Itching to find out about the freshest new spots downtown? From a fitness studio to a combined bank and cafe, read on for the newest hotspots to open for business in this area of Washington.
American Son
1201 K St. NW
American Son is the new Asian fusion spot from Tim Ma, chef/owner of Kyirisan. Located in the Eaton Hotel, it's open for breakfast and dinner. You'll find a menu of American comfort foods infused with Asian and other international influences drawn from Ma's experience as a second-generation immigrant.
Breakfast options include a pork belly hash. The lunch menu has a fried chicken sandwich served with a carrot and papaya slaw, jalapeño, and Thai basil. And dinner includes a whole red snapper served with papaya salad, spicy Thai chili nuoc cham dipping sauce and fried rice.
American Son currently holds 4.5 stars out of 16 reviews on Yelp, indicating good reviews.
Yelper Kimberly S. wrote, "The fried striped bass came out impressively big with a trio of dipping sauces, papaya salad and fried rice to go with it. I loved having such a wonderful home-style meal in such a chic setting."
Kristie P. noted, "Everything was beautifully plated. Honestly, I can't think of one negative thing about this restaurant."
Capital One Café
732 Seventh St. NW
Just down the street from Capital One Arena is Capital One Café. It offers caffeinated beverages from Peet's Coffee, free Wi-Fi, meeting spaces, as well as free banking advice.
This cafe is a concept from Capitol One to appeal to millennials who may be skeptical of traditional banks in favor of online banking, according to Business Insider. You don't need to be a Capital One customer, though if you do have an account, you get half off your coffee.
Yelp users are still warming up to Capital One Café, which currently holds 3.5 stars out of 14 reviews on the site.
Yelper Hebing Z. wrote, "This is a great new bank and cafe in the heart of D.C.'s Chinatown. The environment is very modern, clean and spacious. There are a lot of seats for you to do work at."
Capital One Café is open from 8 a.m.–7 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m.–7 p.m. on weekends.
The Ministry
601 New Jersey Ave. NW
The Ministry is a wine bar and cafe near the Georgetown University Law Center. Founded by sisters with backgrounds in Guatemala and Honduras, it serves internationally-inspired baked goods, toasts and small plates. Brazilian cheese bread, goat cheese croquettes and fried Brussels sprouts with herb aioli are among the latter.
Espresso - made from Maryland's Ceremony Coffee - and tea are at the core of the caffeinated drinks list. Available all day are also cider, craft beer and wines by the glass.
Yelp users are generally positive about The Ministry, which currently holds four stars out of 12 reviews on the site.
Yelper Chuq Y., who reviewed The Ministry on November 11, wrote, "This seems like a nice place that you can get a cup of coffee in the morning and throughout the day for a little pick me up, and then head to the same place for some wine for a happy hour. It's a neat little spot."
Mahad G. noted, "I had coffee, which was strong and flavorful. The avocado toast was pretty simple, but was crispy, and had a light garnish with a little bit of salt and pepper. I definitely would get it again."
The Ministry is open from 7 a.m.–9 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m.–4 p.m. on Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday.)
Pulse House of Fitness
1401 New York Ave. NW, Suite 100
Finally, Pulse House of Fitness is a new gym specializing in 30-minute, instructor-led classes. Their signature "Climb" class is done on the Versaclimber cardio machine, while "Lab" classes involve a strength training, aerobic exercise and high-intensity circuit. The locker rooms are well-stocked, there's free Compass Coffee and healthy prepared food is available from local providers.
Pulse House of Fitness's current rating of 4.5 stars out of 19 reviews on Yelp indicates positive attention from users.
Yelper Nathan A., who reviewed Pulse House of Fitness on November 11, wrote, "The staff is very well informed about the latest fitness techniques and trends. The gym is clean, organized and well stocked with top-of-the-line products."
Pulse House of Fitness is open from 6 a.m.–8 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.–2 p.m. on Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday.)
