D.C. Gears Up to Welcome Sicilian Pies, Caipirinhas, Burritos, and More

D.C.’s hotly anticipated food festival that lets the public get a taste of forthcoming restaurants, bars, and cafes before anyone else returned to culinary incubator Mess Hall in June.

The long-running annual event dubbed New Kitchens on the Block (NKOTB) invites top culinary talent around D.C. to preview their upcoming restaurants, as well as give diners a one-time opportunity to savor dishes and drinks prior to opening.

Past editions teased out future success stories like Michelin-starred Maydan and Jônt, Lucky Buns, Chloe, Colada Shop, Rasa, and Call Your Mother, to name a few.

Here’s what DMV diners can look forward to as soon as this month and beyond.

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Monstera Burrito

What: Lucky Buns chef Alex McCoy already commands monster lines for his weekend burrito pop-ups at Sara’s Market in Georgetown. He plans to open a standalone burrito shop and all-day cafe for his killer West Coast-styled burritos stuffed with meats, eggs, and vegetables. For his preview bite, he served beef barbacoa tacos with smoked avocado salsa, coriander, and guajillo crema. The chosen location and opening time line are still TBD.

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Moon Rabbit’s Vietnamese cafe

Moon Rabbit chefs Kevin Tien and Susan Bae — both up for a James Beard Award tonight for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic and Outstanding Pastry Chef, respectively — will open a to-be-named Vietnamese coffee shop and patisserie stocked with sweet and savory creations. At NKOTB, the team unveiled a savory mushroom danish with pate mushrooms, tomato jam, and Midnight Moon cheese, as well as a smoothie-like Vietnamese drink that mixes coffee and egg with avocado. Stay tuned for an exact location and opening date.

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Hijos del Maiz

This upcoming tortilleria comes from Boogy & Peel sous chef Saul Zelaya, who is a self-proclaimed maize aficionado. Zelaya will import and nixtamalize Oaxacan corn for tetelas, quesadillas, and more at his first breakout project. Zelaya’s crowd-pleasing preview dish was a carnitas quesadilla made with fresh nixtamalized corn tortillas, melty Oaxaca cheese, homemade crema, and pickled red onion. Hijos del Maiz is still confirming a set location (and opening date), but keep an eye out on social media for upcoming Hijos weekend pop-ups at its Dupont Circle pizza shop.

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Rimtang

At both Yume Sushi and its follow-up flagship Kyojin (Eater DC’s 2023 restaurant of the year), chef Saran “Peter” Kannasute focuses on “nontraditional sushi with a twist.” For his latest venture, he taps into his Thai roots. Kannasute offered a first-ever taste of his casual Southeast Asian street food spot via larb moo, a spicy pork salad, and Bangkok-style pork rib soup he personally ladled into bowls. Rimtang will also serve family-style plates and drinks highlighting Thai flavors. Stay tuned for an address and opening date.

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Providencia

What: Maketto chef/owner Erik Bruner-Yang and his longtime employees Pedro Tobar and Danny Gonzalez link up for an intimate neighborhood bar that channels Bruner-Yang’s Taiwanese roots and the bar team’s Salvadoran heritage across a cluster of cocktails and small plates. Located on an under-the-radar alleyway corner off of H Street NE, the two-story space features a 15-seat bar and intimate upstairs lounge with room for just 8 to 12 at a time.

Where: 1321 Linden Court NE

When: June

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Bar Cana

What: The team behind West End’s Mercy Me goes full-on Brazilian with an Adams Morgan bar and restaurant celebrating the South American country’s popular sugarcane spirit, cachaca. Expect to see a slew of caipirinhas, Brazil’s beloved cocktail, and plates from ex-Bourbon Steak chef Robert Curtis. The lively vibe channels bars in Rio de Janeiro right along the Northwest nightlife corridor.

Location: 2412 18th Street NW

When: June

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Kiln

Albert Ting

What: At Old Town’s newly revamped Hotel Heron, this all-day restaurant centered around an open hearth plans to work with lots of mid-Atlantic ingredients. Executive chef and Jean-Georges alum Matthew Maienshein garnered a consistent line for his roasted sweet potato dish dressed with embered chipotle relish and an agrodolce topping.

Where: 699 Prince Street, Alexandria, Virginia

When: June

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Red Hound Pizza

What: Takoma Park’s upcoming eatery from culinary couple Andrea Alvarez and Charbel Abrache, the head pastry chef at Seylou Bakery, will serve Roman and Sicilian pizzas made with freshly milled flour, as well as focaccia sandwiches and salads. At the event, the duo prepared a pizza with spring garlic crema, roasted tomatoes and mozzarella, and a za’atar focaccia with whipped labneh. The name stems from the owners’ fondness for their basset hound.

Location: 7050 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, Maryland

When: June

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Silver and Sons BBQ

What: Chef Jarrad Silver, the pastrami-and-brisket pitmaster behind a roving Maryland food truck, will bring his Jewish and Mediterranean takes on regional American barbecue to a new brick-and-mortar location in Bethesda. The casual, walk-up counter will offer an expanded menu and patio seating.

Location: 5400 Westbard Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland

When: Fall

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