Rooftop Lounge Among Highlights Of New Watergate Hotel

The Watergate Hotel is not scheduled to reopen until March, but we have our first look at the new dining options on tap for the long-shuttered property.

The food and beverage options will be under the direction of executive chef Michael Santoro. The veteran chef returns to the District, where he served as chef de cuisine at Blue Duck Tavern from 2008 to 2011, after stints in NYC and at Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe, the Washington Business Journal reports.

The main restaurant at the hotel will be named “Kingbird” and feature two different concepts. A fine-dining restaurant serving dinner only will feature nightly tasting menus, while a casual restaurant will serve all three-day meals. The Kingbird will offer a mix of both indoor and outdoor seating with views of the Potomac.

The hotel’s lobby will feature a whiskey bar aptly named “The Next Whisky Bar,” an homage to a line in The Doors’ classic “Alabama Song.” Whiskey, bourbon and rye from a range of producers will flow freely in an atmosphere that includes a wall of custom-stamped whiskey bottles as part of its décor.

The Watergate will also feature a rooftop lounge offering spectacular views of the District. “Top of the Gate” will serve a menu of Asian street food and feature signature and classic cocktails in a high-end setting. For the colder months, the lounge will feature heat lamps and a fire pit to help keep the spirits flowing.

Hotel owner Euro Capital Properties has invested $125M in a top-to-bottom renovation that will see the Watergate reopen with 340 rooms this March as the latest addition to DC’s booming hotel market. [WBJ]