Press

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS!

— Washington Citypaper

HOLIDAY MARKET AT PUB AND THE PEOPLE
The Deal: The Bloomingdale gastropub just opened a heated, dog-friendly holiday tent with hot cocktails served in wintry mugs, snuggle blankets, and music.
Where: 1648 N. Capitol Street NW
Dates: Open for happy hour through dinner service through mid-March
Cost: Hot and cold cocktails ($8-$12) include Irish Coffee and “Snow Pants Combo” with oatmeal stout and a shot of bourbon cream.

— Tierney Plumb

Readers pick for Best Neighborhood Bar for 2018

Washington, D.C. is known for its globally-inspired culinary scene, influenced by its diverse political workforced and large number of international embassies. It is home to one of the nation's hottest restaurant scenes, attracting Michelin-starred and award-winning chefs from around the world to pursue exciting new dining ventures in a variety of cuisines. Many of its restaurants are known for their intimate dining atmosphere, making them popular spots for first dates and anniversaries alike. These restaurants offer creative decor, clever menus, and extensive wine and cocktail pairing lists, with many serving shareable small plates or specials geared toward dinner for two.

This Bloomingdale bar sports a wildly delicious fried-sumac-and-chickpea burger, with cucumber and pickled red onion and a side of cumin-coriander fries. For a veggie take on the cheesy goodness of diner-style burgers, though, it’s hard to beat the seasoned black-bean-and-rice patty, a rendition that’s good enough to convert even a carnivore. The rice and beans produce a flavor that’s both savory and sweet, and a texture that remains tender off the grill. It’s all topped with aioli and a soy glaze, a thick slice of Monterey Jack cheese and baby kale to keep things green.

— Maura Judkis, Becky Krystal, Harrison Smith, Lavanya Ramanathan

Visit this Bloomingdale gastropub after the kitchen closes for a taste of Half-Smoke Kolache, a Republic Kolache specialty stuffed with chopped sausage, jalapeno and cheese that gets trotted out on the late-night menu. The handheld treats are offered until closing for $5 apiece.

— Erin Williams

Bar basements can be dank, scary places full of dusty bottles, secrets, and ghosts. But when you descend the stairs into the underbelly of Bloomingdale's The Pub & The People, you'll come across a small room filled with humming white lights and every shade of green in a Sherwin-Williams catalogue. Admit it, you thought this was a 4/20 story about some sweet underground ganja. It's not. What you'll actually find are trays of soil-grown microgreens—itty bitty versions of vegetables and herbs including mustard greens, pea shoots, beet greens, Thai basil, sorrel, and arugula.

— Laura Hayes

Bekah Eichelberger, 23, a nonprofit theater administrator, says that since her last serious relationship ended, she has been open to trying something new. Anna Kark, 24, an international development officer, is polyamorous. The pair share an interest in Marxist theory, activism and Shakespeare. We sent them to the Pub & the People in Bloomingdale to find out whether they could form their own collective.

— Interviews by Michele Langevine Leiby

It takes passion, dedication, and innovation to start a businesses, but there is always a good helping of risk. The creation of this urban microgreen farm and its dedicated partner, a sustainability-mindful pub/restaurant, involved nothing less. When Mary Ackley decided to follow her passion of getting her hands dirty, she started the farm called Little Wild Things. But she also set out to prove that locally sourced, organic produce can be elegant, delicious, and a profitable business model, especially in an urban setting like Washington, D.C.

— Aishvarya Kavi and Annabel Epstein

Choosing a fun, original date activity is hard enough without the arctic chill of winter to worry about. We also know it can be extremely tempting to just opt out entirely and stay in bed all day and stream TV, or settle for the easy fall-back option of suggesting casual drinks. Despite frigid conditions, Washington, DC is chalk full of unique and engaging date options that you'll both enjoy. Here are the best ways you and your date can stay warm together.

— Austa Somvichian-Clausen

You know those mornings when you cant decide whether to get up to eat or just stay in bed all day? That was me last Sunday. After a wild Saturday party brunch at The Manor the day before, I just didnt have it in me to get myself together to be seen in public. But after previewing the brunch menu at The Pub and the People, my rumbling stomach won out over my laziness.

— Annie

My first trip at The Pub and The People was a knockout. Upon hearing I liked gin, the bartender told me to trust him and created a drink before my eyes that he lit on fire (?!) before pushing it toward me. It was delicious. Since then, all subsequent experiences have been consistently great, and I can confidently award it the title of my favorite new bar in 2015. The beverage menu is expansive, though the craft cocktails are not to be missed. “All Thai’d Up,” a mix of thyme-infused Green Hat Gin (sensing a trend here?), Sriracha, pineapple, honey, and lime is the spicy sweet one-two punch I’ve been seeking in my drinks since I graduated from watered-down beer in basements. Speaking of beer, the draft list skews local and reasonable. The food stands out, too, with a particularly memorable brunch burger on the weekends that, alongside a crisp pint, was the perfect way to pass lazy fall afternoons on The Pub & The People’s patio.

— Elizabeth Traynor

True to name, this welcoming Bloomingdale watering hole is designed with neighborhood drinkers in mind. Beer arrives cold in cans, a solid selection of whiskeys can be made neat, or you can combine the two—shot-and-a-beer combos go for under $6. A wallet-friendly from chef Dan Dalcin (formerly of BlackSalt) offers the likes of pork belly banh mi, DC Brau-steamed mussels, and a house-made veggie burger.

— Anna Spiegel

This welcoming neighborhood bar comes to Bloomingdale with an eclectic menu of sandwiches, flatbreads and a killer beer-and-a-shot deal: Coors Banquet and Old Grand-Dad for $6. 1648 N. Capitol St. NW (Metro: NoMa).

— Going Out Guide staff

Cheap cans of beer. Nice bottles of whiskey. Banh mi sandwiches. A Roget’s thesaurus. No, these are not clues to a strange $25,000 Pyramid puzzle. They’re things you’ll find at The Pub & the People, the epitome of a neighborhood spot, opening tomorrow in Bloomingdale. First thing you might notice: the cubbies behind the bar, where bottles of whiskey live alongside an array of books—true crime stories, Chuck Palahniuk novels, that thesaurus. You can borrow those at your whim. Or just leaf through them over your scotch. Or a Coors-and-Old-Grand-Dad combo for five bucks. Or while perusing the menu, where you’ll find chicken-liver pâté, spaghetti with charred ramps and mussels with bacon and bourbon.

Mark it – another spectacular transformation complete. Meet The Pub and The People. We knew they they were close – Friday 5pm it is. Vacant for at least 10 years, the space is now a jaw dropper.

— Prince Of Petworth

If you’ve ever visited our nation’s capital, you know the metro area isn’t known for sprawling yards and large swaths of greenery. So when Mary Ackley set out to start a Washington, D.C.-based urban farm in late 2014, she had to get creative. Growing up in Michigan, Ackley’s family instilled a strong love of the outdoors and stewardship of the environment through activities like hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing and camping. Between completing degrees in Civil & Environmental Engineering and Natural Resources Management, she volunteered for the Peace Corps in Fiji. Eventually she embarked on a career as a foreign service officer, where she helped start a small urban garden in Sri Lanka.

— Davina van Buren