068 Mount Pleasant Street NW
Chef Joshua Davis, owner of now closed Little Vietnam, is still looking for a brick-and-mortar for his flavorful Caribbean and Asian barbecue spot Lost Connections BBQ, but you can find him at Hill East Burger this Wednesday through Friday, June 18-20, from 5 to 10 p.m. Davis is serving up fried chicken sandwiches with panda milk bread buns, ramen burgers, smoked Japanese curry fries, matcha rum cake, and a Jamaican sorrel drink at the Southeast spot from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly during the pop-up, with reservations and walk-up seats as well as day-of takeout orders available. If you don't catch him at Hill East Burger, he also does a weekly pop-up at Electric Cool-Aid every Friday night with plenty of smoked meats, noodle and rice bowls, plus whatever unexpected barbecue dishes he's experimenting with that week. 1432 Pennsylvania Ave SE
The playful ice-obsessed cocktails from La Tejana's José Cox and Masseria's Jonathan Henriquez are back, with the two creative mixologists diving into explorer Richard Byrd's stories of a second world underneath the earth's surface with industry veteran Al Thompson. His bar pop-up Prosper has been appearing at Green Zone, Mi Vida, and other spots across town but he's excited to 'play with ice' with Cox and Henriquez in this collaboration. The three bartenders will be diving into Byrd's 'lost diary,' that detailed a hidden green world he found under Antarctica, with an immersive experience ($78) that takes guests from a chilly fruit-filled paleta dipped in chamoy to a block of ice they'll have to smash through to get an encased laminated menu (courtesy of Ice Queen) to drinks spiked with eucalyptus and palo santo to represent the warmer world. Aside from the four cocktail journey, an a la carte menu will also be available with a special hot and cold drink and the return of the Dino cocktail with an ostrich fat-wash from the previous Antarctica pop-up. A la carte sushi from neighboring MXDC will be available as well. The pop-up will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. on June 22 at La Jefe, with four different timeslots to book for the immersive experience available here. 1610 14th Street Northwest
The Japanese delicacy called kakigori is back for the summer season at Tonari. The shaved ice dessert is especially smooth with a decadent texture that is not quite meringue or buttercream, though chef Katsuya Fukushima does cover the desserts in some toasted meringue and fill them with coffee, strawberry, matcha, watermelon, or lemon ice flavors. The special shaved ice is available from 1 to 2 p.m. on weekends this summer and the beloved 'Kat's King of Suteki' pop-up with Philly-style cheesesteaks covered in plenty of unconventional optional toppings and sides is back ever first Monday of the month. 707 6th Street NW
Chef Miguel Guerra, known for Michelin-starred tasting menu spot Mita, is bringing back his Latin American doughnuts with a cult following. Donisima appeared during the pandemic, when Guerra and his dad decided to start an international doughnut shop together while over 2,000 miles apart. From D.C., Guerra taught his dad in Colombia how to make a family-tested brioche dough recipe over FaceTime and they ended up opening two locations in Medellín and three locations in D.C. Guerra shut down the doughnut shops to focus on Mita, but now he's bringing back favorites like guava and cheese, hazelnut-covered Amor al Chocolate (chocolate lover), and arequipe (dulce de leche) doughnuts at The Square's churro and soft serve stand, Junge's. Massive doughnuts are $5, except for the basic glazed at $4.50, and a flight of four mini doughnuts is $10 for curious guests that want to try an array of flavors. The pop-up may turn into a more long term residency in The Square, Guerra tells Eater. Junge's is open Monday through Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. 1850 K Street NW
Paraíso's chef Avinesh Rana is the newest collaborator at this Navy Yard Jewish deli, with a birria torta ($15.99) that combines cooked-down birria beef with all the best torta toppings, like smashed avocado, Oaxacan cheese, and pickled peppers, plus a bowl of consommé on the side. The Nepalese-American chef brings his heritage and passion for Mexican cuisine into every dish he makes, including this limited time sandwich only available for the month of June. 1201 Half St SE
