2108 8th Street, NW
From a press release:
“Mélange, Chef Elias Taddesse’s celebrated restaurant in Shaw, today announced a new partnership with Lou Bernard, Beverage Director of Michelin-starred Mita, to lead and reimagine the restaurant’s bar and service program. The collaboration marks a bold new chapter for Mélange, uniting culinary identity with a dynamic, culture-forward beverage experience.
For Bernard, the partnership is as much a homecoming as it is a new endeavor. The Mélange space was formerly home to Roy Boys, where Bernard helped open the concept in 2019 and went on to lead operations through more than four years of growth and evolution.
“That space — and Shaw as a whole — holds a lot of meaning for me,” says Bernard. “It’s where I really grew in this industry. Being able to come back and build something new, with intention, feels full circle.”
Located just steps from Mita, Mélange sits at the heart of the neighborhood Bernard has long helped shape. What began as candid conversations between Bernard and Chef Elias about business, hospitality, and community quickly evolved into a shared creative vision.
“This wasn’t just about stepping into a role,” Bernard adds. “It was about continuing to build community — especially from the service and bar perspective — and creating something that feels connected to the people who live and work here.”
Together, Taddesse and Bernard are developing a beverage and service program rooted in storytelling, cultural richness, and genuine hospitality. Bernard brings with him a trusted team with deep ties to the Shaw community, including Kevin and Hugo Cornejo and José Crespo — collaborators who have worked alongside him since 2020 — as well as Kyre Williams, Beverage Manager at Dleña and a Roy Boys alumnus, and Princess Johnson of Allegory, a longtime friend and industry peer whose connection to Bernard also traces back to Roy Boys.
Guests can expect vibrant, Ethiopian-inspired flavors throughout—like the Fuego Berbere, a margarita-style cocktail blending tequila and mezcal with berbere spice. Bright and citrus-forward, it finishes with a warm, smoky, spiced depth.
The new bar program is set to debut April 2026. Mélange is located at 2108 8th St. NW”