Dupont Circle’s long-quiet hotel dining room is getting a high-profile revival. Chef Michael Schlow’s restaurant group has signed on to open a new spot inside the Royal Sonesta near Dupont Circle, stepping into a long-vacant hotel space and signaling a return to a neighborhood where he has already launched multiple concepts. There is still no opening date, name, or menu on the table.
According to the Washington Business Journal, Schlow’s group is taking over the in-house restaurant space at the Royal Sonesta Washington DC Dupont Circle. The agreement covers the idle dining room inside the hotel, but details on timing and what exactly will be served have not yet surfaced.
The Royal Sonesta Washington DC Dupont Circle sits on P Street in Northwest Washington, just a short walk from Dupont Circle. The hotel’s official site lists the property at Sonesta, placing the future restaurant on a busy block for both tourists and locals. In a city where hotel dining rooms increasingly double as neighborhood hangouts, the space is well positioned to court more than just overnight guests.
Schlow’s D.C. footprint
Schlow is hardly a newcomer to Washington diners. He previously opened Tico and The Riggsby here in the 2010s, as reported by Washingtonian. More recently, he refreshed Alta Strada inside the Canopy by Hilton Embassy Row, a hotel partnership covered by the Washington Business Journal, showing he is comfortable operating in the hotel world.
What to expect
How Schlow shapes the menu, hours, and vibe will determine whether this is mostly a convenience for hotel guests or a full-fledged neighborhood draw. Hotel restaurants can swing from basic breakfast-and-bar setups to serious destination dining, and Schlow’s track record suggests he has played at both ends of that spectrum. In the coming months, watch for permits, hiring notices, or an official word from the hotel as early indicators of what is coming…