America Eats Tavern – Closed
This daring DC restaurant explored American culinary history, then devolved and disappeared
Now defunct, the brilliant Washington, DC José Andrés restaurant America Eats Tavern evolved from a temporary location in Penn Quarter to new spaces, first in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia and then in Georgetown, where it significantly changed its menu and focus before closing. It started life as an edible museum of American food in the nation’s capital, and ended its run as something more mainstream and less ambitious.
The original pop-up was dedicated to the history of American cuisine, opened in tandem with an exhibit at the National Archives, and celebrated long-forgotten recipes and trends from colonial and turn-of-20th-century sources – all updated with Andrés plating and other touches. Vermicelli-style mac and cheese, sous vide Buffalo wings, and peanut soup were just a few of the savory small plate highlights; multi-flavored catsups sold and served in individual bowls informed guests that there was a time before “ketchup” only referred to sweetened tomatoes. Desserts included a stunning winter-evoking ice and syrup tribute to Vermont maple sugar, and various fruit and cream riffs including a strawberry shortcake, a deconstructed key lime pie, and a uniquely plated lemon meringue.
Menus offered just enough historical context for each dish and drink to provoke curiosity, and the theme wasn’t taken overboard in any way; servers didn’t dress in colonial garb or push history lessons on guests. Meat-and-potatoes fans could find a wonderful tomahawk steak, crab cakes, and chicken soup, alongside classic and distinctive American cocktail recipes (milk punch, anyone?) from the past 200 years, including the prohibition era. Those unfamiliar with the New York Sour, Moscow Mule, Mint Julep, Last Word, or Corpse Reviver No. 2 could find authentic versions here, consistently made with quality spirits and juices.
Planned only for a one-year stint, America Eats Tavern remained open for an extra six months in its first location before relaunching inside a DC-adjacent Ritz-Carlton in mid-2014. This version added a limited, hotel-like breakfast service to stripped-down versions of the original lunch and dinner menus.
While the first location was repurposed from Cafe Atlantico, a Caribbean-American space that also housed the 6-seat experimental “minibar” that later became José’s highest-end and most exclusive dining experience, the Ritz location did away with historical touches – interior design and menu descriptions – that gave the original a sense of place. The subsequent Georgetown iteration was developed in partnership with a local restaurant group and leaned into BBQ with regional flavors, bringing brisket, pulled pork, and ribs into the mix. Much of the original concept’s sparkle was lost in the process.
Despite having been shuttered for varied reasons, the original America Eats Tavern idea seriously deserves to be revisited. As a Spaniard with a voracious appetite for American history and culinary techniques, José’s dedication to exploring and adapting early American cuisine opened pathways others had long forgotten or never before considered. In our view, this concept could and should be touring the United States as a continuous pop-up, bringing people closer to our common history while gently expanding heartland and coastal palates beyond tired basics.
Stats
Price: $$$
Service: Table service
Open Since: 2011
Closed: 2020
Addresses
405 8th St. NW
Washington, DC 20004
Instagram: @americaeatstvrn