In D.C., gentrification comes in observable phases – and Columbia Heights is a perfect example of the general progression. First come the hipsters (check), then come the coffee shops (check), followed by luxury condos (check) and corporate retail stores (double check). Finally, after the dust clears from this initial surge of community development, in comes the neighborhood’s first wine bar.Columbia Heights residents have eagerly anticipated the opening of Room 11 Wine and Dessert Bar for well over a year, ever since passerbys first noticed the fresh liquor license posted outside the space formerly inhabited by the 11th Street Deli. Though the local nightlife scene has generated a loyal following with mainstays like Wonderland Ballroom and Red Derby, few venues have successfully embraced the recent influx of mature young professionals into the neighborhood. That's set to change when Room 11 officially opens its doors on August 10.
Room 11 taps into the winning formula utilized by a handful of other wine bars in the District, providing an exhaustive list of reds, whites and roses from around the world, a small but painstakingly selected beer list, and a simple small bites menu intended more to complement your palate than to fill you up. If there’s anything that sets Room 11 apart from its predecessors, though, it’s the bar’s inventive, sophisticated cocktail list. The brainchild of self-professed “conceptual cocktail maker” Dan Searing (formerly of the Looking Glass Lounge and the Warehouse Theater’s popular Punch Club), the list offers six inspired libations that blend old-school ingredients like lemon barley water, ginger beer and Laird’s Applejack with a keen sense of modern trends in mixology.
There’s no doubt that a market exists in Columbia Heights for an upscale wine bar, and that might actually be the only apparent downside to Room 11. The bar’s cozy lounge area only fits about 20 patrons, which seems to be a gross understatement of the lounge’s prospective following. Sure, the quaint (and surprisingly quiet) patio area easily fits another 25-30, but that assumes a certain degree of cooperation from Mother Earth. In the end, Room 11 is an ideal spot for locals to spend a relaxing happy hour or a romantic non-dinner date, provided that you can snag a seat.
I do not understand how a fine liberal like yourself could post elitist pictures like these.
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