Washington, D.C., get ready for a new restaurant with New York energy, celestial vibes and a menu that is clearly not afraid to have some fun.
Altair DC, the latest concept from NYC-based Renwick Hospitality, is set to open inside Arlo Washington DC at 333 G Street NW in Penn Quarter on October 15. The 82-seat restaurant is bringing Renwick’s modern American dining style to the nation’s capital, with a concept inspired by the four classical elements: earth, air, fire and water.
And if the name sounds appropriately starry, that is very much the point.
Altair describes itself as a “celestial food & beverage experience,” with dishes and cocktails designed around the elemental theme. The dining room has been transformed into a moody, greenhouse-like space featuring a live tree surrounded by hanging lanterns, earthy colors and wood finishes. Basically, it sounds like someone took a New York restaurant, gave it a celestial upgrade and dropped it into Penn Quarter.
The food is equally enticing. The opening menu includes honeynut squash ravioli, mushroom ragu, Chesapeake Bay oysters, diver scallops, lamb rack, Long Island duck breast and filet mignon. There is even a “Pig Out” designed for three, featuring pork chop, rinds, ragu and belly. Subtle? Not exactly. Delicious? Almost certainly.
The cocktail program follows the same elemental philosophy, with drinks such as Eucalyptus & Yuzu, Wild Mushrooms and a spicy Habanero cocktail representing air, earth and fire. E
Altair is the latest project from Renwick Hospitality, whose NYC portfolio includes restaurants and hospitality concepts such as Lindens and Seed Library. Now, the group is bringing that New York sensibility south to D.C.
For anyone looking for a new restaurant in Washington, DC, Altair is shaping up to be one of fall’s most anticipated openings.
New York has landed in Penn Quarter—and it brought dinner with it.
