{What’s in that empty storefront? Which favorite chef is opening up where, and when? All those details and more in Coming Soon.

YOUR ONLY FRIEND

PROJECTED OPENING: Late Summer 2023 1114 9th Street NW Your Only Friend, a sandwich bar created by Sherra Kurtz and Paul Taylor, will be returning to D.C. at the end of this Summer. Your Only Friend is a unification of a cocktail bar and sandwich shop, and is inspired by the idea of a high-low concept. Guests can get excited for offerings that are weaved with nostalgia at Your Only Friend. Some menu highlights include the Return of the Mack, Meatball Sangwich, Mort & Mootz, and much more. For more information, visit their website here.
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{Keeping you up to date on the absolute latest in restaurant openings in the DC Metro area.

TOM'S WATCH BAR: NATIONAL HARBOR

200 American Way, Oxon Hill, MD Tom's Watch Bar is bringing the ultimate sports-watching experience to National Harbor with the opening of its newest location. Tom's Watch Bar provides guests with an elevated 360-degree viewing room complete with personalized audio at every table. The 12,000 square-foot bar and restaurant features more than 80 high-definition televisions, 3 central oversized "stadium" screens, and will seat over 500 guests in its indoor and outdoor spaces. Tom's Watch Bar will offer a variety of domestic, imported, craft seasonal, and local micro-brews, as well as conventional craft cocktails and a wine list. The food menu features elevated sports-fare and signature exclusives. Also available at Tom's Watch Bar are 2 Swing Suites powered by Topgolf. For more information, visit their website here. Photo by John Robinson
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All the food news that you can use.

Deviation Distilling, the Unofficial Gin of...

With these stunningly beautiful bottles and unique ingredients, like spruce tips and Szechuan peppercorns, Deviation Distilling is an approachable gin that make one-of-a-kind cocktails. Launched in 2019, Deviation Distilling has a flagship lineup of three gins: Mountain Herb, Citrus Rosé and Spice Trade. The Citrus Rosé is cherry blossom season in a bottle. The bottle design is made with Japanese washi paper with the print of cherry blossoms. Grapefruit, tangerine, lavender, and tarragon complement the delicate, floral flavor of the grain, yielding a bright gin that is delightfully pink. The distillery was recently awarded “best contemporary gin” in the U.S. at the 2023 World Gin Awards . The distillery’s Mountain Herb Gin took home “best in country,” while Deviation’s Blood Orange received a silver and Citrus Rosé received a bronze medal each in the “Flavored Gin” category.  Deviation is partnering with restaurants around DC (including both locations of Rasika !) to have specialty cherry blossom cocktails on menus and is found at liquor stores and on menus across the city. Locations include Annabelle, West Dupont Circle Wines and Liquors, Bell Wine & Spirits, Gravitas, Left Door and more. For more information, visit deviationdistilling.com
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Take a deep dive into the Industry and beyond.

Tour Guide Doesn’t Cover It: The Nuance of...

Over the summer I had the good fortune to be a part of an amazing group of food, wine & hospitality leaders who were tasked with opening our minds and baring our souls - personally & professionally - on a 24/7 non-stop/action-packed journey to Israel, aka Reality Israel. I learned so much about the complexities of the region and the importance of food culture. I walked away with more questions than answers and I was also given the incredible gift of family. Waxing poetic about the trip aside — it would have never been the kind of experience without the incredible leadership of Michael Bauer. He is a professional educator and tour guide. As a field educator with over 25 years of experience, Michael has led adventure tours around Israel, Jordan, the Sinai desert, and Turkey. Michael has guided and taught Senators and Parliament members from different countries, Military Intelligence Units, Celebrities from the entertainment industry — ahem, and me! He is also the author of “Israel Journey - Eight Days In One Of The World’s Most Complex Countries”. I’m so thrilled to be reunited with Michael today. “The conflict is primarily a story about psychology and the preservation of identity” - Michael “Telling personal stories and exploring emotions is an effective way to learn about the Middle East, as opposed to only learning through statistics and text” - Michael Listen to the full episode here. Our Guest: Michael Bauer
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