About Restaurant Openings Around DC
A guide to the newest places to eat and drink.
Amelie. 1315 14th St., NW
Germain Michel and Olivier Filograsso became friends as teenagers in the wine-soaked Rhône Valley in southeastern France. When Michel, along with former restaurant colleague and current business partner Samie Didda, went on to open a wine bar and cafe called Amelie, he brought in his old pal to manage the wine list. Now, they’ll open their fifth location together in DC.
Amelie takes over the former Hando Medo sushi space in Logan Circle. Amelie first opened in San Francisco in 2006 before expanding to New York City. It landed in DC after Eric Kole, general manager of the New York locations, voiced interest in moving back to his hometown of Washington.
Chef Anthony Lemortellec, formerly of Boqueria, will bring his Paris training to the kitchen. He’ll be dishing up bistro staples like beef or tuna tartare, provençale-style mussels, pan-roasted branzino, and seared hanger steak, along with classic French salads like chêvre chaud, niçoise, and Lyonnaise. Lemortellec says he’s emphasizing seasonal produce (corn, tomatoes, and zucchini for the summer) and locally sourced meats.
Filograsso will manage the heavily French wine program with input from Michel, who co-owns an organic winery in the Languedoc region of France. The duo pay homage to the first restaurants they worked in by serving varietals from the Rhône region, but they also sourced bottles from throughout France and other parts of the world. Find wines by the glass for $13 to $25 as well as flights (three wines, 3-ounces each for $16—or $12 at happy hour). The bar also serves pastis, an anise-flavored aperitif, and classic cocktails, many incorporating French ingredients.
The long and high-ceilinged space was decorated by French-born architect Dominique Maxime Genauzeau, who also did Amelie’s other locations. The casual, chic, and vaguely retro vibe recalls, without imitating, Amelie’s other spots, using red and off-white panelling and LED-lit wine bottles around the walls.
Amelie will open for dinner daily beginning Friday, July 12. Hours are 4 to 9:30 PM Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, and until 10:30 PM Friday and Saturday. Closed Mondays. Reservations can be made here.
