Opposite Page: Pizza-in-progress at Menomalé; Tasty offerings from Little Ricky’s. This Page, clockwise: A featured work from Art Enables; Adult Modern Dance Class at Dance Place.

The vivid authenticity of Menomalé, a gourmet pizza venue equipped with a full list of top beers and wines, invites residents in and supplies them with a fresh experience. The neighborhood will also see the addition of several new restaurants: Busboys and Poets, &Pizza, Brookland’s Finest Bar and Kitchen (by the owners of the Pug), Steel Plate (owners of Rustik), as well as new restaurants by the owners of Meridian Pint and the owners of Smith Common on H ST. While the community offers a full plate of delectable eateries, it gets in touch with aesthetics with two niche art galleries. Wohlfarth Galleries, a two-decade remnant of the area’s history, specializes in the American Impressionist tradition. Further down the way, Art Enables provides individuals with mental disabilities the opportunity to express themselves through art; they both display and sell the artwork, mediating what becomes a valuable relationship between patrons and these impeccable artists. Also, venues like Dance Place, the Edgewood Arts Center, and the renowned arts walk at Monroe St. Market all make artistic expression a little more public than usual. In recent months, the neighborhood has witnessed the trending of “yarn bombers”—artists who have taken on the task of adorning public objects with decorative knit-ware. This gives residents a chance to express themselves and learn more about each other, as well as the neighborhood.

Brookland’s streets seem lined with memoirs and recollections. Often one will hear the phrase “Historic Brookland” thrown around, and without peering around the neighborhood, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Houses of the likes of Robert C. Weaver and Ralph Bunche, as well as many other American heroes, dot the area’s layout; a plethora of Catholic institutions, of which reached their peak in the 1940’s, add to this preservation of history. How the neighborhood manages the relationship between thriving business, settled suburbia, and rich history, will always serve as a testament to the wonderful chemistry present in the heart of Brookland. Story by Fahad Abdul Photo courtesy of Arianna Christensen

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ver the past few years, development has sat on the horizon. With quaint restaurants like Little Ricky’s, a self-dubbed “American paladar” that serves up fresh Cuban cuisine, it’s no wonder why Brookland has begun to surge as a real estate market.

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