The Roost DC is a new "culinary clubhouse" in a 12,500-square-foot food hall located at Blackbird, a new 167 unit residential building perched on the corner of Pennsylvania Ave and 14th on Capitol Hill. Developed and managed by local dining and drinking connoisseurs Neighborhood Restaurant Group in partnership with May Riegler, The Roost brings together a handful of the District’s best chefs along with a lively & diverse collection of the area’s most compelling food, beer, wine and spirits purveyors. Vendors opening now through Thanksgiving 2020. Closest Metro is Potomac Avenue.
On this beautiful Fall day, we walked the short 4 blocks from our house to check out the new Roost. Not all of the vendors are open yet, but we were able to sit in the open-air Shelter and order from any of the menus via our phone. All ordering and payment was super convenient, and I loved the sound track. I can see us coming back here quite often and am happy to see more vendors open up in our neighborhood. Here is what we tried during our first visit:
Shelter: From the minds behind ChurchKey, The Sovereign, Bluejacket and others, Shelter features many of the key elements that have come to define NRG's beer concepts. 50 taps, two cask engines, a temperature-controlled system and extensive glassware - along with a near-frenetic rotation of the world's finest craft brews. We tried a taste of five different beers, with our favorite being SCHÖNRAM, a Helles Lager from Germany, the Traunstein/1612ER
Kellerbier/Zwickelbier from Germany, and Bluejacket's Forbidden Planet - an American Blond Ale with Galaxy Hops made here in DC.
Hi/Fi Taco: An all new concept from Nathan Anda, the mad genius, chef and butcher behind Red Apron, The Partisan and B Side. Nate's genuine love and appreciation for tacos will shine through with his clever takes on the classics along with some fun twists on the sides. The Mojo Braised Chicken Taco was my favorite with avocado crema, enchilada sauce, and shredded lettuce. The chicken had so much flavor. I also enjoyed the Crispy Avocado Taco with smoky jalapeño black beans, avocado crema, and pickled onions. The avocado was perfectly fried, but I expected a bit more heat to the beans. Keith liked the Taco Night in America - seasoned ground beef, shredded lettuce, queso in a crunchy tortilla. Keith also ordered the Valentina Hot Wings with smoked crema, pickled peppers, cilantro & green onions. He found all the extra toppings to be a bit unnecessary, but enjoyed the wings nonetheless.
Red Apron: The Roost marks Red Apron’s fourth location here in the region - and will feature a greatest hits menu culled from their deep arsenal of handmade charcuterie, burgers, sandwiches and all the meaty goodness they've become known for. I ordered the Red Apron Smoked Chicken Salad made with baby kale, goat cheese, toasted pecans, cranberries, and a grain mustard & honey dressing. This was the best salad I've had in a very long time!
