Several highly anticipated purveyors of food will be opening this week. And another is getting close.
The first is Chaia, a vegetarian taco restaurant coming to the old Morris Steinbraker building at 3207 Grace St. These tacos have wow’ed crowds at farmers markets for years, and this is their first brick-and-mortar restaurant. GM is no veggie head, but he can attest that they are spectacular tacos.
They are opening on Thursday.
GM has also learned that Via Umbria should be opening this week as well. This Italian market opened as a “pop-up” last winter. While it offered some gourmet pastas, it sold primarily crockery, etc. But after the extensive renovations the new Via Umbria will have a true market and coffee bar. It has a menu already in the window with the daily specials of sandwiches and other items, as well as a full Friday dinner.
After some friction with the neighbors that abut the property on 32nd St., the store got clearance to obtain a special liquor license that allows it to sell wine, have wine tastings, but also allow for on-site consumption. It’s a “market” license, and the upshot for the neighborhood is that it requires them to keep an actual market going. It’s certainly a gamble to make so many options like that available, but as Stachowski’s shows, if the quality is there, the audience will follow.
Finally, a little further up Wisconsin Ave., Baco Taco is opening this Wednesday. Except apparently it’s now called Jaco Taco (perhaps to highlight that it’s a taco/juice bar?). This will also be a welcome addition since the upper part of Wisconsin Ave. is short on quick eats.
It will be at 1614 Wisconsin Ave., a difficult space that has hosted an odd assortment of tenants over the recent years such as a consignment furniture shop, a lingerie shop, and a Christmas tree lot.
GM also wants to mention that the most eagerly anticipated restaurant in Georgetown, Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Sovereign, is apparently close to finishing their build out and should be open in the very near future.
The Georgetown Metropolitan 