Starting Tuesday, the art-wrapped Dolcezza shipping container on the Hirshhorn plaza will add handmade empanadas to its lineup of gelato, canned wine, cocktails and local beer, giving museumgoers a new casual lunch and happy-hour option on the Mall. Parked just outside the Hirshhorn's distinctive round building, the trailer has already become a warm-weather hangout for locals and tourists, and the new snacks are pitched as quick bites for pre- or post-gallery visits.
What's on the menu
Three empanada varieties - steak, mushroom and ham & cheese - are on offer, each served with salsa roja and chimichurri. The drinks lineup includes a Bizzarro × PS40 Strawberry Yuzu Spritz made with a housemade strawberry shrub, Calvert Beer Co.'s "I Just Crush A Lot" sour ale and pours from Old Westminster Winery, according to the container menu. The PDF menu on PoPville also lists prices (1/$7; 2/$14; 3/$18) along with the gelato flavors that remain part of the trailer program. Per the container menu, cocktails and bottled wines keep the setup compact for plaza dining.
Who's behind the empanadas
The empanadas come from Flor. Coffee + Books, the Buenos Aires-inspired café and bookstore in Georgetown that features Argentinian pastries and empanadas on its own menu. Flor. Coffee + Books describes itself as bringing a Buenos Aires-style café to D.C., turning this into a locally rooted partnership for the museum plaza.
An art-wrapped hangout
The trailer's wrap is by Adam Pendleton and is tied directly to his "Love, Queen" exhibition at the Hirshhorn, so the concession doubles as a small public-art activation as much as a food stall. The museum notes that the shipping container received a fresh wrap designed by Pendleton as part of its programming, visually linking the snacks to the show. See the event listing on Hirshhorn for more on the exhibition and the wrap.
Why this matters locally
The collaboration connects neighborhood businesses and regional producers - from a Georgetown café to Maryland vineyards and breweries - in a high-visibility spot on the Mall. Dolcezza, founded in 2004 by Violeta Edelman and Robb Duncan, has grown into a familiar local brand; background on the founders and the company's evolution is detailed by Washingtonian. The launch and menu details were first reported by PoPville.
When to go
Dolcezza's gelato trailer and container operate daily from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., with the outdoor unit located on the Hirshhorn plaza at Independence Ave SW and 7th St SW. For full hours, flavor lists and other practical details, see Dolcezza.
