When Donald Trump was re-elected president, it was an open question where his supporters and officials would hang out in the absence of the DC Trump Hotel, their go-to gathering place during the first administration. But now we have an unexpected answer: Butterworth’s, a new Capitol Hill cafe and restaurant serving organ meats and organic wines that counts ex-Breitbart editor Raheem Kassam as an investor. Below, chef-owner Bart Hutchins shares what business has been like during Trump’s first few months in office:
“Inauguration week, it was just a parade of who’s who in the conservative world—from the establishment conservatives, like Speaker Mike Johnson, to Steve Bannon. Over 17 days, we had like 20-plus private events. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. I quite literally didn’t sleep for three days straight towards the end of it.
We’re booked most nights. One of the most ‘if you were writing a movie script of what this restaurant is’ nights, I was visited by like four different Secret Service personnel. Scott Bessent, Monica Crowley, Kash Patel, a handful of other Cabinet members were all coming on the same night. By the end, I was listening to Raheem, a former Bernie staffer, and Harry Cole, who’s a member of the British press, hold court at the bar and discuss the new populist movement that’s taking over both of our countries.
Now we have a pretty significant face book of pretty much every member of Congress, every member of the Cabinet, a handful of media figures. When I usually do a restaurant, it’s like ‘this is the latest photo of [Washington Post restaurant critic] Tom Sietsema.’ Now it’s like, ‘okay, this is the deputy treasury secretary.’ I had to do a crash course. Identifying the incoming FBI director was not on my radar before this place. I try to remember which ones don’t like each other to make sure they don’t sit next to each other.
Right-wing tastes have changed dramatically from the first administration. We’re selling more bone marrow than I’ve ever sold in my entire career. We’re going through cases and cases a day. Both of our fryers are only filled with beef tallow. I’ve always done that one way or the other, but they are particularly excited about that. We run out of martini glasses every single night, for sure.”
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
