Glover Park welcomes yet another gastro-watering hole, this time with a focus on vino: Slate Wine Bar & Bistro started filling glasses in the former Kitchen space this weekend.
Longtime lawyer and first-time restaurant owner Elizabeth Banker came up with the bilevel, 70-seat concept, and has brought it into being with the aid of general manager Mark Krieger, formerly of Chef Geoff’s. Banker says she favors small, family-owned producers and sustainably minded vineyards, and roughly 90 percent of the globally sourced wines—20 by the glass, another 50 by the bottle—are from eco-friendly growers. Weekly wine specials will focus on lesser-known growing areas, such as Greece.
Banker maintained the Kitchen’s layout—there’s plenty of seating at linen-cloaked tables and a few coveted stools around the downstairs bar. Upstairs are more tables and a mini bar that seats three. Mediterranean-, Italian-, and Spanish-themed platters contain piles of grilled halloumi, marinated artichokes, and Serrano ham; entrée-size options include roast chicken marinated in Greek herbs, steak frites, and a cheeseburger topped with bacon jam. Doors open at 4 PM—“I’m an early drinker,” jokes Banker.
Slate Wine Bar. 2404 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-333-4304. Open Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday 4 to 11 PM, Friday and Saturday 4 to midnight. Closed Mondays.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
