{What’s in that empty storefront? Which favorite chef is opening up where, and when? All those details and more in Coming Soon.

HOTEL HERON

PROJECTED OPENING: Spring 2024 699 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA A new hotel, Hotel Heron, will open in the heart of Alexandria this Spring. Originally opened in 1926 as the George Mason Hotel, Hotel Heron will combine the iconic inn with a new building that houses a modern event space and elevated guest rooms. This new 134 room boutique hotel will have a ground floor restaurant serving hearth inspired Mid-Atlantic cuisine, a cozy craft cocktail bar in the heart of the hotel, and an open-air seasonal rooftop bar with views of the Potomac. Some amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center and meeting spaces. For more information, click here.
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{Keeping you up to date on the absolute latest in restaurant openings in the DC Metro area.

Cucina MORINI

901 4th Street NW The team behind Osteria Morini and Matt Adler have opened a new Southern Italian restaurant, Cucina MORINI, in the space formerly home to Nicoletta Italian Kitchen and Brew'd in DC's Mount Vernon neighborhood. Cucina MORINI spotlights flavors from the Italian coast, with options such as Fresh Crudo, signature small plates, handmade pastas, and more. Some Osteria Morini classics are also available at Cucina Morini like Zuppa di Pesce. Guests can also enjoy drinks like the Morini Martini ($7) at the aperitivo bar. For more information, visit their website here.Photo Credit Nina Palazzolo
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All the food news that you can use.

The Madness is in Full Swing: Watching & Eating

Get ready to score big with the ultimate March Madness experience across the DMV.  From now through April 6th, get in on slam-dunk specials and buzzer-beating events, as bars and restaurants are gearing up to bring you the best of the tournament action. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just love the lively atmosphere, there's something for everyone to enjoy. So gather your crew, grab a seat, and cheer on your favorite teams. Let the madness begin:  Bluejacket: Dive right in to March Madness at Bluejacket. Check out the games while you nosh on items like the Big Train or Bluejacket Double burger, or mambo, buffalo, or sweet & smoky fried chicken sandwiches. Pair any of these with the signature house lager for $15. Receive a complimentary beer with every unexpected upset, making each game all the more exciting – whether you watch them, or not. bluejacketdc.com Shelter: It's time for the Roost’s Food Bracket Faceoff, where new dishes battle it out for a spot on the menu. Each week, sales will determine the contenders moving forward. At Slice Joint, it's a showdown between the Chicago Dog Pizza and the Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza. Meanwhile, over at HiFi, the Walking Taco goes head-to-head with the BBQ Wings. Red Apron presents a tough choice between the hearty Pizza Burger and the Smoked Brisket Patty Melt. Brunch enthusiasts will have to pick between the classic Breakfast Burrito and the Breakfast Burger. Yoko offers a clash of Asian flavors with Tomato & Sesame Rice Noodles squaring off against the Pork Bao Buns. Linda’s serves up a dilemma with the Italian Chicken Salad challenging the Meatball Sliders. Save room for dessert! Cinnamon Zeppole battle it out against the Chocolate Lovers Sundae. And at AKO, sushi lovers will have to choose between the explosive flavors of the Dragon Dynamite Roll and the Crispy Rice + Spicy Tuna. theroostsedc.com/shelter The Sovereign: From March 21st to March 24th, Sovereign is bringing you a slam dunk with the March Madness Bottle Feature, with over 68 half-price beer bottles, offering you a wide selection to enjoy while you cheer on your favorite teams. thesovereigndc.com Tony & Joe's: The Fish & Fire Food Group March Madness pool is back again this year. Choose your teams and get a chance to win gift cards up to $300 for use at Tony & Joe's, Nick's, The Point, or Ivy City Smokehouse. For more information, click here.
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Where is Nycci? Here, there, and everywhere in media outlets across the city.

Dinner Party Trends: Axios

Read Brianna Crane & Sami Sparber's interview with Nycci, and get all the deets on hosting trends in 2024~Find out more here. Photo: A tablescape by North Carolina-based dinner party wares rental company Canary. Photo: Emily Bennett, courtesy of Beth Nash 
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Take a deep dive into the Industry and beyond.

Bubbles for the Winn: Industry Night, March...

Hey all and thanks for joining me again on this week’s Industry Night. So excited to spend this month at Tony & Joe’s down on the waterfront in Georgetown. If you live in the DMV or have ever visited this city, chances are you’ve been here. They have one of the best patios. It looks out on the Potomac with views of the Kennedy Center. Seriously, on a gorgeous day, you want to sit out on that patio with a tray of fresh shucked oysters and a glass of rose and watch the boats go by. So special thanks as always to Greg Casten for being such a tremendous supporter of me, this show, and the work that I do. I’m going to chat with Greg in a minute about the history of Tony & Joes and Tony - Greg’s Uncle Tony - who was such a character and just recently passed away. Later in the show, I’ll be chatting with good friend and wine authority Winn Roberton. Winn runs the show at Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak and I love talking wine with him. And by the end of today’s show, you will too.But first — one of my favorite things to do is talk about where I am eating and I kid you not, I have been seriously out and about and eating all the good things — mostly!- I celebrated the Lunar New Year with Scott Drewno & Danny Lee at Chiko for their Lunar New Year Tea — They brought in Jill Nguyen of Capitol Jill Baking and Caroline Ta of Sweets by Caroline with ginger scones, dumplings, tea sandwiches, and milk buns- Popped into Fiola for a glass of Mt Etna Bianco & airy gnocchi- Love a Rasika check in and on a Friday, it is hopping- I’ve been to Moon Rabbit twice in the last two weeks — it is that good — you may have listened to my show with Kevin Tien & Susan Bae and team that I did there before they opened, and everything that we talked about — their intention, commitment, passion — it all ends up on the plate. There’s also a really sunny vibe — they are all so happy to be there and be open and be serving delicious mod -Vietnamese. Do not miss the pate chaud or any of Susan’s desserts- I stopped by Tail Up Goat. They are now doing a tasting menu only in the dining room so I just sat at the bar had a wonderful glass of La Croix Gratiot Les Zazous — a truly lovely white that Bill Jensen recommended. He also poured me a funky wine - Sipon from Slovenia — and of course, he poured me a Riesling because it makes him crazy that I don’t like it. And I have to tell you — he didn’t even try. He poured me a Riesling that had a sweet finish and I was like, you gotta be kidding me. When I bring in Winn we are going to talk about Somms and their love of Resling!- Last one — although I have so many more places that I have been — I went to Service Bar. Now if you know me you know I’m not really a cocktail drinker. But it had been a minute since I had been in and I was looking forward to catching up with Christine Kim. Again, the city was pretty lit up. U Street had bars filled, with people waiting on lines to get in and other people pouring out. So fun. They play amazing music, and if you are a cocktail drinker while, the place looks like a hole in the wall — the cocktails are thoughtful, balanced and well madeOkay! On to today’s show!When you are at Bourbon Steak there is a very tall individual walking around busily taking care of all the patrons — you cannot miss Winn Roberton, the head sommelier. And there’s over 750 labels on that wine list!A local boy, raised in Washington, DC, Winn's journey into the world of wine started as a server at Bourbon Steak in 2008.Listen to our full conversation here, or watch it unfold on YouTube, here. 
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