Lowry in a historic rowhouse, built in 1880. The Coffee Bar provides a relaxed environment, free wi-fi, and great people watching. I often come here with my laptop to write, and I tend to get a lot of work done in this lovely spot. There is also a sizable outdoor patio, and they serve a mix of selections including the locally made Ceremony Coffee from Annapolis, Maryland. In addition to a growing coffee culture, I love living in Logan Circle because of the thriving restaurant community. 14th Street offers an eclectic mix of dining options including Italian, Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Belgian, and Ethiopian. The choices are endless, and the diversity of cuisine is part of what makes Logan Circle a dining destination. In my spare time, because of my passion for good food experiences, I write a local food blog called EatMore DrinkMore that focuses on the D.C. restaurant scene. It’s wonderful that I don’t have to travel far for many D.C. neighborhood gems that I frequent regularly. A favorite of mine is Cork Wine Bar. I love to perch here on Saturday nights, especially when I can snag one of the small outdoor tables. It was one of the first to start the restaurant renaissance on 14th Street back in 2008, and this quaint neighborhood wine bar is still one of the best. Cork serves up an impressive international wine list including regularly rotating wine flights such as sparkling rosés or chilled Italian reds. But they’re also known for their simple avocado toasts sprinkled with sea salt. Owners Khalid Pitts and Diane Gross live in the neighborhood themselves, and they opened Cork with the goal of creating a place for locals to gather. In addition to the restaurant, they also own Cork Market & Tasting Room just up the street which offers a generous wine selection, cheese and charcuterie, as well as specialty foods including fried chicken. It’s always nice to be greeted by the owners and their friendly staff, and it’s a place that’s a staple for the neighborhood. I also love to dine at Ristorante Posto on a weekly basis. The doors opened in 2008 from the same team that brought us one of D.C.’s best power lunch spots: Ristorante Tosca. Executive Chef and CoOwner Massimo Fabbri along with Restaurateur and Co-Owner Paulo Sacco created Posto in a more casual fashion, hoping to draw in the urban dwellers of Logan Circle for pizza, pasta, and modern Italian fare. While dozens of trendy new restaurants have popped up along 14th Street in the past years, Posto 16
remains one of the most consistent. The menu changes regularly with the seasons, but I prefer to sit at the bar on weeknights with a glass of wine and a bowl of pasta. The restaurant is totally my style, and I always feel at home dining there. Because my love for Italian food runs deep, I am thrilled that there are now multiple restaurant options in Logan Circle that pay homage to Italy. Ghibellina is just steps away from my home, and a place that you will regularly find my friends and I enjoying wine and pizza after a long day at work. This restaurant is particularly special to me as it is named after Via Ghibellina in Florence, Italy which is the same street that I lived on while studying abroad in Italy in 2004. It just so happens that Owner Ari Gejdenson, and his childhood friend Ralph Lee also lived on the same street, and decided to open this Italian gastropub in its honor. The big picture windows at the front of the restaurant open up on a warm day, and the long bar that stretches across half of the restaurant creates the perfect happy hour spot. How lucky to have a reminder of my home in Italy right next to my permanent home in downtown D.C. In addition to food and drink, there is also a design and furniture hub that has started to grow on 14th Street. One shop that I adore is Timothy Paul Home, which sells luxury carpets and rugs, customized bedding, and upscale furniture including bed frames and sofas. The original shop opened as a carpet store in 2003, with a sister bedding store located just up the street, until recently when they combined into one big gorgeous space on 14th between P and Q. I purchased my upholstered headboard from this locally owned shop, and the entire team that works at this outpost is helpful, friendly, and has great taste. Owned by Timothy Paul Worrell, and his wife Mia Backman Worrell, they have brought an elegance to the block that fits the sophisticated urban dwellers of Logan Circle. When looking for nightlife I swing by The Black Cat which is an independent music venue that has been open since 1993. Over the years they have welcomed musicians such as Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Ani DiFranco, and The Shins. For some of the city’s best cocktails, I like to visit the elusive 2 Birds 1 Stone which is owned by award-winning Bar Director Adam Bernbach. He hand draws the menu every week, and puts a lot of thought and love into each cocktail that he makes. It’s hidden down a