Discover the hidden gem of Washington, D.C.: Ivy City.
While areas like Shaw, Bloomingdale, and 14th Street seem to be the new neighborhoods of D.C., one city has yet catch the attention of area residents: Ivy City. Only a short walk from the NoMa–Gallaudet Metro stop and just up New York Avenue from Union Market, this up-and-coming neighborhood is full of history, remarkable and flavorful food, and drinks that don’t stop flowing. [gallery columns="2" size="large" ids="3726,3721"] The Ivy City neighborhood is centered around the old Hecht Warehouse, a former warehouse for Macy’s, which now serves as home to the Hecht Warehouse Apartments (a luxury-style apartment complex), a Sip&Dry Bar, Pidzza, Planet Fitness, and (soon) a TJ Maxx! Restaurants housed inside the Hecht include Ari’s Diner, La Puerta Verde, and Dock FC -- each with its own signature style and vibe. Filled with flat screens showing "futbol" games from around the world, Dock FC is the newest soccer bar in D.C. [gallery columns="2" size="large" ids="3722,3727"] Across from the Hecht is the Ivy City Smokehouse, one of D.C.’s best restaurants and fish markets, and a great place for fresh fish, D.C.-style barbecue, and live jazz. The rooftop fills up fast so be sure to get there early and grab a signature cucumber mint mojito.
Looking for a place to dance and grab some drinks afterwards? Stroll on over to Big Chief, D.C.’s New Orleans-style bar. Live music, pop-up food tastings, and a great rooftop view keep this bar hopping all night. The lines to get into Big Chief would have you thinking this bar was in central DuPont! But it's worth the wait: The music is vibrant, the bartenders are friendly, and they'll remember your name and your drink even weeks later.
[caption id="attachment_3725" align="aligncenter" width="300"] One Eight Distillery[/caption]
Even if you're not really into the night life scene, Ivy City has you covered with the "unofficial" distillery district where you'll find breweries, gin distilleries, and whiskey distilleries.
One Eight Distilling provides tours of their distillery while you sip on samples of their vodka, gin, or whiskey. You can also stop in next door to New Columbia Distillers and try their D.C.-famous Green Hat Gin. Need something to soak up all that alcohol? Food trucks line the distillery strip, ranging from barbecue to Korean food and everything in between.
Hop over to Atlas Brewery for some in-house brewed beer featuring themed beers and flavors you didn't even think possible! The bartenders will help you select a beer and will even let you taste a beer before you commit to one.
And if you’re looking for one of the best cocktails in D.C., you have to try Union Kitchen. Open during special pop-ups, it has the ambiance your Instagram feed is begging for. Check out their website to see when their partners are serving up drinks and specialty food.
Ivy City has been an established neighborhood in D.C. for decades and one that is now rapidly growing. More restaurants, stores, apartments, and condos are popping up all the time. There really seems to be no slowing down Ivy City, the unfound gem of Northeast D.C.
What's your favorite place to eat or drink in Ivy City? Tell us in the comments!