It’s tempting to see the world through rose-colored glasses at Easy Company, a new wine bar and pink-hued rosé garden opening at the Wharf on Thursday, January 26. The bar and bistro aims to be a relaxed spot with a big patio, approachable wines, easy eats, and wallet-friendly—for the Wharf—drinks priced at $10 during daily happy hour.
“I was inspired by the hospitality venues in small villages in Italy or Southern France, they’re comfortable and at a reasonable price point,” says Ryan Seelbach, whose Better Hospitality Group is behind nearby Boardwalk Bar & Arcade as well as Takoda in Navy Yard and Shaw. “It’s the opposite of the traditional American version of a wine bar—dark, formal, and expensive.”
Though DC is home to plenty of new-wave wine bars that eschew the stuffy model, Easy Company embraces a European feel with carafes of wine—a bit more than a half bottle—starting at $13. Ten wines and cocktails are available for $10 at daily happy hour (between 4 and 6 PM). Unlike at your average French boite, drinkers will find concoctions like Campari-and-Fernet shooters and cardamom-spiked espresso martinis. Patrons can linger outdoors year-round thanks to an enclosed, heated patio—among the largest at the Wharf with 74 seats—that’s fashioned with retractable glass sides and covering, which can be removed in warmer months.
For the table: bistro-style fare including salads and panini, flatbreads, and larger plates such as steamed mussels or roasted chicken with salsa verde and parmesan potatoes. Diners can also graze on cheese and charcuterie boards and dip samplers. The space will open for evening service first, with brunch starting the weekend of February 4.
Easy Company. 98 Blair Alley, SW.
Check out the opening menus here:
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.
