3201 Cherry Hill Lane NW courtesy Reverie
Thanks to Daphney (and everyone else) for passing on the sad news from Chef Johnny Spero:
“This is meant to be celebratory—so please don’t take it any other way.
Reverie has shaped me in more ways than I can count. It gave me space to grow through some of life’s biggest challenges all at once—becoming a father, opening a restaurant, and giving up alcohol. It helped me find my voice and define the kind of dining experience I wanted to create—the kind that tells a story, sometimes without needing many words.
I pushed myself to be exactly who I am—not different for the sake of it, but because the food that excited me most was the food I believed in.
And now, I’ve decided to end this chapter on my own terms.
After nearly a decade down this alleyway, Reverie will serve its final menu on October 4.
But we’re not done yet.
We’re closing out strong with Vegetable Season through August—one of the most focused, vibrant, and creative menus we’ve ever done. Then in September, we’ll finish with a final tasting menu that celebrates everything Reverie has stood for: creativity, connection, and a relentless drive to just cook really fucking good food.
Thank you to everyone who’s walked through these doors—from the Reverie 1.0 crew to the team beside me now.
To Alexis—none of this would’ve happened without you. You’ve raised our three amazing kids with love, patience, and strength while I chased this dream. Fiona was born just ten days after we opened, and nothing shows how much can change in seven years more than watching all three of them grow up alongside this restaurant.
I’m going out in a blaze of glory—and passing the torch to someone else to continue the story down this alleyway.”