The US capital’s on-premise has much to celebrate. Not only are many of the district’s longest-standing establishments back and busy after a tough bout with lockdowns and curfews, but more nascent enterprises are seeing success in a post-COVID environment. Bridget McElroy reports.
Washington DC is both steeped in history and ripe with current events. Yes, it is the seat of the US Government, but the city is also home to some 19 colleges and universities. Packed into the district’s nearly 7 square miles of territory, you’ll find presidents and diplomats as well as students and researchers – and many in between.
The populace lives by the ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality, and as such, the on-premise is diverse and exciting. Occupy a bar stool at an establishment like Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown, a local haunt that has been around since 1933 and where John F Kennedy proposed to Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, and you might find yourself sitting between a group of 21-year-old college kids slugging beers, a Fox News pundit sipping a Martini with his producer and a senator enjoying dinner with family.
Many of DC’s most popular spots, entire neighbourhoods included, strike a similar balance between traditional and trendy. Though it is by no means new, The Navy Yard in southwest Washington has grown quite popular in recent years. Originally established in 1799 when the property was transferred to the US Navy, it is the Navy’s oldest shore establishment still in operation.
Today, The Navy Yard still serves as headquarters, among other things, and while the Navy Museum is a draw for inquisitive tourists, the entire area that snakes along the Anacostia River has been infused with a new energy since Nationals Park, the baseball stadium of the Washington Nationals, was completed in 2008. Since then, a number of construction projects have transformed The Navy Yard into one of DC’s hippest, most social neighbourhoods boasting some of the city’s best restaurants, most popular breweries and beloved wine bars.
Of course, not everything in DC has historical significance. There are plenty of bars, especially in young, vibrant neighbourhoods like Adams Morgan, U Street/14th Street and Shaw, where revellers are able to enjoy a quality drink without the weight of history seeping into the subconscious. That said, Washington DC embodies the old-meets-new identity more than any other US city, where nods to the past seamlessly blend with innovation, originality and current affairs.
Key trends
As across the rest of the US, there is a surge in high-quality Tequila and mezcal right now in DC. Entire venues are popping up to feed the demand, like the aptly named Tequila & Mezcal which opened in 2019, slightly ahead of the agave boom. As one would expect, their cocktail programme centres on the agave spirits segment, with an extensive assortment of bottles, educational tastings and creative cocktails featuring homemade syrups and other unique ingredients.
There are so many of these speciality cocktail bars and speakeasy-types opening right now that it’s hard to keep track. Engidawork Alebachew is the lead bartender at DC’s Bourbon Steak, a high-end establishment located in a hotel, but not technically a hotel bar. “There seems to be a place for everything,” he says. “At Bourbon Steak, you’re going to get a high level of craft and creativity, but with the full Four Seasons treatment. But, we’ve seen everything come to town – from tiki bars to upscale cocktail and speciality whiskey bars – and they all seem to be thriving, especially in neighbourhoods like Adams Morgan and U Street, where there’s lots of nightlife.”
Ask DC locals what they’re drinking right now and you’ll get the same answer: an Espresso Martini. This phenomenon is not just in Washington – the nostalgic 1990s cocktail has made a comeback throughout the US. “I can’t even tell you how many Espresso Martinis we are making right now,” Alebachew says. “I used to mix maybe one or two on a busy night. Now, if there’s a party of six and one person orders an Espresso Martini, I know we’re about to make five more.”
Although the sweet, caffeinated beverage is the standout, the return to classic cocktails is evident throughout DC – bartenders are seeing many more Martini, Old Fashioned and Manhattan orders than in recent years.
International players
By virtue of its position as the capital, there is a strong international influence in DC. This manifests itself in many ways in the on-premise and, aside from the fact that most venues carry premium international brands, is most clearly exemplified in its diversity of venues and niche labels.
The Green Zone in Adams Morgan, for example, champions the flavours of the Middle East. Its craft cocktails have witty names like the ‘Saz’iraq’ and the ‘Ottoman Times’ and feature spirits like Jun Lebanese Gin, Ararat Armenian Brandy and Arak alongside better-known brands like Absolut and Johnnie Walker.
Dacha Beer Garden in Shaw, an outdoor venue very popular during the warmer months, is another example. Inspired by traditional Bavarian beer gardens, Dacha primarily offers Weihenstephaner and imports like Sion Kölsch on draft. A few local craft brews are also available on tap, but even these are served in 1- and 0.5-litre glass boots, to keep in theme.
While The Green Zone and Dacha are infants on the DC establishment timeline, this touting of the international has been a staple of DC for generations. One of the earliest examples, The Dubliner Restaurant & Bar founded in 1974, is as traditional a pub as you’ll find in the US. The Dubliner team are stewards of Irish drinks. One of America’s largest purveyors of Guinness to date, The Dubliner is also proud to have been the first bar in the country to serve Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale and one of the first to add Smithwick’s Ale to its menu. The outlet offers 100-plus types of Irish whiskey, one of which is their own, The Dubliner Irish Whiskey, which is imported for consumption on the premises.
Local players
As much as DC embraces and enjoys both renowned and modest labels from across the world, the city has also taken a liking to the craft movement. Green Hat Gin is named after the mysterious green hat-wearing bootlegger who supposedly surreptitiously provided liquor to members of Congress during Prohibition. The brand distils four gins and distributes them to bars and restaurants, and also sells them in cocktail kits and individual bottles at its distillery.
Capitoline Vermouth was the district’s first commercially-available made-in-DC Vermouth. Elsewhere, DC Brau, served at Dacha among other places, was the district’s first brewery to commence operations since the 1950s. Others of note include Right Proper Brewing, Founding Spirits at Farmers & Distillers and One Eight Distilling.
Challenges and opportunities
As in most major cities across the world, the DC on-premise was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Being at the heart of federal policy made things that much worse for Washingtonians who were, in a way, made an example of for the rest of the country, with strictly enforced and long-lasting regulations.
Managers, owners, bartenders and employees had to get creative to stay afloat. Venues with patios and outdoor spaces utilised them, moving entire bars outside and hosting outdoor events. Those that could afford to stay open offered cocktails to-go, while many turned to Zoom to host virtual tastings, dinner parties and mixology sessions.
After two long years, the general consensus is that the US on-premise is beginning to move beyond recovery and back into growth. For the 12 months to the end of December 2021, according to Provi, the channel saw year-on-year sales increase 3.5 times. In DC, the wider sentiment is that things are almost fully back to where they were pre-pandemic. Licensed establishments are no longer required to verify proof of vaccination or to enforce mask wearing.
Of course, there are some lasting anxieties, but in a city as vibrant as DC, it won’t be long before these too dissipate.
This article was initially published in June’s issue of Global Drinks Intel magazine. For details on how to subscribe, click here.
