photo by Albert Ting
Speaking of Itiyah and eight others…
From a press release:
“New Kitchens On The Block returns to Mess Hall on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The twelfth edition of long-running food festival offers a onetime-only opportunity to savor signature dishes and drinks from 9 of DC’s most hyped new restaurants by the city’s buzziest, award-winningest chefs – before they open. For two hours, guests have the unique chance to meet the talent behind these forthcoming hot spots, get the behind-the-scenes lowdown on their latest ventures, and take a few selfies with them.
NKOTB 12’s participants are:
A to-be-named all-day café by James Beard Award winner Fabio Trabocchi (Fiola, Fiola Mare, Del Mar)
Alfie’s by Alex McCoy (Lucky Buns, Monstera) and Justin Ahn (Incheon)
Maurizio’s by the Cava team and Aris Tsekouras (Melina, Bouboulina Steak)
Ebbitt House by the Clyde’s Restaurant Group and Stephen Lyons (The Inn at Little Washington, Matchbox Food Group)
District Larder Co. by Matt Sperber (Any Day Now, The Salt Line, Husk)
Phia by Brad Feickert (Soko Butcher, Koma)
Vesper by Rachel Bindel (Tail Up Goat, Lutèce, Gravitas)
Little Birdie by Eric Brannon (Matt & Tony’s)
Itiyah by Sebastien Salomon (The White House, Embassy of Haiti)
Guests will enjoy beer by Right Proper Brewing Company and cocktails powered by spirits provided by Prestige Ledroit. S. Pellegrino is the official water of the event.
Date and time: Saturday, April 25, 2026, for two separate two-hour sessions; 12-2 p.m. and 3-5 p.m.
Location: Mess Hall, 703 Edgewood St. NE
Tickets: Available on Eventbrite. There are a limited number of early bird general admission tickets for $99 and early bird VIP tickets for $139. General admission is $119. Additionally, there are a limited number of VIP tickets available for $159, which include a swank swag bag with a cookbook hand-selected by the team at Bold Fork Books, as well as gifts from our sponsors, such as San-J tamari, illy Coffee, Burlap & Barrel spices, Graza olive oil, and more.”