Sneak into this exclusive rooftop pool club near Cathedral Heights
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The Ridge Club rooftop pool and restaurant. Photo courtesy of David Madison Photography
A private rooftop pool club and Michael Mina restaurant just opened near Cathedral Heights, and the public can sneak in for a limited time.
Why it matters: The Ridge Club is the premier amenity of Roadside's $715 million City Ridge development — a luxe makeover of Fannie Mae's former campus that includes upscale apartments, an Equinox gym, D.C.'s first Wegmans, and of course, a Tatte.
- Limited club memberships are available only to residents, office tenants, and "neighborhood friends," and run upwards of $650 a year. But the public can drop in for a meal or reserve poolside cabanas through June and possibly July.
⛱️ What to expect: The scenic rooftop is designed to feel like a permanent vacation. An L-shaped pool overlooking the National Cathedral is ringed by lounge chairs and cabanas and boasts a theater-size screen for movie nights.
- Bourbon Steak celeb-restaurateur Michael Mina runs the club's poolside restaurant, which serves beach-y bites for sunbathers as well as a full New American menu for brunch and dinner.
🍹 How it works: For now, patrons can walk in and snag a sunset espresso martini at the bar, or a full meal indoors and on the firepit-lined terrace (we have our eye on lobster fritters and a truffle cheeseburger). Dining reservations are also available.
- For pool access, you'll have to reserve a cabana — available for three-hour windows, Friday through Sunday, with a food/beverage minimum of $25 per person.
👩👧👦 Good to know: The intended vibe is South Beach chic — but that doesn't exclude families. Kids are welcome and membership is free for children under 12.
🍕 Zoom out: Developer Roadside is testing out a unique vacation-mode model for urban living. Beyond the pool club — the only of its kind in the area — over-the-top amenities include a rooftop greenhouse, communal smoker and pizza oven, and a makerspace for private workshops and classes.
🍝 What's next: San Francisco-based Mina Group will open a street-level "fattoria-to-table" restaurant in the development — this time open to all.