PROJECTED OPENING: Spring 2023 8113 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD Tsega Haile will be opening a new concept, Citizens & Culture, in Downtown Silver Spring this Spring. Guests can get excited for not only the cuisine but also the live music and performances. This new multi-level, 15,000 square-foot concept features large flat screen TVs, fireplaces, and a lofted stage with a state-of-the-art sound system for DJs and bands to perfrom. The large space also will boast an outdoor patio, main dining room, and full-length bar. The food menu at Citizens & Culture will be lead by Chief Chef Consultant Jessica Shields and Executive Chef Ryan Hackney; For more information, visit their Facebook here.

PROJECTED OPENING: Summer 2023 1300 I Street NW Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley, the dynamic Southern comfort food concept, will be opening its third location overall and first in D.C. this Summer near Franklin Square. Kitchen + Kocktails will bring its freshly prepared comfort food and their renowned 'Krafted Kocktail's' to the area. Dubbed to be "the best comfort food restaurant in America" by Mr. Kelley, Kitchen + Kocktails plans to serve lunch, dinner, and brunch, with extensive menus on the weekend. Some menu highlights guests can get excited for include Shrimp and Grits, Fried Chicken and Waffles, Southern Fried Catfish, and much more. The 7,943 square-foot space will seat over 175 guests and feature two full service bars and one private dining lounge that seats up to 36 guests; For more information, visit their Instagram @kitchenkocktailsusa.

PROJECTED OPENING: Spring 2023 1248-1250 H Street NE Chef Paolo Dungca will be opening a permanent location for his restaurant, Hiraya, on H Street this Spring. Chef Dungca has partnered with father-son duo, Juan and Jeremy Canalas, for this new project. The 4,700 square-foot, two-story concept will offer separate menus on each floor, with the entry floor resembling a cafè and the upstairs level resembling more of an upscale dining fixture offering a la carte menu options. The entry cafè level will open first, followed by the upstairs level which will also feature a bar. Hiraya pays homage to the Phillipines, where Chef Dungca is from. For more information, visit their website here.

PROJECTED OPENING: Spring 2023 1630 Columbia Road NW Hollis Well's Silverman's Eastern Point Collective will be opening their newest concept, Méli, this Spring. Méli will be a members-only wine and mezze club located at The Silva in the Reed-Cooke neighborhood. Méli will offer dine-in service og Greek-ish wine and mezze with both indoor and outdoor seating available. Membership includes access to the club, Méli's virtual market, subscription services to the Méli wine club, grill boxes, and more. The membership fee is $25 annually with the majority of the proceeds going to The Reed Cooke Club. For more information, visit their website here.

PROJECTED OPENING: April 2023 5505 Colorado Avenue NW Owner/Chef Candace Mensah will be opening her new concept, Hedzole, in the space formerly home to Social Kitchen this April. After gaining a following at local farmer's markets and pop-ups in the DMV, this will be Hedzole's first permanent location. Some highlights from the fast casual menu guests can get excited for include Stewed Oxtail over Ghanian Waakye and Groundnut Soup and more. The small space will feature 12 seats inside and 20 seats on the outdoor patio. For more information, visit their website here.

PROJECTED OPENING: April 2023 1011 K Street NW Lucha Rosa, located atop downtown's Moxy Hotel, will be opening at the beginning of April. This new concept from Atlas Restaurant Group will be D.C.'s newest all-season indoor/outdoor rooftop bar. This 1,500 square-foot space features a retractable roof and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the neighborhood. Marc Hennessy will serve as the Culinary Director and Andrew Nichols will serve as the Head of Mixology. Lucha Rosa's menu features light fare that focuses on freshness, with highlights such as ceviches, salads, crudos, tacos, and more. The menu taskes inspiration from Mexican and Latin American cuisine. Lucha Rosa will also boast one of the city's largest agave spirits list; For more information, follow @lucharosadc on Instagram.

PROJECTED OPENING: 2025 1860 Reston Row Plaza, Reston, VA Old Ebbitt Grill will be expanding for the first time in its centuries-long history, with a new concept, Ebbitt House, opening in Reston in 2025. The new outpost will bring classics from Old Ebbitt Grill to Virginia, as well as twice-a-day happy hour, a raw bar, seafood towers, and more. Ebbitt House is expected to seat 300 guests inside and an additional 125 on the outside patio. There will be two bars inside and one outside on the patio. Guests can expect Ebbitt House to be more modern than Old Ebbitt Grill. 

PROJECTED OPENING: 2023 1287 4th Street NE Keith McNally will be opening an outpost of his Minetta Tavern in D.C.'s Union Market District this year. The space is expected to be a corner space that features two-floors, a private dining room, and a "secret" rooftop bar. It is expected to seat up to about 210 guests inside, and 20 seats outside on the patio. Based in New York City, Minetta Tavern is known for its Black Label Burger. The D.C. location is expected to have a similar location to its New York predecessor but not identical; For more information, visit their website here.

PROJECTED OPENING: Summer 2023 517 8th Street SE I Egg You, the weekened breakfast-sandwich pop-up from ChiKo, will be opening its first brick and mortar location in Barracks Row this Summer. Lead by The Fried Rice Collective's Chef/Owners Scott Drewno and Danny Lee, I Egg You will offer a menu of creative stuffed breakfast sandwiches using locally sourced ingredients from trusted local purveyours such as Shilla Bakery, Logan Sausage, Ivy City Smokehouse, and La Colombe Coffee. The new space will feature 60-seats; For more information, visit their website here.

PROJECTED OPENING: March 2023 2009 18th Street NW Managing Partner Cindy Sanchez has announced Alfresco Tap and Grill will be opening in Adams Morgan this March. This new restaurant will feature 123 seats inside and 212 seats across its three distinctive outdoor areas. Alfresco will boast an "American Tap and Grill" menu, offering menu options such as sandwiches, pizza, pasta dishes, and more. Alfresco Tap and Grill will have an international culinary team made up of Chef Israel Bartoli, Chef José Manuel Téllez, and Chef Gonzalo Valdes. The design of Alresco Tap and Grill aims to be an approchable "American Bistro" with plenty of outdoor space. The lunch and dinner menu options will range in price from $8.50 to $27.95, and the brunch menu options will range in price from $11.30 to $22.60. Photo by Jaime Sanchez