About Restaurant Openings Around DC
A guide to the newest places to eat and drink.
Duke’s Grocery, the beloved East London-inspired gastropub, has opened its fifth location in Navy Yard. With sister spots in Dupont, Woodley Park, Foggy Bottom, and a residency in the British embassy, the newest installment is the first outside of DC’s Northwest quadrant.
Customers can find favorites like the Proper Burger and Posh B.L.T.A., along with generously portioned small plates including white truffle mac and cheese and pork wings. Happy hour—five days a week from noon to 7 PM—will continue going strong at the new location, as will weekend brunch with select bottomless drinks. Though Managing Partner Daniel Kramer considers the energetic brunches to be “an ongoing game day special,” the restaurant’s location just steps from Nationals Park has made him consider a new tradition of serving the hometown dishes from visiting baseball teams.
A new addition is the “mule bar,” which features several variations of the ginger beer drink, including one with tej (an Ethiopian honey wine) and another with jalapeño-infused tequila. A beer list spans from British brews to local lagers, plus mash-ups like an English pale ale called “Bangers and Mash” from Maryland’s Crooked Crab Brewery.
At 3,700 square feet, the new dining space is the chainlet’s biggest yet. It also has more TVs than any other location, a bigger bar, and seats about 165 between the dining area and patio. The soaring walls don photos of British icons like Elton John and Princess Diana, and a massive mural by local artists emulates London street art. A royal coat of arms in the back of a restaurant features animals with silly expressions and a blazing orange DC flag.
Meanwhile, Duke’s Grocery’s original location in Dupont Circle is temporarily closed as the 114-year-old building undergoes renovations. The good news is that staff members from that outpost—including some who’ve been with the company for eight years—are now working in Navy Yard. Kramer hopes to reopen the location ahead of its ten year anniversary in September.
Duke’s Grocery. 1201 Half St., SE, Suite 115.
