This is a curated list of D.C. area’s newly announced restaurant and bar closures, with new updates published every month. (See: September, August, July, May, April, March, February, and January.) See a closing we missed? Drop us a line.
Palisades: Momo’s Café, the Taiwanese-styled destination for popcorn chicken, bento boxes, boba, ramen, tiramisu, and more, will shut down its sole D.C. store on Halloween (Friday, October 31). Its other location in Fairfax, Virginia, which is operated by a different team, will remain open. 4828 MacArthur Boulevard NW
Foggy Bottom: After a decades-long run, corner Italian fixture Ristorante La Perla will serve its last lasagna on Sunday, October 19. The restaurant’s 82-year-old owner and chef, Vittorio Testa, says he’s “made the decision to retire,” adding that “I have been dedicated to providing the best Italian food and exceptional dining experience … I have truly enjoyed and appreciated the chance to be present in my restaurant every day over these years,” he says, in a statement. The native of Ischi came to the U.S. in his 20s and went on to spend 45 years in the local restaurant world, which included running now-closed Il Borgo in McLean. Quinn’s Auction Galleries and Rasmus Auctions will auction off the restaurant’s furnishings and equipment starting on Monday, October 27. That includes Murano glass chandeliers, wall sconces, Italian artifacts and memorabilia, tables, chairs, bar stools, and elegant glassware. 2600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Ballston, Virginia: Pirouette Cafe & Wine Shop, open since 2022, will host its final day of service on Saturday, October 18. Husband-wife duo Jackie and Philippe Loustaunau cite rising operating costs from tariffs and inflation as part of the cause. “Under the current outlook and conditions, we do not see business improving over the next few months,” per an email to customers obtained by ArlNow, and the couple calls the closure “heart-wrenching and a huge loss.” Its executive chef Adam Hoffa represented the wine bar on Food Network’s cooking competition show Chopped last spring. 4000 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia…