🧭 How to navigate inauguration weekend

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How To Navigate Inauguration Weekend

Inauguration Day is around the corner and D.C. is preparing for 200,000 visitors, which, if you live here, can be a bit of a pain. Prepare with up-to-date information on Metro closures, street shutdowns, and security — which is at an all-time high. [City Cast DC 🎧]

New Office Conversion Program

Mayor Bowser kicked off a new office conversion program that offers developers a 15-year property tax freeze to convert their offices to nonresidential uses. The program, called “Office to Anything,” could re-appropriate over 2.5 million square feet of property. [Washington Business Journal 🔒]

• Related: This new policy is in addition to city incentives for office-to-residential conversions. [City Cast DC 🎧]

Compass Coffee Founders Fall Out

The co-founders of the local chain Compass Coffee are cutting ties. The former chief executive Harrison Suarez is accusing the owner Michael Haft of running a racketeering enterprise and withholding his share of the coffee chain’s fair market value. [Washington Post 🔒]

Sports Gambling Contractors Pay $6.5M

The makers of D.C.’s sports gambling app are paying the District $6.5 million to settle claims that they deceived regulators to win the contract. The two contractors supposedly colluded to submit fraudulent invoices rather than bring business to local subcontractors, as stipulated in the original contract. [Axios]

• Related: How D.C. Broke Sports Betting. [City Cast DC 🎧]

DC’s Best New Restaurants and Bars Opening In January

New year, new restaurants. If one of your new year’s goals was to eat out less, you should probably skip this newsletter, because January is packed with new fun spots to eat, including a DIY ramen bar and a dart-throwing pub.

Mikey & Mel's (Downtown)

Old-school Jewish delicatessen Mikey & Mel’s opened its first D.C. location this month by Farragut North. The menu includes classics like fresh bagels, truly massive pastrami sandwiches, matzo ball soup, and best of all, a serve-yourself pickle bar.

Alara (Georgetown)

This long-anticipated upscale Mediterranean restaurant is finally opening in Georgetown this month. Ottoman Taverna’s chef Hakan Ilhan is opening Alara with a slightly different focus. It will feature classic hot and cold meze but will feature seasonal menu items, specifically seafood.

Flight Club (Mt. Vernon)

This new social dart-throwing pub is the perfect spot to get out all that after-work stress. Modeled after an old-school English pub, it has over a dozen dart-playing stations, a full bar menu, and bites like lobster dips, elote, and cotton candy.

The Ramyun Zip (Foggy Bottom)

An express version of this DIY ramen bar opened yesterday in the downtown fast-casual spot Poppabox. The restaurant has a collection of instant noodle packs, a deluxe toppings bar, and ramen-cooking machines so you can mix and match your way to your ideal noodle bowl.

Bamboo Bar (Cleveland Park)

Grab a panda-colada at D.C.’s newest themed pop-up bar in Duke’s Counter. Just in time for the giant panda reveal at the National Zoo, this bar is filled with nods to the friendly giants like “Bao-zy” hot chocolate with bourbon and the “Don’t Forget the Red Panda” (RIP Rusty) with lychee and raspberry liqueurs. All served in panda mugs, of course.

Sost (Shaw)

This hybrid concept has three levels; a cafe, restaurant, and vinyl lounge. The founders — a Eritrean-Ethiopian sibling trio — wanted the space to celebrate the African diaspora, which comes out in dishes like the Berber-Q chicken and akara fritters. They also have live music or DJs most days.

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