The Heights, 5406 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase.
The restaurant options in Friendship Heights have been paltry for years—a Cheesecake Factory here, a PF Chang’s there—as some of the neighborhood’s shopping centers have hollowed out to mostly-empty husks. So it’s understandable that Chevy Chase residents have been anxiously peering into the Heights food hall, which was originally set to open in April, whenever they walked past.
On Monday, December 11, the Heights finally opened—and boosted the neighborhood’s culinary cred. The food hall, helmed by Alexandria chef Chad Sparrow, has two bars, a full-service restaurant, and (most notably) eight food stalls that feature the talents behind some the area’s hottest eateries.
Sparrow, the executive chef at Common Plate Hospitality (behind Old Town’s Mason Social and Augie’s Mussel Bar, among others) thinks Chevy Chase is primed for a food revival. Since the Heights is right by the Metro, he hopes it’ll become a destination too. “We want to be a pillar in changing this area completely, especially the food scene here,” Sparrow says. “The neighborhood is ready.”
Helping that cause: chef Kevin Tien, who ran the kitchens at the late Himitsu and soon-t0-reopen Moon Rabbit. Here, Tien is behind sushi spot Doki Doki—he cut his teeth working at sushi bars in the south. Along with a wide selection of familiar rolls, nigiri, and sashimi, the chef has created an array of non-traditional rolls and a raw bar highlighting one of the things he’s best known for: crudo (look for everything bagel salmon and seared pesto tuna versions).
“This is actually our ‘safe’ opening menu,” Tien says. “I think some of our crudos are more ‘chef Kevin’ and I want to start putting more exciting things like that on the menu.”
A few stalls down is Yasmine, led by ex-Maydan chef Chris Morgan, now of Joon, who serves grilled lamb and chicken kebab platters and shawarma sandwiches, with falafel and a variety of Levantine spreads. Next door is This Deli of Ours, a sandwich counter with cheesesteaks, Italian subs, and pastrami-on-rye developed by Sparrow and Common Plate. Just past that is DC Dosa, a casual South Indian spot first opened by Priya Ammu in Union Market, where you can customize your dosa batter, fillings, and selection of chutneys. There’s the fourth location of Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream, and beside it, Supreme BBQ, Juan and Jeremy Canlas’s latest outpost for Texas-style brisket and ribs with Filipino influences.
There are also two vendors who won Sparrow’s “Stall Wars” competition, securing spots in the food hall: Miami-inspired snack bar Saoco (think croquetas, empanadas, and Cuban-style coffee) and Thai street food stall Sky Lantern, whose specialty, 36-hour drunken short rib lo mein, immediately grabbed Sparrow’s attention.
The third location of Urbano, Common Plate’s Tex-Mex eatery in Merrifield and Old Town, anchors the space. There’s a straightforward bar at the front of the food hall, adorned with a commemorative Anthony Bourdain mural. In January, it’ll be joined by a side-entrance speakeasy, the Turncoat, with high-end bar food, prohibition-themed decor, and a bar shaped like one of the Rock Creek Railway streetcars that once ran up Connecticut Avenue.
