Food

Georgetown’s Cafe La Ruche Will Close, Become Chez Billy Sud

The Hilton brothers to open Chez Billy, part deux.

Photograph via Flickr user kevharb.

A new wave of restaurants is hitting Georgetown, between eateries such as Mama Rouge, Orange Anchor, and now Chez Billy Sud, a spinoff of the Hilton brothers’ popular Petworth bistro, Chez Billy. The sister restaurant is set to open in what’s now the Cafe La Ruche space. The stalwart French restaurant, which served the neighborhood for the past 40 years, will close July 1. The nouveau Billy is slated for an August debut. 

As at the original location, chef Brendan L’Etoile will oversee a menu of homey and southern French fare, with dishes like steak and moules frites, roast chicken, and grilled merguez sausage with couscous. Richard Wagner has been tapped to be the toque on the ground at the Georgetown location, which will hold 60 seats both inside and on the picturesque outdoor patio. The crew plans for lunch and dinner (except on Mondays, when the restaurant will be closed), as well as weekend brunch. 

The move into Georgetown marks fresh territory for Eric and Ian Hilton, whose nightlife kingdom centers on U Street with spots such as Marvin, the Brixton, American Ice Co., and more. Stay tuned for details closer to the opening. 

Food Editor

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.