With 250 Restaurant Tenants On The Market, Here Are 10 Of The Top Spaces They Could Land

As the District's restaurant scene continues to explode, with more than 175 openings each of the last three years, restaurateurs are eager to find available space to open new concepts. There are 250 restaurants in the market for new space, according to Dochter & Alexander Retail Advisors' latest report, so we identified 10 prime spaces either currently available, or slated to open within the next two years, where these dining establishments could land. 

1250 Half St SE

• Neighborhood: Capitol Riverfront
• Size: 10k SF
• Broker: Ben Becker, Jennifer Price and Steve Combs, KLNB 

When Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners delivers its 432-unit mixed-use project directly across the street from Nationals Park in 2018, this two-level restaurant space at the corner of Half and N streets will be a prime location. 

"With our project and the other developments along Half Street, as well as the opening of the DC United stadium," KLNB's Ben Becker tells Bisnow, "this area is set to become a year-round entertainment destination, where there will be a critical mass of places for people to eat, drink and have fun."

1441 U St NW

• Neighborhood: U Street corridor
• Size: 17k SF
• Broker: Lisa Stoddard, CBRE

Deutsche Asset Management and Trammell Crow/High Street Residential's 288-unit mixed-use project, The Sonnet, is under construction at the corner of 14th and U streets NW, and will offer restaurant space at one of DC's hottest intersections. It will be available in 2018 and have 12,330 SF of ground-floor space and 4,500 SF below-grade.

"The owners have done a great job of designing fantastic restaurant and retail space," CBRE's Lisa Stoddard tells us. "We’re being very selective in targeting authentic, chef-driven restaurant concepts in keeping with the 14th and U market, and we are thrilled with the response to date."

301 N St NE

• Neighborhood: NoMa
• Size: Up to 35k SF
• Broker: Dave Dochter and Matt Alexander, Dochter & Alexander Retail Advisors

This 100-year-old former printing press building sits a block away from the Uline Arena in NoMa, where REI just opened a flagship store. Foulger-Pratt has plans to turn the site into a mixed-use project that will have 370 residential units, 175 hotel rooms and the industrial-style building for retail (though the plans have hit some roadblocks). The restaurant space has three stories and is expected to be available by the end of 2017. 

2100 M St NW

• Neighborhood: West End
• Size: 7,500 SF
• Broker: Dave Dochter and Matt Alexander, Dochter & Alexander Retail Advisors

On the ground floor of Liberty Property's 2100 M St NW, this space sits at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue NW and M Street. It's currently office space occupied by the Social Security Administration, but the ground floor is being repositioned into retail space with hopes for a flagship restaurant tenant.

"It's probably hard to dispute that it's the best restaurant corner in the market," Dave Dochter says. 

1345 F St NW

• Neighborhood: East End
• Size: Up to 18,803 SF 
• Broker: Chris Hunt and Hugo Gilbert, Cushman & Wakefield

Sitting two blocks from the White House, this site is next to Metropolitan Square, where restaurant tenants include The Hamilton, Old Ebbitt Grill and MXDC Cocina Mexicana. The site has 5k SF on the ground floor and more than 12k SF in two below-grade levels. 

734 15th St NW

• Neighborhood: East End
• Size: 12k SF 
• Broker: Andy Corno, JLL

This site, around the corner from the White House, sits next to Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab. It has 5,733 SF of ground-floor space and 6,432 SF of below-grade space and offers potential outdoor seating. 

2009 8th St NW

• Neighborhood: Shaw 
• Size: 16,131 SF 
• Broker: Dave Dochter and Matt Alexander, Dochter & Alexander Retail Advisors

Residents of The JBG Cos' Shay and Atlantic Plumbing projects will be eager to see who fills this space, which sits between the two recently delivered buildings. The front half of the space, facing 8th Street, has 21-foot ceilings that drop to 12 feet in the back. 

799 9th ST NW

• Neighborhood: East End
• Size: 6,666 SF 
• Broker: Dave Dochter and Matt Alexander, Dochter & Alexander Retail Advisors

Across the street from CityCenterDC and a couple of blocks from the Gallery Place Metro station, this site offers 83 feet of 9th Street frontage. Nearby restaurants include Mango Tree, Cuba Libre, Zaytinya and DBGB.

1101 Pennsylvania Ave SE

• Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
• Size: Up to 7,638 SF
• Broker: JLL's Andy Corno, Thomas Jackman and Arris Noble

Perseus Realty is developing this property, the site of the old Frager's Hardware Store in Capitol Hill, into 30 to 40 condos with ground-floor retail. The restaurant space has 82 feet of frontage on Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

Market Square

• Neighborhood: East End
• Size: 3,600 SF
• Broker: Lisa Stoddard, CBRE

Columbia Property Trust's newly renovated Market Square on Pennsylvania Avenue has available restaurant space facing the Navy Memorial that was previously occupied by Native Foods. The property's other restaurant tenants include 701 Restaurant, b DC, Paul Bakery and Chop't.