New York-based Levain Bakery is partnering with local ice cream chains this summer to sell its signature thick, gooey cookies with scoops of ice cream. Starting in late May, Levain's Georgetown and Bethesda locations started serving scoops of beloved Dolcezza's small-batch vanilla bean gelato alongside a hefty cookie for $10.50. The partnership only lasts for the summer. 3131 M Street NW and 4844 Bethesda Ave, Bethesda, Maryland
From May 15 to July 31, Dirty Habit's outdoor space is transformed into a hideaway inspired by Monaco, including spritzes, Italian Vesper martinis, and fresh seafood dishes like curried crab deviled eggs and grilled shrimp skewers. The elegant casino theme is locked in with huge playing cards and oversized dice decorations. The pop-up comes with The Golden Hour Experience with $10 drink specials every Thursday and Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. Reservations for the outdoor space can be made on OpenTable. 555 8th Street NW
Tail Up Goat made the sad announcement that the Michelin-starred Adams Morgan spot is closing at the end of the year in April, but they're celebrating the restaurant community they've built over the past nine years with a dinner series with RESY until then. Local chefs, like Michael Rafidi of Albi and La'Shukran, are on the list alongside famous national spots. The Miller Union, Madeira Park, and Jewel of South collaboration (with institutions from Atlanta and New Orleans) on June 18 is sold out, but looks out for tickets to more summer collaborations, including a July 16 dinner with chef Juan Camilo Liscano from Miami's Palma and a August 27 dinner with chef Brooks Headley from New York's Superiority Burger. The full schedule, including rolling Resy reservation links, is on Tail Up Goat's website. 1827 Adams Mill Road NW
This nearly year-old Philly transplant is celebrating local chefs with a Thursday dinner series that includes four signature dishes (ranging from $18 to $38) from each D.C. veteran. The OpenTable collaboration includes live DJ sets and all proceeds from a $10 entry fee will go towards Southern Smoke Foundation. The chef lineup includes chef Chris Morgan (Joon) on June 26; Danny Lee and Scott Drewno (Anju, CHIKO) on July 10; Amy Brandwein (Centrolina) on July 24; and many more stellar local talent. Menu previews will be popping up on Instagram in advance and OpenTable reservations will be available a few weeks in advance of each dinner. 1 Washington Circle NW
Everyone wants to play with fire this summer, but chef Chris Morgan has been mastering outdoor grilling for years now and showed off his skills with Live Fire Fridays last year at Joon. This summer, he's inviting chefs to grill on the Persian marvel's patio with him on select Thursdays, with a portion of proceeds going towards the James Beard Foundation. The D.C. chef lineup includes recent James Beard-award winner chef Carlos Delgado (Causa) on June 25; Matt Conroy and Isabel Coss (Lutèce and Pascual) on July 9, and Kevin Tein (Moon Rabbit) on July 30. Reservations are available on Resy. 8045 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, Virginia
This 14th Street restaurant has refreshed its outdoor space just in time for summer, turning into a wine garden with pink-and-white umbrellas, glowing Japanese lanterns, and lush greenery. The patio is also serving summer-only drinks, like frosé, more frozen cocktails, and a specially-curated rosé menu, alongside seasonal bites like crab ricotta fritters and housemade gravlax with seeded focaccia. You may also be able to catch pop-ups of Cork Wine Bar owners Diane Gross and Khalid Pitts's upcoming Marv's Dogs in the space, with Chicago-style hotdogs and soft serve. 1805 14th Street NW
The newest Adams Morgan bar marrying low and high ends favorites is popping up at Death & Co. DC every Monday in June with a special menu of hot dogs, caviar, and martinis. Sip on a martini highball and lick up a caviar bump from the acclaimed cocktail bar will snacking on Legacy Hi-Fi's beef hot dogs, which come in a deep-fried version with malt aioli, house-made sauerkraut, and roadhouse sauce at this special pop-ups. The pop-up will take place on June 23 and June 30 from 7 to 11 p.m, reservations are available on Tock. 124 Blagden Alley NW See More: DC Restaurant News
Pop-Ups
