Neighborhood Eats: Voltaggio's Range, Del Frisco's to City Center

• May 31st 2012

by Rebecca Cooper

Info started trickling out this week about a number of new restaurants and bars expected to open in the DC area in the coming weeks — perhaps the biggest of which was Range, the 14,000 square-foot restaurant in Friendship Heights from Top Chef alum Bryan Voltaggio. Bethesda Magazine published a lot of new details about Range, among them that the space in Chevy Chase Pavilion (map) will include a raw bar, coffeshop, a bakery, a wine shop, and an open kitchen. Keep reading for restaurant news elsewhere.

Closing: Heritage India officially closed its Dupont Circle location at 1337 Connecticut Avenue NW on Thursday, although a glimpse inside earlier this week showed an interior that was already being pulled apart. The restaurant plans to reopen in another location, according to their blog, and the Georgetown outpost will remain open.

Not opening: There’s a restaurant space back on the market over at CityVista, after notoriously fickle restaurateur Michael Landrum bailed on Ryse, a neighborhood coffeeshop and restaurant at 1065 5th Street NW. Landrum told Washingtonian this week that he “wasn’t up to the task” at this time, and the space has been returned to the landlord. The only indication of movement at the space is a demolition permit issued in March, suggesting the landlord is readying it for a new tenant. Meanwhile, Landrum also had his hands full this week with the launch of Nice ‘n’ Greasy, Steak ‘n’ Cheesy in Rosslyn, which took over the former Hell Burger Too space.

Opening…eventually: CityCenter, the huge development under construction in downtown DC at New York Avenue and 11th Street NW, may have landed its first restaurant tenant, Bisnow reports. Del Frisco’s streakhouse is said to be close to signing a lease for 17,000 square feet at the project, which is supposed to deliver its first phase next year. The high-end steak and seafood restaurant will likely fit well with the first office tenant announced at CityCenter; law firm Covington and Burling has signed a letter of intent to relocate there.

The latest bar from the team behind Bedrock Billiards, Buffalo Billiards, and others in the area will be a concept focused on board games, reports Washingtonian. Slated to be called Board Room, patrons used to the Miller Lite and pool at some of the owners’ other spots should expect something a little nicer: vintage board games that are reservable ahead of time, more craft beers, and a cocktail list that incorporates the names of classic games. The spot at 1737 Connecticut Avenue NW in Dupont Circle is expected to open in August.

Pho 14 fans will be psyched to hear that the Vietnamese joint will be expanding to Adams Morgan, specifically 1769 Columbia Road NW, Young & Hungry reports. It will be Pho 14’s second location, whose flagship is in Columbia Heights; the new one will have the same name and likely stick to a relatively similar menu, a manager tells Y&H.

Events: Saturday is the annual Taste of Georgetown festival at M Street and Wisconsin Avenue NW. Nearly two dozen of the neighborhood’s staple eateries come out with tastings that cost $5 apiece or 5 for $20. For those over 21, the tastings can include the beverage tent; tickets can be purchased in advance. Even if the festival is not your thing, it’s worth noting so you avoid what’s likely to be even more traffic than usual around Georgetown on Saturday.

If you’re willing to venture out of the District, this weekend is also the annual Vintage Virginia wine festival at Bull Run in Centreville, Va. General admission is $30 for unlimited tastings. A number of buses are running from the DC area, or you can hop on a shuttle at Vienna Metro — there are also advance tickets for that.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/neighborhood_eats_heritage_india_closes_city_center_restaurant_big_plans_fo/5599.