First Look at Voltaggio's Newest Restaurant

• December 4th 2012

by Rebecca Cooper

It’s almost here.

Range, Bryan Voltaggio’s much-anticipated new restaurant is set to open Dec. 18, and the pieces are falling into place at the 14,000 square-foot restaurant, bar, bakery and coffee bar at 5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW. UrbanTurf got a sneak peek on Monday night.

They’re a little behind the predicted opening date (Fall 2012), but it’s understandable. Voltaggio’s vision was big for Range. The cavernous, simply decorated space overlooking the interior of Chevy Chase Pavilion has room for diners of all stripes: those that want to sidle up to the raw bar, have a quick coffee after shopping, taste handcrafted cocktails after work or host corporate dinners in the restaurant’s event space.

Divided into several counters, nooks and dining rooms, Range’s size doesn’t overwhelm. A largely open kitchen lets diners enjoy the show — pizza men tossing dough, bread makers kneading away, candy makers scraping rich molten sugar into candy molds. Chickens can also be seen roasting on spits inside a massive rotisserie oven and rows of homemade bitters line the bar at attention, waiting for happy hour.

There’s still much to be done, Voltaggio acknowledged on Monday night. Range is still waiting on coffee equipment before they can ramp up the full coffee bar. Right now the pizza oven is running on gas; eventually it’ll be wood-fired. And Voltaggio is positively giddy at the prospect of installing imported Italian Stagionello salami cabinets and other equipment that will take Range’s in-house charcuterie game to the next level.

Still, the preview offered a bit of satisfaction already. “It’s good seeing things working,” Voltaggio said. “Honestly, it’s just good seeing bodies in here.”

Check out more photos of Range:

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/first_look_at_range_voltaggios_newest_restaurant/6386.