Neighborhood Eats: Hawk & Dove Revamp, Shaw’s Tavern Closes (For Now), minibar Is Back

• September 2nd 2011

by Rebecca Cooper

Washington has been enjoying a rare, sublime August week after Hurricane Irene, which has filled up patios and rooftops throughout the area. So here’s your roundup of restaurant and bar news, in case you’ve been neglecting the food blogs and actually been getting outside this week.

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Renovating: Capitol Hill stalwart Hawk ‘n’ Dove at 329 Pennsylvania Avenue SE (map) has been sold, and will reopen with a more polished look and menu next year. New owner Xavier Cervera is planning a hefty renovation to break down the bar’s many tiny rooms and bring in more natural light. The bar’s last day in its current state will be October 2, and it will reopen in about six months with an “upscale saloon” menu, Cervera tells The Washington Post. Oh, and gone will be the $2 Miller Lite happy hours and 18-and-over deejay nights. Sorry, interns.

Closed for Now: The owners of Shaw’s Tavern closed down the restaurant late last week after a weeks-long battle to get a liquor license. The restaurant and bar at 520 Florida Avenue NW (map) operated as a dry pub for several weeks while the ABRA board reviewed (and re-reviewed) its application for a liquor license. (The tavern was cited for operating without a license in early August, which is what prompted the prohibition.) Owner Abbas Fathi says he plans to reopen when the permit comes through, but he doesn’t seem too optimistic about when that will be.

Opened: After much ado -- and many slices sold out of a food truck window -- St. Louis pizzeria opened District of Pi earlier this week at 910 F Street NW (map) in Penn Quarter. The Pi on Wheels truck has been operating in the city for the past year, and the restaurant was originally expected to open in March. The menu features St. Louis style deep-dish pizza, as well some thin crust varieties, sandwiches, salads, and a long craft beef list. Stay tuned for the opening of a speakeasy-style bar in the basement at some point down the road.

Opening Soon: District Kitchen, a new American cuisine restaurant from former Mendocino Grille chef Drew Trautmann, is due to open in the Woodley Park this fall, Trautmann tells The Washington Post. The restaurant will take the space of Jandara, a Thai restaurant at 2606 Connecticut Avenue NW (map). The chef says he was inspired by Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore for the restaurant’s name and decor, and has designed a menu that includes duck cracklin’s, a vegetarian French dip sandwich, and a local seafood-heavy frito misto.

Reopened: José Andrés’ minibar reopened yesterday. The restaurant within a restaurant had been closed since the rapid reconfiguration of Cafe Atlantico into America Eats Tavern at 405 8th Street NW (map) earlier this summer. The whimsical multi-course menu at the bar overlooking the kitchen is back, as is the exactly-one-month-in-advance reservation system, meaning that if you call right at 10 a.m. on Monday, you might get a reservation for October 5. (You’ve already missed the reservation window for today.)

Rebecca Cooper is a freelance journalist and avid eater that has contributed to TBD, DCist, and Washingtonian. If you have any tips about restaurant or bars openings or closings, email Rebecca at coopscoop@gmail.com.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/neighborhood_eats_hawk_dove_revamp_shaws_tavern_closes_for_now_minibar_is_b/4087.