“Chef Johnny Spero’s Michelin-Starred Reverie Reopening February 2024”

Chef Johnny Spero courtesy Reverie

From a press release:

“Reverie, Chef Johnny Spero’s beloved Michelin-starred tasting experience in Georgetown, is thrilled to announce its return, coming February 2024. More than a year after tragically burning to the ground, Chef Spero is bringing his esteemed restaurant back to life. A Georgetown neighborhood gem, Reverie is an intimate, transportive dining experience that is both bold, yet surprising and playful with a menu that draws from the local daily catch, as well as the finest global ingredients.

Shortly after opening and winning its first MICHELIN Guide Star, Chef Spero’s first iteration of Reverie caught fire in August of 2022,

during which Chef Spero lost his book collection, his knives, his recipe notebooks from his experiences working at restaurants such as Mugaritz and Noma. During this time, his wife, Alexis, was preparing to give birth to their third child. Mere months after the fire, Chef Spero opened Bar Spero and his optimistic and resilient personality brought him through this hard time to receive the well-deserved awards and attention at the end of last year and throughout 2023. All the while, Chef Spero brought Reverie on the road through global pop-ups with high-profile partners such as Bell’s in Los Alamos; Saison in San Francisco; and Commis in Oakland. His pop-up tour also took him around the world to destinations including Kyoto, Seoul, and Maine, allowing Chef Spero to draw inspiration for the new menu along the way. The opportunity to work in some of the best kitchens in the world served as an opportunity for research and development, in which Chef Spero could tweak, refine and grow his vision for Reverie 2.0.

Inspired by Chef Spero’s global travels, yet rooted in his Mid-Atlantic upbringing, Reverie is a fine-dining experience without pretension of fuss. Hidden in a Georgetown alleyway, Spero has redefined luxury in a comfortable, inviting atmosphere, showcasing masterful culinary creativity alongside upbeat music and minimalist decor.

“I’m excited to bring Reverie back very soon. While it has been a trying time for us, the kind gestures of our friends and hospitality industry community in D.C. have helped us make a clearer path forward for our team,” says Chef Johnny Spero. “While we have reestablished the restaurant, the spirit of Reverie is still very much the same. Our menu will continue to focus on ingredients we can get from the sea and a slightly more elevated style of service; the kitchen team will still deliver every dish; the playlist will still be mine. We want to continue to define what fine dining means to us and I think we will continue to explore that everyday.”

In the spirit of revival, Chef Spero chose to retire Reverie’s original menu and start fresh. The new tasting menu skews heavily coastal, with a sense of humor and novelty that balances the sheer beauty of Spero’s cooking. Dishes will be seafood and a vegetable-forward – from East Coast crab to Spanish turbot. While the menu will change frequently, guests can expect to see Reverie classics such as the Scallop in an edible shell with yuzu kosho, sunchoke, black trumpet mushroom, the Lobster Tail with melon seed milk, rice honey and fennel pollen, and the Strawberry Gochujang Sorbet with frosted geranium, lemon verbena, and green juice.

Matching the intentionality behind the food program, the beverage program will focus on sustainable and low intervention wine, spirits, and nonalcoholic options. Reverie offers a wine pairing as well as an extremely elevated non-alcoholic pairing, sourcing from Chef Spero’s favorite brands such as NON, Unified Ferments, and Jörg Geiger selections, ensuring that there is an option for anyone who walks through the door.

Simultaneously indulgent and charmingly casual, the restaurant invites guests to bring a sense of curiosity, while leaving their troubles at the door. The team spent years building its home alleyway into a destination and Chef Spero feels strongly that its location is truly what makes the experience at the restaurant special, which is why he chose to keep Reverie in its original location. It takes guests away from the busy streets of DC and transports them into a dining room that could be anywhere in the world. While minimalist, the design of the restaurant is striking, inspired by Chef Spero’s love for Scandinavian and Japanese design, specifically with the use of Shou Sugi Ban – the Japanese technique of preserving wood by charring it with fire. StreetSense, the team that designed Bar Spero and the original Reverie, brought Chef Spero’s international travels and experience and his approach to accessible luxury to bring the space to life. With only 36 seats, the Reverie experience is incredibly intimate and personal.

The second iteration of Reverie returns in February 2024. Located at 3201 Cherry Hill Lane NW in Georgetown, the restaurant will be open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit www.reveriedc.com.”